SIOUX FALLS The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will be hosting a state bridge dedication ceremony to honor U.S. Army 1st Lt. Larry H. Barbee.
The ceremony will be Aug. 9 at 2 p.m. at The American Legion Post No. 92 in Redfield, 612 Main St.
This dedication is part of the Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication Program, which was launched during the Noem-Rhoden Administration and expanded under Gov. Larry Rhoden. In partnership with the South Dakota Departments of Military, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, this program creates visible and enduring tributes that connect communities to their history and remind future generations of the cost of freedom.
It is an honor to recognize the brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedom, said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jeremiah Schneider.
The U.S. Highway 212 bridge over Turtle Creek in Redfield will be dedicated as the 1st Lt. Larry H. Barbee Bridge.
Barbee was born in Quanah, Texas, in 1945 and grew up in South Dakota with his parents, three sisters, and two brothers.
Barbee entered the U.S. Army in 1966 and trained at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed jungle expert training and Officer Candidate School.
Barbee deployed to Vietnam in August 1968 as a first lieutenant with Company B, 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
On June 6, 1969, during a fierce five-hour battle near An Loc, Vietnam, Barbee was killed while attempting to rescue a wounded platoon member.
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