Veterans Day - Remembering Two Montana Veterans

Today is Veteran’s Day, a day to honor the men and women who have served our country. I think we sometimes forget that it is more than an excuse for a three day weekend, or the Veteran’s day sales we see advertised in newspapers and on the television.

Montana is proud of her Veterans, with Veterans Memorials in many locations. The airport in Three Forks is named for Col. Dean Andrew Pogreba, who grew up in Three Forks, graduated from High School in 1940 and enlisted in the Air Force after graduation. He flew in World War II, the Korean Conflict and was shot down over Vietnam on October 5, 1965. He was a highly decorated pilot who flew more than a hundred missions and Three Forks has never forgotten his sacrifices.

The portion of Montana state highway 78, from Columbus through Absarokee and Roscoe to Red Lodge, was designated by the state legislature as the Donald J. Ruhl medal of honor highway.  Donald J. Ruhl was a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor. He was born in Columbus in 1923 and graduated from High School in Joliet. By throwing himself on top of a grenade at Iwo Jima, he saved two of his fellow marines. Hopefully those driving along that highway today will think about the sacrifice of Donald Ruhl and his family and all of the other veterans who do what they do to protect the freedom that we enjoy every day.