Black Hills War Monument Association dedicates new memorial

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - A veteran’s monument was dedicated Monday morning at Memorial Park during a service honoring those who served their country.

The new memorial features 694 names of veterans from 10 surrounding counties who lost their lives serving engraved on granite walls.

“Almost every county in South Dakota has a monument like this but Rapid City just had one that needed some upgrading, so we decided to make it reflect, like all the other ones, the American flag, the military flags and the names of those who died serving their country,” said Edward Manzano, who serves on the board of the Black Hills War Monument Association.

The monument also was upgraded to include all wars from World War One to the present.

“I think the memorial really exemplifies the fact that you know all conflict is able to be honored in the same way,” explained Ronna Draper, Gold Star family member. “So, to have all the wars represented is really neat.”

The memorial has a QR code feature so visitors can scan it to learn more about the veterans whose names are engraved.