Superior bridge dedicated to veterans

Dozens of people gathered at the Old School Building in Superior Monday morning to remember the nation’s veterans and dedicate a bridge to their sacrifices.

“When you think about it, once a year is not nearly enough to pay tribute for what they have done. By naming this the bridge the Mineral County Veterans’ Memorial Bridge, we’re hoping that every time you cross this bridge you’ll breathe a prayer to God Almighty for the service that they’ve given us,” said Superior Mayor Mike Wood.

The Superior Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6238 initiated the dedication of the River Street bridge that crosses the Clark Fork River in downtown Superior.

Wood was the first to speak at the dedication, and he talked about the sacrifices that people have made for America, encouraging the audience to give thanks for the men and women that make up the nation’s military. “Each one of use here are thankful for the military that helps keep this nation safe, but remember it isn’t guns or bombs or rockets or tanks that keep us safe, it’s the men and women holding these weapons that make up our military,” Wood said.

After wood spoke, Rep. Gordon Hendrick, the master of ceremonies for the event, spoke to the crowd. “This should be a day in which we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” Hendrick said.

Hendrick also read a letter from Rep. Denny Rehberg, who was unable to attend the event.

Mineral County Commissioner Judy Stang spoke to the crowd and recounted a local prankster who used to drop a dummy from a trestle above the bridge to scare drivers. She said that after this day she would no longer remember the bridge for that prank, but rather for the veterans who it is now dedicated to.

Also speaking at the event were past state VFW Commander and current District 1 Commander Maury Mills, state VFW Auxiliary President Monica Mills, Montana Sen. Jim Elliot and representative for Sen. Max Baucus Lauren Caldwell.

Maury Mills spoke to the crowd about the origin of “Taps.” He said that it came from a Union general during the Civil War, who dragged an unknown, wounded soldier off the battlefield, only to find that it was not only a Confederate soldier, but also his son. The general’s son had been studying music in the South when the war broke out and he had joined the Confederacy. When the General asked for a military burial for his son, he was granted only one musician. He chose a bugle player and asked him to play a piece of music that he found in his son’s coat, which was “Taps.” “That man’s son wrote the haunting melody we now know as ‘Taps’ and the military funeral was born,” Mills said.

After all of the speakers, the crowd gathered on the sides of the bridge as the Superior VFW finished the dedication ceremony. Superior VFW Post Commander Gary Chambers cut a ribbon tied across the bridge and the Superior VFW Honor Guard marched onto the bridge. Then Jim DeBree read the names of 12 soldiers who died in combat this year.

After the reading, a wreath was thrown into the river to commemorate Navy soldiers who have died in combat. As the wreath was thrown into the river members of the audience dropped in rose petals in remembrance for the sacrifices made by Mineral County veterans.

There was then a performance of taps and the honor guard fired off a 21 gun salute before the Superior VFW guard marched off of the bridge.