Sue Sitter/PCT Honored guests of the Rugby Clarence Larson American Legion Post #23 sit onstage behind Pierce County Veterans Service Officer Ron Montonye, who gives a speech to honor area military veterans Nov. 11 at Memorial Hall.

Pierce County area residents joined military veterans and members of the Rugby Clarence Larson American Legion Post 23 for a special Veterans Day ceremony at Memorial Hall Nov. 11.

Dave Trottier of radio station KZZJ broadcast the ceremony live. Audience members bowed their heads for an invocation delivered by Post Chaplain Josh Siegler.

Post Commander Kirk Seaver addressed the crowd gathered in the hall’s gymnasium. “One thing I’ve grown to appreciate year after year is the unbelievable and unbreakable bond we have with veterans in this community. I also would like to add the bond that exists between the community and the veterans,” Seaver said.

Seaver introduced nine honored guests, each a veteran of military conflict or member of an organization supporting veterans. The honorees, who sat onstage during the ceremony, were Gabriel Scheet, World War II; Ray Norsby, Korean War; Mike Christenson, Vietnam War; Dave Engelend, Gulf War; Siegler, Operation Iraqi Freedom; John Gustafson, Operation Enduring Freedom; Army National Guard, Kirk Seaver; Sons of the American Legion, Ben Kuhnhenn; American Legion Auxiliary, Joyce Teigen and Veterans Service Officer Ron Montonye.

Montonye delivered a keynote speech to the audience.

“I appreciate this opportunity to share a few of my thoughts with you on this Veterans Day 2021. These thoughts are a reflection of the various hats I wear today. I wear the hat of a veteran. I wear the hat of a 43-year member of the American Legion. I wear the hat of your Pierce County Veterans Service Officer and finally, I wear the hat of an American who loves this great land of ours,” Montonye said to open his remarks.

“Through the 2020 publication of the North Dakota Military Data Book, I found the following statistics. There are an estimated 53, 608 veterans in North Dakota. Two hundred fifty-six of them are residents of Pierce County. Of these North Dakota veterans, 89.2 percent are male and 10.8 percent are female,” Montonye said. “The age range of North Dakota veterans is this: 18-29 year olds, 5.9 percent; 30 to 44 years of age, 20 percent. Forty-five to 59 years of age: 24.2 percent. Those who are ages 60 to 74 are 30.8 percent and for veterans age 75 and older, 18.9 percent. We have an aging veteran population in North Dakota. Over 50 percent of North Dakota veterans are over 60 years of age.”

“Among our North Dakota veterans, 1.9 percent are World War II veterans. We lose World War II veterans every day. I think I read that from 16 million American service members in World War II, we’re down to just over one million left,” Montonye added.

“Four point nine percent are Korean War veterans; 29.6 percent are Vietnam-era veterans; 27.8 percent are Global War on Terrorism veterans and 17.2 percent are classified as North Dakota veterans who served during peacetime periods of service,” Montonye noted.

Montonye said honoring veterans for their service was “easy at events such as this one (for Veterans Day) or Memorial Day.”

However, Montonye urged Pierce County residents to do more than honor veterans only on holidays.

Help needed

“As your Pierce County Veterans Service Officer, I feel it is my responsibility and my duty to assist all local veterans and their families to receive all the benefits they are entitled to,” Montonye said. “I am privileged and honored to do this. But as I often say, I cannot do this alone. I need your help as well. You may know a veteran, whether a family member or a friend or just an acquaintance who has yet to apply for VA benefits. If so, I encourage you to please have them visit with me. Our veterans have done their duty. Now, it’s time that we do ours as well.”

Montonye added, “Let us follow their example of selfless and honorable service to our country.”

Staying united in troubled times is also important for citizens of Pierce County and the nation, according to Montonye.

“Young people who are here today, look at those around you,” Montonye said. “You will see veterans of all ages. For some, their time on earth is getting short, yet they feel a need to be here today. There is a message here. The term, “band of brothers” is not just a catchy name for a book or miniseries. It is a bond that is eternal.”

Montonye cited a scene at the end of the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” where an elderly Ryan stands in the World War II Cemetery at Normandy, France, looking at the tombstone of the Army officer who saved his life.

“After saluting, he turns to his wife and says, ‘Just tell me I’ve been a good person, that I have lived a good life,'” Montonye recounted.

“I believe he realizes there’s no better way to honor those who have sacrificed so much. There is a message here,” Montonye added.

“It reminds us that we need to become more empathetic to the needs of all humanity and find ways to bring further glory to honor God’s kingdom here on earth,” Montonye added. “By so doing, I believe our nation can continue to be a beacon and a light of hope for the world.”

After Montonye’s speech, Gustafson presented pins to two Vietnam-era veterans at the ceremony. Two surviving spouses of Vietnam-era veterans received pins in a separate ceremony later.

The Rugby High School Band played a selection of official songs from each branch of the military. Veterans from each branch stood when the band played their song.

Seaver asked attendees to bow their heads for a moment of silence to honor service members who had died, were missing in action or prisoners of war.

Tillman Hovland, a post member and Korean-era veteran, solemnly played Taps on his trumpet.

Before the post’s color guard retired the American and Post 23 flags, Seaver gave thanks to several Rugby area businesses and supporters including the Kuhnhenn Family, who have sponsored the Annual Darryl Kuhnhenn Memorial Ride for ten years and donated to the post each year.

After the ceremony, the legion post invited attendees to a roast beef lunch catered by Stephanie Halvorson of the Balta Bar and Grill.