Moody County becomes a Purple Heart County

It will be a simple signand one you might miss if youre in a hurry. But for those who know what it means, its everything.
Earlier this week, Moody County Commissioners voted to officially designate the county as a Purple Heart County, a move brought forward by locals Bill Ellingson, and Randy Tollefson, and Jack Gill, all deeply committed veterans and respected community leaders.
In approaching commissioners with the request, Gill, a native of Moody County and current resident of Sioux Falls, continually referenced his uncle, who was killed in action during World War II, when speaking about the importance of honoring Purple Heart recipients.
But Gill himself has also paid a high price. At just 19 years old, inspired by family members who didnt make it home, he enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from Egan High School in 1968. Within weeks of arriving in Vietnam, while on a foot patrol, he stepped near a landmine and lost both of his legs.
He was awarded the Purple Heart for his own injuries.
I had an uncle who was killed in action, his plane was shot down. The purple heart signage, its in remembrance of these people that didnt come back, we need to remember their sacrifice. We need to remember the history and the sacrifices that were made and keep it free, and the liberties that we enjoy, he said just outside the commission chambers this past week.
The Army really straightened me out in many ways. But it came at a cost.
Gill, Ellingson, and Tollefson have each spent decades advocating for veterans through organizations like the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Their recent joint effort backed by the Moody County Historical Society and VFW Post 3351 led to Moody County being added to the communities on the national Purple Heart Trail, a symbolic tribute to those wounded or killed in service to the nation.
Four Purple Heart signs will now be installed by the state along highways entering the county. Their hope is that the signs serve as daily reminders of the sacrifice behind our freedoms.
You know, Gill said, a sign might just get someone to stop and think, even for a second, about what others sacrificed for their freedoms.
The Purple Heart medal, introduced in 1782 by George Washington as the Badge of Military Merit, is the United States oldest military decoration. It is awarded to members of the armed forces wounded or killed in action from April 5, 1917, to the present day. It remains one of the most revered honors in military service.
To mark this new county designation, a recognition event is being planned for July 4th at the Moody County Museum, aimed at honoring all local Purple Heart recipients. However, no official list of awardees exists. Ellingson is encouraging anyone who has received the medal or knows someone who has to contact the museum at (605) 997-3191.