by Mari Radtke
Two new statues have been placed prominently at the Sutherland Veteran’s Memorial. The memorial sits visibly from Highway 10 at the east side of Sutherland next to the intersection with County Road M12. The serene setting rests between Waterman Cemetery and the Catholic Cemetery.

The first statue, “No Man Left Behind,” was donated by David Woolston in honor of his father, Ronald. The planning of the project began in January of 2023 when David approached American Legion Post 152 (Sutherland) about his desire to honor his father in this way. The Legion members considered the proposal and decided they would like the look of 2 statues better than 1 statue. After consideration the legion members decided to purchase a second statue, “Freedom Fighter.”
According to Jim Johnson, long time Legion member and the individual contacted by Woolston, “It took a long time to find someone to build the statue. There are 2 companies in the nation that do that. One is in Sioux Falls, where these were made.” The statues are cast cement, painted black with a bronze coating. The soldier replicas stand on a concrete base and placed at the corners of the memorial.
The memorial features flags and beautiful monuments remembering many who served their country. A veteran’s name can be added. Applications are available at the Sutherland branch of Security State Bank. Each name is $125. The only qualification for an inscription is to be a veteran.
The Sutherland American Legion membership is for veterans who served during wartime. The Legion provides military service for deceased veterans. It leads the Sutherland Labor Day Parade, conducts or assists with flag-burning ceremonies and provides limited medical equipment for any resident during time of need.
Johnson gave a special thank you to Kevin and Jon Zubrod who took time out of their very busy day to bring their special truck and equipment to unload and place the statues.