"Clay County's Fallen"
Student Research Contest
This Page is Dedicated to:
Classes of SEED 415 and ELED 360, Spring 2016
Classes of SEED 415 and ELED 360, Spring 2016
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“Clay County’s Fallen” final contestants and judges: Front row (left to right): Andy Howe, Vermillion VFW Post 3061 quartermaster; Jing Williams, assistant professor of social studies education; Lexy Zimmerman (1st place winner), of Flandreau, South Dakota; E. Lee Felder Jr., VP of Human Resources and member of Vermillion VFW. Second row (left to right): Master Sgt. Jason Clayton, senior military instructor, ROTC; Delaney Clark, of Fremont, Nebraska; Matt Viereck, of Larchwood, Iowa; William Mart, finalist; Bruce Williams, Vermillion VFW member. Back row (left to right): Arianne Aasen, finalist; Margo Hegge, finalist; Sean Bredl, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Shelby Keil, finalist.
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Zimmerman Invited As the Guest Speaker at
The Memorial Day Observance in
Vermillion, South Dakota
May 30, 2016
Featured speaker, Lexy Zimmerman, who was the first place winner of the ‘Clay County’s Fallen’ Research project and contest which was sponsored by VFW Post 3061 spoke on fallen hero Roger E. Jensen.
The community of Vermillion joined together with its Veterans to honor the fallen heroes of the area during the annual Memorial Day service held at the Baptist Church on Monday.
Sponsored by the Vermillion Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3061, the program is an annual tradition in Vermillion.
“The VFW calls upon all posts to hold an observance in their community,” Powell said. “Memorial Day is intended to honor service members killed in service to their country and is different than Veterans’ Day in November which is to honor the service of all Veterans.”
Featured speaker, Lexy Zimmerman, who was the first place winner of the ‘Clay County’s Fallen’ Research project and contest which was sponsored by Post 3061 spoke on fallen hero Roger E. Jensen.
“For our project we were given a fallen soldier from somewhere in Clay County,” Zimmerman said in an earlier interview with the Plain Talk. “Our task was to research and find as much information as we could about that person and their time in the service. I was given Roger E. Jensen who served in World War II. For my presentation at the Memorial Day service I will be going through a brief history of his life before the war, and then what he did during his service.”
According to Zimmerman’s report, Jensen was born in Burbank and attended Vermillion High School. He enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve in 1942.
“In Boston he boarded the USS Buck,” she said Monday. “The mission of his ship was to escort convoys of supplies across the Atlantic so they could arrive safely in Europe to assist the Allied effort. In 1943, the USS Buck helped win a major battle for the Allies in the Mediterranean Sea, by sinking an Italian submarine. October 1943, Jensen and his crewmates were patrolling the coast of Italy when their ship was hit with two torpedoes. It only took four minutes for the ship to sink completely and unfortunately Jensen and 161 other men were killed. Jensen is memorialized at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Italy, and the Black Hills Nation Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota.”
Zimmerman said she spent time at the Vermillion Public Library perusing old records including local newspapers, as well as articles at USD, Navy reports and one firsthand account from a surviving lieutenant.
“I am so grateful for this project because I have really been able to gain appreciation for what individual men and women do during their service,” Zimmerman said. “I think it is important to never forget those that have fought and died to protect us and researching someone so close to home made the project even more valuable. I am so honored to be presenting the life and service of Roger Jensen to the community of Vermillion.”
Following Zimmerman’s speech, Clinton Meadows, Commander of the American Legion Post 1 read the Honor Roll Call listing each man and woman of the area who gave their lives in combat.
Four wreaths were laid in honor of the fallen and a 21 gun salute was given by the VFW Honor Guard.
News source: "Community Joins Together to Honor Fallen Heroes", The Plain Talk, June 2, 2016