Daryl Harrison, of Thurston, is up front about the fact that anyone can see where his passions lie, especially when it comes to honoring America's veterans. Harrison, a veteran himself, is the president of the Nebraska Medal of Honor Foundation, and couldn't quite put into words how he felt about the work the foundation is doing. Then he saw a vocabulary word on TV - agape - meaning a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. That's the type of passion Harrison is bringing to a project to bring attention to the renaming of Nebraska's Highway 20 as the Medal of Honor Highway. Harrison and the Nebraska Medal of Honor Foundation are planning a unique fundraiser to purchase signs along the route.
On Jan. 31, Governor Pete Ricketts signed paperwork to formally name Nebraska's stretch of Highway 20 the Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway. It's a designation that has been in the works for awhile, and Harrison credits Laurel's Gene Twiford, with recognizing the importance of getting the designation.
According to a press release from the Governor's office, one of the reasons the name change was approved was because it allows Nebraska to take part in a national effort to rename Highway 20, which runs 3,365 miles from Newport, Ore. to Boston, Mass.
“Naming US-20 as the ‘Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway’ pays homage to our nation’s most heroic soldiers,” Gov. Ricketts said. “It’s a fitting way for Nebraska to show respect and appreciation to our veterans for their sacrifices to keep us safe.”
Nebraska also has the American Legion Highway, VFW Memorial Highway and Crazy Horse Memorial Highway and those three will all cross the Medal of Honor Highway at some point.
"When we get to Valentine on Highway 83, that highway north to south is the VFW Memorial Highway and Nebraska has that crossing. In O'Neill, Neb., Highway 281 is named the American Legion Memorial Highway and crosses highway 20. Then when we get to South Sioux City, Neb., the end of old Highway 20 could be said to be at Siouxland Freedom Park, Harrison said.
Harrison said he sees that as a testate to "Nebraska's finest warriors."
A Medal of Honor winner from Oregon, Bob Maxwell, who has since died, was involved with the movement to rename the Highway. Harrison heard about the movement through the American Legion and jumped at the chance to get involved.
While the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) only allows two, very basic signs to denote a highway's name, the Nebraska Medal of Honor Foundation has bigger goals.
"The first phase is for 10 signs that we would put up along the highway, and that would be at Gordon, Valentine, O'Neill, near Royal and one at the Iowa border," Harrison said. "Our second phase includes four signs, two for the north and south side of Valentine so that people recognize as they’re traveling the VFW Memorial Highway, that they are about to cross the Medal of Honor Highway and two for the same reasons north and south of O'Neill for the American Legion Highway."
To bring attention to the campaign, Harrison, and fellow foundation board member, Ken Hanel, will be walking Nebraska's Medal of Honor Highway from border to border over 12 days.
"Ken and I will walk it, alternating six miles on, six miles off," Harrison said. "We walk 36 miles plus one each day, so we walk 37 miles a day."
The duo will begin their walk at the Wyoming border at 5 a.m. on Monday, May 11, which is also the first anniversary of Maxwell's death. Their journey will also include stops in 11 different communities, including Laurel, and Harrison said he hopes local veterans groups will host fundraisers for the signs and roll out that famous Nebraska hospitality.
"I tell people the things I look forward to two things out of this walk and it’s what Nebraskans do — there’s going to be visiting and there’s going to be eating," Harrison said with a smile.
With them on the walk will be a special memorial to Maxwell.
"Bob Maxwell’s flag will be handed off to us at the Wyoming boarder," Harrison said. "We will carry that flag in the vehicles because of the weight, but we’ll bring it out in each of the communities and it will have the streamers from each state it’s already been through. When we get to South Sioux, to the park, we will put our streamer on it, pass it on to the American Legion National Commander, who will in turn pass it on to the state of Iowa’s representatives."
Harrison said he's working now to get prepared to walk the route, but either way, he's making the journey. This act is where his agape attitude comes in.
"If I have to gnaw my foot off to make this walk, this is my walk," Harrison said.
Harrison said the goal of the Nebraska Medal of Honor Foundation is to honor all of those who have received the honor, and this walk is just the first in what the foundation hopes, is many activities to bring awareness to medal winners and their stories of selfless service to the nation.
Each sign will cost the foundation $2,000, and Harrison is optimistic they can raise the funds for all 14 signs. More information about the foundation can be found at nebraskamedalofhonorfoundation.org Donations can also made on the site.
