Oregon’s Highway 20 Medal of Honor Highway signs going ‘National’ to reflect coast-to-coast designation
Barney Lerten
Bend Heroes Foundation also plans Flag Day flag placement, ceremonies
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Transportation on Thursday converted the first two Oregon Medal of Honor Highway signs along US Highway 20 across the state to National Medal of Honor Highway signs, with more to follow.
“The conversion was simple – remove ‘Oregon’ and replace it with a 12×48-inch panel displaying ‘National’ pop-riveted on the same signs,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Dick Tobiason, chairman of the Bend Heroes Foundation.
The ODOT sign installer converted a sign in 30 minutes. The Bend Heroes Foundation paid ODOT to convert six of the 12 installed signs. In the next few weeks, Tobiason said they will convert signs on each end of the 451-mile highway and two more locations in between (Corvallis and Burns).
“By converting half of the 12 Oregon MOH Highway signs we have respected the Oregon law creating the Oregon Medal of Honor Highway as well as the new Federal law signed by President Biden (PL118-154) on Dec. 17, 2024,” Tobiason said.
Tobiason said dedication of the 3,365-mile coast-to-coast National Medal of Honor Highway is planned for a year from now.
Meanwhile, the Bend Heroes Foundation and volunteers will celebrate Flag Day on Saturday by displaying American flags previously flown over our nation’s Capitol and bearing the names of veterans. The Mountain View High School Navy Cadet Corps has the honor of leading flag installations again in their 20th year of displaying flags in Bend.
They will also celebrate the United States Army’s 250th birthday before installing flags. At the request of the Foundation, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler issued the Army birthday proclamation, which will be read at the ceremony by City Councilor State Platt, Colonel, USAF, Retired. President Trump’s proclamation will also be read.
A special Army birthday banner will be displayed at Bend Heroes Memorial until 4:00 p.m., when the flags will be retired. A bagpiper will play while the Army birthday cake will be cut by the oldest and youngest Army veterans present.
The ceremonies begin at 7:00 am, Saturday at Bend Heroes Memorial in Brooks Park. They are free of charge and open to the public.