A dedication ceremony for the 2019 Corn Palace murals will be held at noon on October 26. The ceremony is open to the public and will take place on Mitchell’s Main Street in front of the Corn Palace. The 2019 mural theme, “Salute to Military,” honors the commissioning of USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790) fast attack submarine and all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Led by Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson, the ceremony will include special guests from the South Dakota National Guard, USS SOUTH DAKOTA Commissioning Committee, American Indian veterans community, American Legion Riders and Patriot Guard Riders.
Following the official ceremony, active duty members of the military and veterans will be invited to help create the murals by installing a piece of corn on the Corn Palace.
The American Legion Riders invite motorcyclists to join a dedication ride from Sioux Falls to Mitchell for the ceremony. Riders will meet at the Battleship SOUTH DAKOTA Memorial at 12th Street and Kiwanis Avenue at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be available for a short presentation about battleship SOUTH DAKOTA by Battleship Memorial Board President Diane Diekman. At 9:30 a.m. the group will ride to Mitchell on a scenic, state highway.
Commemorative USS SOUTH DAKOTA 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide motorcycle will be escorted by the motorcyclists. The motorcycle honors battleship SOUTH DAKOTA (BB 57) and commemorates the new submarine SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790).
In event of inclement weather, the ceremony will move inside the Corn Palace. Kuchen and chislic vendors will serve authentic South Dakota cuisine at the event.
About the USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790)
On April 13, 2012, the Secretary of the Navy announced that U.S. Navy submarine SSN-790 will be named in honor of the State of South Dakota. Carrying a crew of 14 officers and 117 enlisted servicemen, USS SOUTH DAKOTA (SSN 790) will be armed with two Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT), each capable of holding six vertical launch Tomahawk missiles that can hit on-shore targets up to 1,240 miles away. The ship is powered by a nuclear reactor, offering an unlimited source of fuel lasting the lifespan of the ship; a projected 33 years.
