HURON The post office building located at 410 Dakota Ave. S. in Huron is more than 100 years old, built in 1912-1913 with a major addition built in 1936-1937, but on Tuesday afternoon, under a tent in the South parking lot of the building, it received a new name.
The First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin Post Office Building was dedicated Tuesday afternoon in a ceremony that brought a number of community members, as well as family and friends of Martin and guests of honor, under a tent put up to avoid potential rain.
Keeping with the upbeat, yet reverent, tone of the ceremony, the clouds came, but not a drop of rain fell during the time the crowd was gathered.
After members of the S.D. National Guard 153rd Engineering Battalion presented colors, Huron Boy Scout Troop 222 led the pledge of allegiance and retired postmaster Val Langbehn led the crowd in the national anthem.
Huron Mayor Mark Robish welcomed the family and guests to Huron. He declared Martin our hero as he recognized the sacrifice that the Huron native gave to his country.
U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) spoke about Martins life. Martin, who was killed in action in 2007, was born in Huron and spent much of his school years in Huron before his family moved, and he graduated high school in Arkansas. Martin enlisted in the United States Army out of high school and was eventually accepted for admission to West Point.
Martin excelled in his military career, becoming a sniper platoon leader, and deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. After his death on October 14, 2007, Martin was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart Medal posthumously to go with a collection of awards from his service. He was buried in West Point National Cemetery.
Rounds supported a bill that was signed into law in November 2024 to rename the Huron building after Martin.
Martins father, Ed Martin, spoke of the familys long ties to the Cavour and Huron area, noting that Tom was born at HRMC and was baptized at St. Martins Catholic Church. He also discussed his sons perseverance to get into West Point after being denied admission initially, coming out of high school.
Martins parents revealed the plaque that will be placed inside the building.
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