The Lake Andes November Veteran of the Month is Harold Miller. Harold is a Veteran of the Korean War. Miller was drafted in 1952 and served until 1954. At the time that Harold was drafted, he was farming with his family outside of Canova. Being drafted didn’t bother Miller, he felt that he was called upon and it was his duty to serve his country. Harold was a Marine. He did his basic training and his job training as a mechanical engineer at Fort Pendelton in San Diego, CA.

Harold spent a year in Korea. Harold is 93 years old and does not remember many of the details of his time in Korea, but he did remember a few things. He said that he never fired a shot but did a lot of observing. He was stationed in a combat zone and remembers wading around in boots to observe the Koreans in order to gather intel. While he was in Korea, his job was to help build roads for big military vehicles like caterpillars that were not able to travel on the regular roads. The Marines would also lead motor pools where they would grate roads for other vehicles to travel. These vehicles would follow right behind the motor pool. Harold remembers being very busy with road work because it seemed that both the Americans and Koreans were always tearing up the roads in the area. Harold said that the weather in Korea was much like that of South Dakota and that while he was stationed in Korea, that there were not a lot of supplies to be had.

After his year of service in Korea, Harold returned to the United States to San Diego. He finished the rest of his two-year service there and then had to find his way home to South Dakota after he was discharged. Miller hitched rides home all the way to Sioux Falls and then to his hometown of Canova. It was a three-day trip to get back to South Dakota from San Diego for him. He remembers that the people who helped him and gave him rides never expected any money or anything from him and even helped him by paying for all his food and lodging expenses.

Harold was born and raised in Canova, SD. He had five brothers and two sisters. His brother Ronnie was also a Marine and his brother Bob was in the Army. Miller attended Trackside Country School then Immanuel Lutheran School which was across from the church in Canova. He graduated from 8th grade. He worked as a farmer around the Howard area and any other job that he could get. He also did plumbing for several years. He later in life would retire from running the elevator in Canova.

On June 19, 1956, he married Anita Marie Sieverding of Epiphany, SD. They had four children together Vickie, Cindy, Michael and Mark. In 1992, Harold and Anita moved to Lake Andes after they retired to be closer to family. Some of Harold’s hobbies throughout the years included playing pool, golfing, playing and coaching baseball, and woodwork. Miller was a very avid sports player and still is an avid watcher. While living in Canova, Harold was a part of the Canova School Board, City Council, volunteer Fire Department, bowling league and the Canova Centennial Committee, Knights of Columbus, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Since moving to Lake Andes, Harold has coached baseball, been a member of the local VFW, and has been an active member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church.

Thank you, Harold, for your service and for being the October Veteran of the Month.