12th governor makes coast-to-coast Medal of Honor Highway a reality – but Bend veterans activist has new mission

Dick Tobiason seeks congressional designation: 'Time is of the essence for Congress to act'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend veterans activist Dick Tobiason is marking the successful completion of one coast-to-coast honor mission -- and as is so often the case, pressing ahead with yet another.

On Nov. 17, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed legislation designating the 153 mile US Highway 20 across Massachusetts as "Massachusetts Medal of Honor Highway."

With that act, Tobiason said, Massachusetts joined 11 other states located along the 3,365-mile highway that had previously dedicated their state Medal of Honor Highways, thus creating the unofficial "Medal of Honor Highway Across America" on the longest highway in the United States.

The project began in Oregon in 2017 and progressed eastward from sea to shining sea over the last five years. In fact, Tobiason said it's believed to be the first coast-to-coast highway honoring veterans. The project is managed by the nonprofit Bend Heroes Foundation, in a partnership with veterans groups in the 12 states.

Each of the 12 state Medal of Honor Highways honors that state's Medal of Honor recipients. Collectively, the 12 states honor about 60% of our nation's 3,515 Medal of Honor recipients from all 50 states and territories who received the Medal of Honor award since first established by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War 161 years ago. That means 38 states account for about 40% of all awards. Those recipients are not yet honored by the coast-to-coast honorific US Hwy 20 -- but Tobiason said they should be.

A “National Medal of Honor Highway” overlaying the Medal of Honor Highway Across America on scenic US Highway 20 would honor all 3,515 recipients and all future recipients from all 50 states. It would run parallel to the Lincoln Highway dedicated in 1928 in honor of President Lincoln, who signed legislation 67 years earlier creating the Medal of Honor award.

To achieve that goal, the Bend Heroes Foundation has requested Oregon Senator Ron Wyden to sponsor legislation by the US Congress designating the National Medal of Honor Highway. It would be co-sponsored in the House of Representatives by Pennsylvania Representative Mike Kelly. The highway passes through their districts.

The foundation has secured support for legislation at the national level from the American Legion, VFW and Vietnam Veterans of America. Other veterans groups are in the process of offering support: Military Officers Association of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Legion of Valor.

The Medal of Honor medal is the highest military award presented to members of the Armed Forces for "acting with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of one's life" against an enemy of the United States. As of December 20, only 64 Medal of Honor recipients are living: https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/overview

"Time is of the essence for Congress to act," Tobiason said Monday.

To raise public awareness of our nation's 81,600 veterans who still remain Missing in Action and raise funds for recovering more MIAs, Team Long Road walked the entire length of the “Medal of Honor Highway Across America” beginning in Boston, MA on June 6 and finishing in Newport, Oregon 6 1/2 months and 3,365 miles later on Dec. 17 simultaneous with completion of the highway designation. Two of the  3 TLR retired Marines operate History Flight, Inc. which has recovered 380 MIAs since 2003. The TLR walk is the first crossing of the first coast-to-coast highway in our nation honoring veterans