More than 30 years ago, Jiggs Jorgensen - then the Brule County deputy sheriff - approached Gene Dominiack, a game warden with Game, Fish and Parks, with the idea to turn 100 acres of Jiggs’ land on the north side of Pukwana into a memorial refuge. “He wanted it in remembrance of Sammy,” said Dominiack, whose own children graduated with the Jorgensen kids.
Samuel “Sammy” Jorgensen was a U.S. Army Specialist Fifth Class from Pukwana. On Valentine’s Day 1970, just four months from having three years in the service, the 20-year old serviceman died from wounds inflicted while on duty in Vietnam. He had one month left on his second tour. Sam is one of two Brule County men to have died during the Vietnam War.
Seven years later, in August 1977, the Samuel J. Jorgensen Memorial Refuge was established on the 100 acres of land Jiggs donated to Game, Fish and Parks.
“It’s something my dad wanted to do, to make sure there was something around to remember Sam by,” said Sam’s brother, Jim. On creating a refuge to honor Sam, sister Sally said, “Dad wanted to have something in Sam’s name. We’ve always been a hunting family … always been mindful of the wildlife.”
This Saturday, Aug. 29, the deteriorating redwood sign which dedicates the refuge will be replaced and Sammy’s memory honored. The re-dedication ceremony starts at 10 am on the land, on the northwest side of Pukwana.
