Even the chilly and rainy conditions didn’t stop four veterans from visiting the Norbert Overkamp, Jr. highway sign on Highway 19 in Montgomery City during the afternoon of Feb. 5.

Wayne Watson of Brighton, Ill., Ron Overkamp of Hermann, James Moore of Medora, Ill., and Richard Blair of Los Angeles paid homage to the fallen soldier who was killed in action in the Vietnam War by getting pictures taken next to the highway sign, which was constructed in November. All four were part of the Fourth Infantry Company C, Third of the 12th Battalion of the Veteran War.

“We got it done and the main thing was we were here,” Watson said.

The four veterans met at the VFW Post 4436 in Montgomery City before heading over to see the sign at the north end of Montgomery City. It is placed near the intersection of Highway 19 and Highway B.

There is another sign on Kimmich Road, which is located south of Montgomery County High School.

The signs were named after a Montgomery County resident who was killed at age 22 on Aug. 24, 1967 at the Vietnam War, becoming the first county casualty in that conflict.

Overkamp, a New Florence resident, graduated from MCHS in 1964. Watson said for three years, a Wyoming resident visited MCHS to present a $500 scholarship in Overkamp’s name.

“Now, he’s unable to do that,” Watson said. “He has Parkinson’s too bad. So that’s not happening anymore.”

Last summer, Watson, Ron Overkamp and Richard Penn of Middletown (who passed away on Christmas Eve) started a petition to have 100 people sign to have Highway 19 named after Norbert Overkamp.

The sign on the north end of Montgomery City was the first to be built in November. The second one was constructed later.

Watson said he was thrilled that he got to see the signs for the first time.

“It’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s an honor that we get to see it and that it’s up to honor him. It’s going to be up there for 20 years or more.”

The project was part of the MoDOT’s Memorial Designation Program, which allows individuals, organizations, places or events to be memorialized along the state’s roadway system.

Watson said he, Overkamp, Moore and Blair visited two other signs that were named after veterans who were in the same unit in Vietnam. The day before they visited the Overkamp highway sign, the quartet was in Illinois. On Feb. 8, they visited Orrick, which is outside Kansas City.

“We’re trying to get closure with families somewhat,” Watson said.

Richard Rutherford, Bryon Brown and Keo Keshner were the other county residents who were killed in action in the Vietnam War. Recently, MoDOT approved the construction of the Rutherford Memorial sign and it will be built outside of Wellsville on Highway 161.