LASR.net Homepage




Menu

Sage Brothers Memorial


category : Memorials
Sage Brothers Memorial

The Sage Brothers Memorial plaque was originally placed at the
entrance to Sage Brothers Memorial Field. In 1999 it was moved to
downtown Niobrara, just north of the Niobrara Mall.



On the night of June 2, 1969, while on maneuvers in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam, the Australian aircraft carrier, Melbourn, was in collision with the destroyer, USS Frank E. Evans. The impact cut the Evans in two, the bow section sinking almost immediately. Seventy-four American seaman were lost, including three brothers from Niobrara, Nebraska: Gary, Gregory, and Kelly Sage. The brothers, 22, 21, and 19 years of age respectively, were the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Sage, and had been stationed together aboard the Evans at their own request. This tragedy was perhaps the greatest single loss sacrificed by any Nebraska family of the many who have contributed their sons to the service of the Nation.


At memorial services in Niobrara on June 11, 1969, the Governor of Nebraska eulogized the brothers saying that "Every generation of Americans has answered the call to the colors ... So it was with the Sage brothers who were serving in the finest tradition of the American fighting man. In the truest sense, they gave up their lives that we might continue to enjoy the fruits of freedom ..."



- Nebraska State Historical Marker



Address: Downtown Mall Area

Come visit us in Niobrara, Nebraska

Attractions and Upcoming Events


Ponca Tribe Marker

This has been the homeland of the Ponca Indians since earliest recorded history. In 1866, the Federal government signed the treaty of Fort Laramie, which transferred the land to the Sioux without the permission of the Ponca. Treaties made with the government in 1856

Niobrara, NE Historical Markers

Chief Standing Bear

Ponca Chief Standing Bear merely wanted to fulfill a promise; instead, he became part of one of the West's most famous trials. The Chief's son, like many of his tribe, had taken ill after being forced onto a reservation in Oklahoma. On his deathbed, the son uttered a final wish:

Niobrara, NE Indian Heritage

Gavins Point Dam

Gavins Point Dam, part of the 1944 Pick-Sloan Plan, plays an important role in the successful operation of the six main stem dams and reservoirs on the Upper Missouri River Basin. The dam was completed in 1957 at a cost of $51 million.

Niobrara, NE Recreation

Church of Our Most Merciful Savior

Built in 1884, this one story church with board and batten siding is the only surviving Episcopal mission in the county. Services are still conducted with a beautifully wood finished interior. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Priest in Charge - Fr. David Hussey

Niobrara, NE Historic Churches

Things to do Memorials near Niobrara, NE