AUDIO: Effort Underway to Name Two Bridges in Memory of Local Vietnam Vets

The bridges carry travelers over Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Progress is being made to honor two local veterans who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. 

This week, PG Gentrup joined State Rep. Garrett Bascom (R-Lawrenceburg) at the Indiana Statehouse to advocate for two local bridges to be named in the memory of Larry Fogle and Thomas Denning. 

The proposal would see the eastbound Tanners Creek Bridge in Lawrenceburg be named the Larry D. Fogle Memorial Bridge. The westbound flyover bridge would be named the Thomas G. Denning Memorial Bridge. 

Gentrup and Thomas' brother, Tim Denning, joined Chelsie on Thursday morning. Hear the interview in the audio player below. 

Fogle was the first resident from Dearborn County to be killed in Vietnam. He was killed in action four days after his 18th birthday in December of 1965. Denning, a Lawrenceburg High School graduate alongside Gentrup, was killed in action in March of 1967 at the age of 19. 

"Indiana is a great state," said Gentrup. "We are very patriotic. If you want to see smalltown America at its best, you come to southeast Indiana. We take care of our veterans and support them." 

Gentrup anticipates that committee members at the Statehouse will approve the proposal to name the Lawrenceburg bridges. Nothing is expected to become official until the General Assembly meets at the beginning of 2026. 

The hope is to have signage up by Spring of 2026.