CINCINNATI (AP) — A red-haired boy and his little cousintugged on either side of the sheet in
unison, pulling it down to uncovera new highway sign.As people clapped, the boy grinned and wavedhis
hand, drawing more applause. He waved again, to the delight of theoverflow crowd in the Miami Township
Community Center."He’s a ham," said Chrystina Kreuter, smiling at her 7-year-old son,
Christian. "Just like his dad."TheSgt. David Kreuter Memorial Highway on a stretch of state
Route 264running through his home township west of Cincinnati honors the fatherthat Christian never got
the chance to know. David was among 14 U.S.Marines — most of them in the Columbus-based Lima Company —
killed Aug.3, 2005, by a roadside bomb in Iraq.Christian had been born lessthan two months earlier;
David saw him only in photos and heard hisinfant son breathing over the phone before his death at age
26."Ithink this really lets Christian get to be involved and relate to hisdad in a way he was never
able to," Kreuter’s widow said after the April27 dedication ceremonies.Such roadway reminders of
Ohio’s fallentroops are becoming increasing popular as memorial tributes. Nearly 150have been approved
by legislators in the last five years, with thenumber topping 50 last year alone. Legislators say the
bills are simplebut important ways to recognize and remember the sacrifices Ohioans havemade, and they
have had strong support in the Statehouse."Ithink it’s critical to do these things," said
state Rep. Louis Terhar,R-Cincinnati, who promoted the Kreuter highway bill. "One, they draw
thecommunity together after a loss. And it reinforces for people that weenjoy something that someone
else has paid a high price for."U.S.Marine Corps Capt. Eric Flanagan said that he wasn’t sure how
commonthe practice is elsewhere but that such dedications of highways, bridgesand other everyday
structures are tributes that augment annual MemorialDay observances."Giving one’s life in defense
of the country, whether at home or abroad, deserves to be remembered," Flanagan said."Wehope
that as people pass those signs, it causes them to think a littlebit about those who left this country
to protect our freedoms," HamiltonMayor Pat Moeller said during March 29 sign dedications in
ButlerCounty for Army Cpl. Nicholas Olivas and Staff Sgt. Robert Massarelli.They died last year in
Afghanistan.Slain law enforcement officershave also been honored with highway signs. A May 10 ceremony
willdedicate the Sgt. Brian Dulle Memorial Highway on U.S. 42 betweenLebanon and Waynesville in
southwest Ohio. Dulle, an Army veteran, was aWarren County sheriff’s deputy killed in 2011 while trying
to stop afleeing driver in a high-speed chase.Each sign costs some $70 tomake, with a sign needed in
each direction on the roads, the OhioDepartment of Transportation said. Spokesman Steve Faulkner said
he’snot aware of any criticism of the program. He said there have been 14new highway designations
proposed in legislation so far this year.Speakingto the township gathering at the Kreuter dedication,
the fallensergeant’s father, Ken Kreuter, said: "Every day, the signs will bethere. Every day, a
constant reminder."Kreuter’s family alsogives memorial scholarship awards funded with the help of
an annual golftournament. His father said they are very appreciative of the
highwaydesignation."It’s really a big deal," he said. "It representssomething for David
and the family, but in a greater sense, it alsorepresents something for the community. This is a
constant reminder thatthis kid is from here. He grew up in this neighborhood. It is areminder that
people here have served and died."The roadwaytributes are small salves for the pain of families who
have lost lovedones, but they become part of the memories they hold onto."There’s a very keen sense
of loss," Kreuter said. "But far better that we have it like this, than everything just go
away."___Contact the reporter at http://www.twitter.com/dansewellCopyright 2013 The Associated
Press.