ALEXANDRIA — When an Alexandria student approached John Wilson and Neal Johnson, he reached out to shake their hands and said, “I just want to personally thank you for all you’ve done for our country.”
He told the veterans that stories he’d heard during a holiday observation at the school on Wednesday inspired him to become a Marine someday. Johnson, a veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, took off his hat to the young man.
“Now you’ve got a Navy hat,” Johnson said, placing his ball cap on the head of the young man, who said a quick thanks and dashed down the hall of Alexandria High School.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Johnson said.
Johnson and Wilson were among more than 70 veterans who took seats of honor in the Alexandria-Monroe High School gym on Veterans Day, celebrated by the school system’s more than 1,500 students.
“It was beautiful, outstanding,” said Master Sgt. Theresa Collins. A 22-year active duty member of the Air Force, Collins came home to Alexandria dressed in fatigues for the event at the invitation of her niece, an Alexandria student.
“It brings me a lot of emotion,” said Collins, who said her father and grandfather had served in wartime, as had uncles — one of whom died during the invasion of Normandy.
“It was fantastic and very, very respectful,” she said of Alexandria’s program of patriotic music and performances from students from second grade through high school. “I hope they continue to do it every year.”
Veterans had down-front seats as the pom-pom-waving second-grade class performed a medley of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “This Land is Your Land.” The program included performances by the Alexandria High School band, intermediate and high school choirs and a dramatic reading by drama and student council members.
Students waved miniature flags and sang along as an all-school choir performed “God Bless the U.S.A.”
In between, Alexandria Elementary School Principal Scott Deetz read the names of veterans who attended the program.
“These are the veterans of Alexandria,” he said. “Please give them a big round of applause.”
The students obliged with a prolonged standing ovation.
Wilson, an Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict, said he was impressed with the program and the respectfulness of students who attended.
“It makes us feel very important,” he said.
Alexandria’s Veterans Day program was one of many observations in schools around the area.
At Erskine Elementary School in Anderson, students gathered outside and chanted “Shoot the tank! Shoot the tank!” The tank in this case was a 1962 M114 armored command and reconnaissance carrier of the type used in Vietnam and in Europe during the Cold War. It was on loan to the school for Veterans Day from McClain’s Military Museum in Anderson.
John Krieg, McClain’s facilities manager, thrilled the students by firing some simulated rounds.
“I spent three-and-a-half years putting this together,” Krieg said of the armored vehicle, which he explained has a special connection to Anderson.
The lighting system for the M114 was manufactured by Guide Lamp, and its charging system was made by Delco-Remy, Krieg said.
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com
Veterans book going fast
A few copies remain of “A Tribute of Our Troops: Veterans of Madison County, A Pictorial History.” The 128-page book, published recently by The Herald Bulletin, features photos of local military veterans from the Civil War through present day. The book can be purchased for $39.95 plus tax at the customer-service counter of The Herald Bulletin, 1133 Jackson St., Anderson. Call 622-1212 for more information.
Breaking News
Related Photos
-
John P. Cleary
-
John P. Cleary
-
John P. Cleary
-
John P. Cleary
Discussion
Area schools honor, celebrate veterans
70 veterans take seats of honor in Alex
- Breaking News
-
-
Army orders court-martial in WikiLeaks case
An Army officer ordered a court-martial Friday for a low-ranking intelligence analyst charged in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history.
-
Prosecutors won't charge cyclist Lance Armstrong
Federal prosecutors dropped their investigation of Lance Armstrong on Friday, ending a nearly two-year effort aimed at determining whether the world's most famous cyclist and his teammates joined in a doping program during his greatest years.
-
Police respond to shooting on 10th Street
Police responded late Friday evening to a reported shooting at a residence on West 10th Street.
-
Indiana election chief's voter fraud trial nears end
The political future of Indiana's top election official, and potentially his freedom, rested Friday with jurors, who were deliberating late into the evening in his voter fraud trial.
-
Man fatally shot, two Muncie police officers injured
A witness says he saw two police officers involved in a shootout with a man in a convenient store parking lot, saying it lasted about 30 seconds.
-
Micron CEO dies in plane crash
A small experimental plane piloted by the chief executive and chairman of Micron Technology Inc. crashed after take-off Friday at the Boise airport, killing the head of the Idaho memory chip maker who survived a similar crash eight years ago.
-
Killer of Florida girl found in landfill gets life
Minutes after a man pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping and murdering 7-year-old Somer Thompson, who was dumped in a trash bin and later found in a landfill, the little girl's twin brother addressed his sister's killer.
-
Sources: Taliban leader sent letter to Obama
Reclusive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar wrote to President Barack Obama last year indicating an interest in talks key to ending the war in Afghanistan, current and former U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
-
Hackers intercept FBI, Scotland Yard call
Trading jokes and swapping leads, investigators from the FBI and Scotland Yard spent the conference call strategizing about how to bring down the hacking collective known as Anonymous. Unfortunately for the cyber sleuths, the hackers were in on the call too — and now so is the rest of the world.
-
Komen drops plan to cut Planned Parenthood grants
After three days of controversy, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity says it is reversing its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood.
- More Breaking News Headlines
-
Army orders court-martial in WikiLeaks case
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
