Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada honors WWII vets with diplomas

Brigadier Gen. William Wofford, with the Arkansas National Guard, looked to the past to give graduating seniors of Nevada High School a glimpse of the future.

He talked of the honored guests  veterans of World War II who were presented with honorary diplomas as they had left school to go to war  saying their educational careers were cut short so they could defend their nation.

A total of 15 honorary high school diplomas were presented to either the veterans or family members who had quit school and left the area to fight in World War II. Seven diplomas were awarded posthumously.

They were: Dale C. McBride, Wallace D. McBride, Coy L. Callicott, Joy R. Callicott, James Franklin Glass, John William Glass, Adron Hicks, Hilton Hicks, Leo H. Hicks, Carroll D. Morehead, Ivy R. Rhodes, J.T. Rhodes, Troy Denver Simpson, Johnnie E. Walraven and Bennie L. Wicker.

"They left schools, families and jobs to fight in World War II," he said. The war ended 57 years ago, and of the 16 million men and women who served, about 1,100 are dying each day. It is appropriate we take a few minutes to honor those who provided us with so much.

"The veterans of all generations are heroes to me."

Wofford said he grew up in an era where every adult he knew was a veteran of WWII, but couldn't recall ever hearing them talk about their exploits during the war.

"It wasn't until later I realized what they contributed," he said. "My heroes have always been soldiers."

He told the graduates, and packed house in the Nevada High School gym, his favorite movies were always war stories, and of late, he said, there has been a revival of such movies.

Wofford said Steven Spielberg tried to cover the horror of the Normandy Invasion in "Saving Private Ryan". He also talked about the epic "Pearl Harbor".

From the movies, his speech to the seniors turned to a book  "Flags of out Fathers", written by James Brady and detailing the story of the six Marines who raised the flag over Iwo Jima.

This photo, he said, is the most reproduced picture in U.S. history to date. However, he added, the photo of the firemen raising a flag over the rubble of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York may eventually take over as the most reproduced photo.

The first Marine was Harlon Block, from Texas. He left high school where he was an all-star football player to join the Marines.

He died on Iwo Jima a few days after the historic photo was taken.

"We all need to be reminded the Marines on Iwo Jima were boys 19-21 years old," Wofford said. "I never imagined the people I knew as being in their teens and early 20s and being in war."

The next man in the photo is Rene Gagnon. He was 18 when the picture was taken.

The only non-commissioned officer on Iwo Jima was Staff Sgt, Mike Strank, a Czechoslovakian who joined with the idea he'd be defending his homeland in Europe, but was sent to the Pacific Theater instead.

Strank was called the "old man" by the other Marines. He was 24, and also died a few days after the photo was taken.

One of two survivors of the Iwo Jima photo was Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona.

After the war Hayes met with then-President Harry S. Truman, who called him a hero. Hayes said he didn't feel like a hero.

Hayes was unable to cope with what had happened on Iwo Jima and died at the age of 32 due to complications from a drinking problem.

Franklin Sousley is next in the shot. He came from Kentucky and looked like Opie Taylor from the "Andy Griffith Show".

Sousley loved to hunt, dance and have fun. He joined the Marines at age 17, and was killed on Iwo Jima two years later.

John Bradley of Wisconsin is next, and the only non-Marine in the photo. Bradley was a Navy medic who went into combat with the Marines.

Wofford said he was a private man who never talked of what happened in the war. It wasn't until after his death his family learned he had been awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest honor the Navy bestows. He earned the Navy Cross for his work on Iwo Jima.

He was the medic for more than 200 Marines on Iwo Jima. He also denied being a hero, saying, instead, the real heroes died on that island.

"We need to remember the brave men and women who paid the price for our freedom," Wofford said.

"The future of America sites in this auditorium."

Ten or 20 years from now, he said, many of today's leaders won't be around, and it will be up to the graduating class of 2002 to run the country.

"You will have difficult decisions to make in the years ahead. This is the end of high school, but the beginning of your future."

In the next five years, he said, the graduates would be making some of the most important decisions of their lives.

These decisions include whether or not to further their education, if they should get married and who they should marry.

"Education is the key to the future," Wofford said. "I believe in life-long learning. Not just learning from books, but learning from the people around me.

"Who you marry will determine 90 percent of your happiness or misery. Choose wisely."

Then, he said, comes career decisions. Everyone won't have good fortune, Wofford told the class, but none will know until they follow their dreams.

Some, he said, will join the military, and the armed services needs good young men and women.

"Throughout high school you have had a lot of help  from your friends, teachers and parents. They'll be there to help with these decisions."

The honors address was given by Carie Adams and Jessica Almand.

They borrowed from Henry David Thoreau who said "things don't change, we do," as the lives of the graduates have been changed forever.

The seniors, they said, have the opportunity to prove the class of 2002 is different from any NHS has ever seen.

Johnathan House delivered the parent's address, thanking the parents for being the light shining for the students and lighting the path showing them the way to where they are today.

The class farewell was delivered by Bridget Smith, who thanked the teachers and parents as well.

"It's finally here," she said, "the night we've been waiting for. We've waited so long for this moment and now that it's here, we can hardly believe it."

Smith said the class of 2002 had a special bond no other class has had because of what it went through.

Rick McAfee, Nevada superintendent, presented the administration address.

"Thirteen years ago you were in kindergarten and I walked in as class counselor. I was as scared as you were.

"We have to look no further than Sept. 11, 2001, to know the changes this group will face," he said. "America was challenged to rise again and has accepted it and will go forth with this group."

McAfee said he was confident this class would make a difference. He called the graduates a special group, and reminded those gathered of another special group of seniors who faced a similar occurrence almost 60 years ago.

"Many took the challenge and went to fight for freedom. The group of men here tonight stepped on a train, went to boot camp and off to war to give us the opportunity to be here tonight.

"There could not be a prouder honor than tonight for what they did years ago and throughout their lives. I congratulate this group of fine men."