A Veterans Appreciation assembly program was held Friday morning at Smithville Elementary School in recognition of Veteran’s Day.
Kelly Birmingham led students from pre-K to the second grade in singing “God Bless the USA” and other patriotic songs in honor of veterans who have served in each branch of the military.
Adrienne McCormick read the following “Veterans Day” poem by Cheryl Dyson:
“On Veterans Day we honor all,
Who answered to a service call,
Soldiers young, and soldiers old,
Fought for freedom, brave and bold
Some have lived, while others died,
And all of them deserve our pride,
We’re proud of all the soldiers who,
Kept thinking of red, white, and blue,
They fought for us and all our rights,
They fought through many days and nights,
And though we may not know each name,
We thank ALL veterans just the same.”
Veterans attending the program were:
Edsel Frazier, U.S. Army in World War II
Eric Atnip, U.S. Marine Corps in Desert Storm/Desert Shield
Walter Johnson, U.S. Army in the Korean War
Joe Goodwin, U.S. Army, a POW in Germany during World War II
James Spradley, U.S. Air Force in Vietnam
William Edmonds, U.S. Army in Vietnam
Paul Cantrell, U.S. Navy in Korea
Erin Vaughn, U.S. Army
Darrell Young, U.S. Navy
Gary Davis, U.S. Army in Vietnam
Don Rigsby, U.S. Air Force in Vietnam
James Cantrell, U.S. Air Force in Korean War
Edward Frazier, U.S. Army in World War II
Chad Polk, U.S. Army in Afghanistan and Iraq
Ronnie Redmon, U.S. Air Force in Vietnam
Alan Stengel, U.S. Navy and Air Force in Vietnam (USS Enterprise, USS Kitty Hawk, and USS Saratoga)
Connie Ketzner, U.S. Air Force
Scott Buckley, U.S. Navy in Desert Storm
Jimmy Sprague, U.S. Army in Operation Just Cause
William Russell, U.S. Marine Corps
Michael Hattaway, U.S. Air Force
Corbin Keith, U.S. Army in Korea and Vietnam Wars
Mark Collins, U.S. Air Force in Panama
Dale Pedigo, U.S. Army
Richard Widener, U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam
Melvin Young, U.S. Army in Vietnam
Clyde Thomas family. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War
Guy Mathis, U.S. Army in World War II. He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star
Bill Winter, U.S. Army