Veterans Day recognized at high school

Wrangell High School hosted numerous local veterans and town residents for a Veterans Day Program on Monday. This past Veterans Day was especially unique, as on Nov. 11 one hundred years ago this year, the First World War came to an end. Over 116,000 American soldiers died in World War I. The program at the high school brought together several Wrangell and school organizations to mark the holiday and to say thank you to veterans in Wrangell and across the country.

The service was opened with flag bearers from the Girl Scouts carrying in the American and Alaskan flags and local veterans being escorted into the gym. After the pledge of allegiance, Wrangell's JOM Dancers performed a welcome dance for the veterans. Kem Haggard, pastor at Harbor Light Church, provided a brief invocation. High school principal David Macri welcomed everyone to the program.

"Liberty, independence, and unity I think are three things that the veterans stand for: Liberty, independence, and unity," he said. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome."

High school students Kellan Eagle and Jean-Luc Lewis read famous historical speeches for the program. Eagle read the Gettysburg Address, and Lewis read We Choose to go to the Moon by John F. Kennedy. Music was performed during the program, as well. The high school band played "The Star Spangled Banner," the high school choir sang "America the Beautiful," and guest students from Evergreen Elementary sang "The Wrangell Song" and "Alaska's Flag."

John Martin, a veteran of the Coast Guard, served as a guest speaker for the program. He joined the Coast Guard in 1969. He talked about his time in the Coast Guard, its history, and the values it helped to instill in him and other service members.

"The Coast Guard model is 'Semper Paratus,' always ready. You're a life-saving organization, you need to be ready. But they have an unwritten rule, and it was in the minds and hearts of all the coasties. It simply said, 'You have to go out. You don't have to come back.' So any time that alarm went off, sirens, whatever it is, they're going to launch you in that boat or put you in that helicopter, you have to go out. You don't have to come back."

Martin also talked about how he comes from a large military family. He said he has family members who serve, or who have served, in every branch. He also brought up how veterans, across all branches, are like a large family. There are about 22 million veterans across the country, he said, who have served the United States and worked to try and make the country a little better.

The Veterans Day service was concluded with a moment of silence and the playing of taps. Everyone was then invited to the high school commons for refreshments and to meet and talk with the veterans present.