Guest speaker the Rev. Leo Farley spoke with Williamstown Middle/High School students, fellow veterans, and guest during the school’s Veterans Day Assembly on Friday. Farley has been a Williamstown resident since 1980, was the minister at Williamstown First United Methodist Church for many years, and is a Korean War Era veteran. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

WILLIAMSTOWN — A Veterans Day Assembly was held at Williamstown Middle/High School on Friday to honor those who have served in the military.

Veterans were invited by the Student Council at WHS to a breakfast before the assembly started.

The assembly began with a “Tribute To America” by the WHS Marching Band, color guard by the Parkersburg South High School JROTC, and the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” by the WHS Marching Band.

Words of welcome were given by WHS Principal Jason Ward and Williamstown Mayor Paul Jordan. A presentation about the Pledge of Allegiance was given by Senior Class Representative Alexis Sivard and followed by the pledge with Student Body President Harbor Haught.

The folding of the flag was done by Junior Class Representative Ally Pyles, Junior Class Secretary Matthew Taylor, the PSHS JROTC, and the Marine Corps Detachment 1087. The flag was then presented to WHS and accepted by Chairperson Kelly Hendrickson.

Williamstown Middle/High School students look over memorabilia from different eras of the United States military Friday at the school’s annual Veterans Day Assembly. Items included uniforms from World War I and World War II, newspaper and magazines from different eras, and medals. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“On behalf of the Student Council, I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome you to Williamstown High School and our annual Veterans Day Assembly,” Hendrickson said. “After a three-year hiatus, we are so pleased to be able to host this event once again. On this national holiday we appreciate the opportunity to honor our country, our flag, and our veterans who have served, and are currently serving our country.”

Williamstown Middle/High School Choir, lead by director Kim Hunt, sang a rendition of “Land That We Love/America the Beautiful.”

A message by Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis was then heard. Willis said she was honored to be there and thanked the veterans for their dedication and sacrifice. She said she was fortunate to be the granddaughter of a veteran. Willis said her grandfather, who is 99 years old and a veteran of WWII, was in attendance. She said her grandfather came and spoke to her class when she was a teacher and visited Jefferson Elementary when she was the principal there.

“I’m honored to continue to have him here with me, to be here at Williamstown High School today,” Willis said. “Thank you, Granddad, for your service. I greatly appreciate you. He is a man of integrity, and a role model, and I appreciate him.”

A presentation on the history of Veterans Day was given by Junior Class Representative Alayna Hoffman followed by a rendition of “My Country Tis of Thee/America the Beautiful” by the Williamstown High School Strings with Director Ashley Clark.

Veterans from the Marine Corps League Detachment 1087 visited with students and guests after the Williamstown Middle/High School Veterans Day Assembly on Friday. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

A special reading of “The Best on Earth: A Veterans Day Tribute” was done by Sophomore Class President Brody Bowyer and the introductions of veterans followed.

Senior class President Kamryn Haynes and Senior class Representative Rickie Allen introduced the WWII Era veterans that included Ray H. Brown and Glenn H. Kimble.

The Korean War Era veterans were introduced by Lindsey Keller, senior class vice-president, and Eva Chen, sophomore class representative. The Korean Era veterans included Leo C. Farley, Robert Eugen Mayo, Henry Mercer and Andrew Arthur Tucker.

Keatyn Haynes, freshman class vice president, and Grace Boone, freshman class president, introduced the Vietnam Era veterans. Those included Larry D. Adams, Charlie Allen, Bill Anderson, John Frum, Stephen Harold Guckert, Charles A. King, Wayne King, Ronald D. Leach, James Lindley, David Meadows, Charles O. Meyers, Mike McLain, Ralph “Gig” Morris, Randy Pettigrew, Randy L. Shepard, Dale Stanley, Howard Starcher, Jim Stage, Marvin Trippett, George R. Wells and Henry G. “Bud” Williams.

Riley Landis, student body vice president, and Grace McWerter, junior class representative, introduced the Recent Era veterans.

Those were John Kent Hartford, Velden B. Linn II, Marc W. McComas, Douglas Meeks, Aaron Shetter, Nicholas R. Stewart and Robert Wade.

The Rev. Leo Farley, a guest speaker for Friday’s event, then spoke to the crowd. Farley said he first heard the word “military” on Dec. 8, 1941.

He said his first grade teacher told them that the nation was attack at Pearl Harbor.

“And then she said ‘We are at war! But our military will protect us and we will win the war!'” Farley said.

He said he went home that night and learned his father was a veteran of WWI. He said since that day he has been an “avowed, unapologetic, patriot” with high regard for the men and women of the military.

Farley said in June of 1954, he volunteered to be drafted into the military.

He said he was assigned to the U.S. Army and trained at Fort Knox, Ky., and Fort Jackson, S.C., and was then stationed in Germany for the remaining two years of his service.

“Those two years, I say to you honestly and sincerely, are two of the best years of my 87 years of life,” Farley said. “It was in the military I got what I needed.”

Farley said he needed discipline and obedience and was given responsibility.

He said he went into the army a “loser, an uncaring punk” but came out focused.

Farley said he hopes the students listening to him would give going into the military a chance.

“It could be the key, for what you need to be, and what you need to become,” Farley told the students.

He concluded with a message for the veterans.

“Please believe, please know, there are millions of loyal Americans, most of whom have never been in the military, who are glad and grateful that we were,” Farley said. “And that millions still are.”