LAKEPORT, Calif. – Decades ago, in the face of war, many young men – still teenagers – left their homes, families and schools to head to the battlefield.
In the process, some of those young soldiers didn't get the chance to receive their high school diplomas and, instead, simply moved on with life once they returned home from the war.
During a Wednesday afternoon ceremony, the Lake County Office of Education gave some of those men their long-overdue diplomas and thanks for their service as part of the annual “Operation Recognition.”
It's the second year that the Lake County Office of Education has presented the diplomas for veterans through the program.
Last year, three vets were honored. This year, the number doubled to six, with one of the diplomas awarded posthumously.
“This is a thrill,” said Lake County Board of Education Chair Dr. Mark Cooper.
Shelly Mascari, the Office of Education's spokeswoman, sang the national anthem and Superintendent of Schools-elect Brock Falkenberg welcomed the group.
Of the six men honored, two were in attendance: Thomas J. Moore, who served in World War II from 1943 to 1944; and Donald “Bill” Merriman, who served in Vietnam from 1958 to 1964.
One of the honorees, Richard Charles Engle, who served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1955, received his diploma posthumously.
The three other honorees who did not attend included Darrel James Bittle, Vietnam War, 1969 to 1971; Brian Patrick McKinnie, Vietnam War, 1972 to 1978; and William Sam Sereni, Korean War, 1950 to 1951.
To be eligible for their diplomas under the Operation Recognition program, the men had to show proof of military service and honorable discharge, must have been attending high school at the time of enlistment and they – or surviving next-of-kin – had to be current or former Lake County residents.
“I'd like to thank you for your service and your sacrifice,” Falkenberg said.
Supervisor Jim Comstock, who served in the US Navy during Vietnam, also lauded the men for their willingness to serve their country.
“This is a very special day,” said Comstock.
When Merriman and Moore were asked to come forward, both received from Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook not just a diploma but other honors, including certificates of recognition from the California State Legislature signed by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada and special recognition certificates from the US House of Representatives signed by Congressman Mike Thompson.
Both men were delighted with the recognition, and thanked the Office of Education for the honors.
“He's so thrilled,” said daughter Pam Moore Hershey, who was at her father's side along with sisters Trena Pauly and Marilyn Marchetti.
Moore, who turned 87 on Tuesday, found out about the diploma over the weekend.
“We surprised him with it Saturday night,” said Hershey.
She and her sisters dressed her father up in cap and grown and gave him the news. They said he was determined to come to the ceremony.
Moore, an Indiana native, said he entered the Army at age 15, lying about his age. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division.
Marchetti said her father was a fast runner and so was used as a scout.
When his father reported to Army officials that Moore was underage, Moore was shipped home until he turned 16, and then returned to service in Europe.
In the interim, he missed the D-Day invasion in June 1944, during which his comrades in the 29th Division were amongst the first wave of Allied troops to land at Omaha Beach, sustaining massive losses.
He would later come home from the service, raised four daughters and one son in the Bay Area, and worked in management at Lockheed.
Merriman, 73, went into the military at age 17, when he was a junior in high school in Fremont, and would serve eight years in Vietnam.
He received his GED while in the service, but when he came back home, Merriman didn't return to school. “I should have, but I didn't.”
Instead, he came to Lake County, eventually became a contractor and served on the Lake County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5, from 1993 to 2001.
“Lake County is my home. I truly love it here,” he said.
He remains active in the community, including the American Legion Post 109 in Kelseyville.
For more information about the program, call the Lake County Office of Education at 707-262-4100.
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