Superintendent Chuck Woody at Thursday’s Veterans Day urged students to remember those who served to ensure our freedom.

“I have said many times through the years that this assembly is the most important assembly we do each year. For without the sacrifices that our veterans have made through the years we would not have the freedoms that we all enjoy today. It is only fitting and proper that we remember what our veterans have sacrificed for each of us,” said Woody.

Woody then gave a brief history of this important observation, saying, “

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, on the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 making it an annual observance. In 1938, Veterans Day became a national holiday. 

“Veterans Day was set aside to pay tribute to those that served, but unlike Memorial Day, we especially give thanks to those living veterans who served honorably to help keep our freedom and liberties intact,” Woody said. “To those of you sitting here today, on behalf of Fatima schools, thank you for your service.”

Woody personalized the importance of Veterans Day by remembering lost loved ones over this past year.

“My family has been hit pretty hard during this past calendar year by losing several loved ones within our immediate and extended family, one of those being 97-year-old Wayne Barnhart,” said Woody. 

Barnhart was born and raised in Meta and was a graduate of Meta High School. He served in the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Nearing the end of the war, before Tokyo was liberated, his ship was hit by a kamikaze. 

“He spent the night treading water in Tokyo Bay with a knife in hand in shark-infested waters,” said Woody.

When Barnhart returned to the states, he earned his degree in education and spent 36 years teaching and in administration. 

“I guess you can say education kind of runs in the family,” said Woody.

He also told the story of how a close family member of his had left to serve in World War II.

“A little boy of five or six years old standing on the docks in Bremerton, Washington, watching his dad’s ship leave the docks for places he had never heard of and not really understanding why he was leaving,” said Woody. “Would he come back? And what about the young wife standing there with that little boy? We shouldn’t forget the sacrifices of those left at home either.”

The ship that was sailing out was the USS Calvert, a Crescent City-class attack transport ship whose main job was to transport troops across the Ocean to the Pacific Theatre for war.

Woody added that the dad serving on the Calvert has told the story many times about going to sleep on Dec. 24 and waking up on Dec. 26, missing Christmas, because they had crossed the International Date Line in the night. 

“That sailor was my grandpa, the little boy, my dad,” said Woody. “Grandpa made it home. He always felt he really didn’t do much to help win the war. He wasn’t shot at, didn’t have to shoot at anybody, but it takes everyone to get a job done. Although Grandpa felt there were others that gave way more, he was buried with full military honors on Aug. 19, 1996.”

Woody encouraged the student body to actively seek out veterans and to thank them for the freedom they have today.

“We are so very lucky to live in a country where we are free,” he said. “I challenge our students that are either watching this assembly today or in their classrooms tomorrow: find a veteran and thank them. And not just thank them. Mean it. Do some digging into your family history and your neighbors, and honor those that came before you. Time goes by very quickly. I would give anything to be able to sit and talk to Wayne, and my Grandpa again, and hear the stories they used to tell.”

During the ceremony, the choir also sang “Tell My Father,” a song from the Civil War and the band played “Armed Forces: Pride of America,” arranged by Clark/Gilpin which features the official songs of all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Taps was performed by band members Austin Kliethermes and Sophie Bock.

In closing, Woody said, “To all veterans, I salute you for your sacrifice for your country, but also the sacrifices of your families. Without your service, we could not do what we do each day. Thank each of you for all you have done.”