Liberty students honor vets

By SAMANTHA PHILLIPS

sphillips@vindy.com

LIBERTY

The eighth annual Veterans Day assembly at Liberty High School honored veterans of past wars as well as three recent alumni who will soon serve the country.

Joey Rossi, Ty Leschnak and Shonterry Hayda graduated from LHS and stopped by the assembly Monday afternoon before departing to San Antonio to begin their military training.

Local veterans, including faculty and staff, were recognized for their military service. A large crowd of students, school officials and township officials Jodi Stoyak and Pat Ungaro clapped as each branch was honored.

This year’s guest speaker, former Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Derick Young, started his speech by reading the names of 49 Marines he served with in Iraq who died in combat.

One of those Marines, Shurvon Phillip, was like a brother to him. Phillip survived the injury he sustained in Iraq in 2005 but died from complications related to it in 2016.

Young recalled watching people of various ethnicities and backgrounds coming together to celebrate the life of Phillip, who was an immigrant.

He presented his friend’s mother with the folded American flag that commemorates fallen military members, and told her she has him as another son.

“I thought to myself, how can tragedy be so effective at both tearing people apart but, more importantly, bringing people together? And then I realized – love and understanding is the key,” he said.

He imparted some wisdom to the crowd.

“Sadly, many of us will be far too stubborn or prideful to accept other people’s points of view. Please don’t fall into that trap; it’s a slippery slope,” he said.

Young thanked all the veterans in the crowd and those who couldn’t be there because they are currently serving.

“We often take life for granted. Please take the time to thank those who served,” he said. “We must set good examples and raise the bar for others who will follow in our footsteps.”

John Giannini Jr., 87, served in the Army during the Korean War. His friend, Sam DelGenio, 94, served during World War II. Both men said they were glad to be there.

“I think it’s great. Students in school will see what veterans are all about,” Giannini said.

“We are running out of them. The group is getting smaller and smaller.”

He also pointed out that the day of the assembly also marked the first centennial anniversary of the end of World War I, which ended Nov. 11, 1918.

Ungaro was enlisted in the Army during part of the Vietnam War and the Berlin crisis. Although he wasn’t deployed, some of his friends died in the Vietnam War.

“I think it’s a great idea to recognize the service these people provided,” he said.

Superintendent Joe Nohra said the assembly was two-fold: It honored the veterans who served in past wars and those, like the three alumni, who will serve in the future.

“We want to welcome our veterans, celebrate past achievements and cherish our present-day servicemen,” he said.

The school is the hub of the community, he said. “There is no better place to celebrate our past, present and future.”