Several community members and most of the Paton-Churdan student body attended the annual Veterans Day program on Friday in the gym.

The event opened with the presentation of colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, as led by the kindergarteners; along with the singing of the National Anthem by the high school choir. The fourth graders then gave a performance of “God Bless America.” 

Then the student council presented homemade poppies that were given to the veterans in attendance and the first graders sang “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” Next, were “thank you” messages that were handed out to the veterans from the second and third graders and the fifth graders did a family appreciation presentation.

There were two guest speakers, including Adjutant of the Churdan American Legion John Lonergan and Glen Rohden. Rohden told stories about local veteran heroes that graduated from P-C, one of them being Vernon Bancroft, who fought in the Vietnam War. Rohden said Vietnam service men and women returning to the US after they fought in the war were treated very poorly as he described an incident at the airport that Bancroft was at.

“He was carrying his two large army duffle bags and he was confronted by a group of college students who called him a baby killer, ‘You baby killer, you baby killer’ and they were spitting on him and stuff. And his response he said, ‘Well I chased them clear across the airport’ carrying these duffle bags. And good thing he had those bags and didn’t catch them. And I say, ‘Good for you Vernon Bancroft for standing up for the American soldier.”

The program ended with the acknowledgement of three empty chairs to signify the three lost local veterans as they passed away earlier this year. Wayne Lautner closed out the event by playing Taps.