Veteran presented with diploma 76 years after enlisting in Army
MIFFLINTOWN — Friday the Tuscarora Junior High School held a graduation ceremony for Charles Fultz to present him with a diploma 76 years after he enlisted in the United States Army and was unable to graduate with his peers.
The assembly began with Juniata County School District Superintendent Gary Dawson welcoming the students, staff and community members to the event before inviting Dr. Joshua Imes, a teacher at TJHS to the microphone to speak.
Imes began by acknowledging that 76 years ago Charles Fultz was in grade 11 in the same building that was then was called Juniata Joint High School.
“Days after turning 17, Mr. Fultz enlisted in the Army and served until he was honorably discharged,” Imes said. “In doing so, sadly, he missed the opportunity to obtain his high school diploma. This sacrifice was nothing new for this generation of Americans. The common denominator among this generation was just that, sacrifice.”
Fultz said he was honorably discharged in January 1953, after serving for six years, and was about to re-enlist when a woman offered him a job at the Standard Steel that he accepted.
By the 1940s, for the second time in less than 40 years, the United States was involved in a world war taking place overseas. This war caused America to make many sacrifices at home.
“There were shortages of sugar, meat, tires, coal and milk,” Imes said. “It was difficult to find the simplest things such as firewood, butter, paper and metal. There were only certain days you were allowed to drive your car or truck. There were even days when you were discouraged to use electricity in general. There was a constant shortage of canned foods, shoes, gasoline, oil and the list goes on.”
According to Imes millions of Americans sacrificed aspects of their personal lives as well, such as waiting to get married, holding off on having children and putting a pause on starting a new job. In Fultz’s case, he had to skip graduating among his peers and receiving a diploma to answer the call of a greater good and serve America abroad.
“Of the 1.25 million Pennsylvanians who served in World War II, nearly 33,000 died giving the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country,” Imes said.
He went on to break down the different generations and name them for the students in attendance before saying, “Americans who were born from the early 1900s to the ‘Great Depression’ era of the 1930s were deemed ‘The Greatest Generation.’ This is the era Mr. Fultz comes from.”
Imes finished his speech by acknowledging that Fultz, like many of his generation, selflessly gave up his rights and freedoms so that others can enjoy the freedoms and liberties and thanked him for his service.
After the speech students lined up and took turns reading portions of “I am a Veteran” written by Andrea Christensen Brett.
Following the reading the TJHS grade 6 band performed “Heroes and Glory” written by James Swearingen, with Megan Carraher directing the students. After the band concluded that song, Wendy Ehrenzeller presented Fultz with his diploma. The room erupted in applause to congratulate Fultz.
While students were dismissed the band played once again — this time performing “On the Beaches of Normandy” by Tyler Grant.
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