Gehlen Catholic Pays Tribute To Area Veterans

(Le Mars) — Military veterans were honored this morning during an emotional ceremony held at Gehlen Catholic. The program began with the singing of the National Anthem by members of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Members of the American Legion, Wasmer Post #241 of Le Mars served as the color guard and brought forth the American flag.

Veterans from each branch of the military stood as Gehlen students performed a musical tribute to each of the military branch services with the playing of the individual anthems, and bringing in the flag of each military branch.

Four speakers: Lori Schuch, Tyler Zenk, Aubree Nilles, and Mike Meyer read a poem about why the American flag is more than “just a piece of cloth.”

With a musical song serving as the background, Gehlen students performed a skit showing a young man enrolling into the military, followed by the notification to the family that their son had died, then showing the grieving family accepting a folded flag, and the father holding the folded flag while thinking of his son.

Past Post Commander, Wayne Schipper spoke briefly thanking Gehlen Catholic for providing an important message to honor the veterans.

Schipper than directed his comments to the students of Gehlen Catholic saying they are the future for this nation.  He emphasized how important it is for them to honor military veterans, and to be sure to educate generations to come, to always honor the flag, and those men and women who served this country.  In lieu of recent events across the nation with professional athletes, college students, and others, Schipper stressed and repeated to the students that “We stand for the flag, and we kneel when we pray.”  Gehlen Catholic also paid tribute to area veterans with their reciting of their “Honor Wall” which features photos of military veterans with a connection to Gehlen, Le Mars, and Plymouth County.  KLEM news visited with four area Viet Nam era veterans, who are members of the local American Legion as they shared their thoughts of the emotional program.  Those participating included Jack Frus a veteran serviceman with the U-S Air Force, Bob Gengler, who served in the U-S Navy, Jim Rolfes was in the U-S Army, and Wayne Theiman who served in the U-S Marine Corps.  Each of the veterans complimented Gehlen Catholic for presenting such a moving and emotional and inspiring program honoring veterans.