During their 10th annual Veterans’ Day program on Friday, students and staff at Smithville Elementary paid tribute to the brave men and women who have served our country in honor of Veterans Day.

The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts started the program with the presentation of the flag. Principal Summer Cantrell welcomed everyone and a short video was view by all. The students the serenaded the local veterans in honor of each military branch of service, as well as, “God Bless the USA” and “I love America” under the direction of Miss Gates Craighead.

Miss Adrienne McCormik read a “Veterans Day” poem by Cheryl Dyson:

 “On Veterans Day we honor all,
Who answered to a service call,
Soldiers young, and soldiers old,
Fought for freedom, brave and bold
Some have lived, while others died,
And all of them deserve our pride,
We’re proud of all the soldiers who,
Kept thinking of red, white, and blue,
They fought for us and all our rights,
They fought through many days and nights,
And though we may not know each name,
We thank ALL veterans just the same.”

Principal Summer Cantrell recognized each veteran during the program:

*Barbara Boehm, US Army Nurse Corps- Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

*Paul Lee Hendrixson, father of Paulette McDonald, Army and Navy-World War II

*Gerald Dodson, US Army

*Edsel Frazier, US Army-World War II

*James Owen, US Army-Vietnam

*Troy Ray, US Army-Iraq and Afghanistan

*Odie Tallent, US Air Force and Army

*Herbert Ted Ivey, US Army-Vietnam

*Charles Cantrell, US Army-Vietnam

*Don Risgby, US Air Force- Vietnam

*Ron Mollinet, US Navy

*William Edmonds, US Army-Vietnam

*Thomas J. Eldridge, US Navy and Coast Guard

*Paul Starnes, US Army-Vietnam

*John Clements, US Marine Corps-Vietnam

*Dale Pedigo, US Army

*Jerry Adcock, US Marine Corps-Vietnam to Desert Storm and Desert Shield

*Kenny Comstock (deceased), US Marine Corps

*Danny Bandy, US Army- Vietnam

*Corbin Keith, US Army-Korea and Vietnam

*J.J. Herriott, US Navy

*Melvin Young, US Army-Vietnam

*Brian Reed, US Air Force-Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)

*John Hummer, US Marine Corps-Vietnam

*Jeremy Butcher, US Army

*Antoinette (Toni) Fruehauf, US Air Force

*Cleo McDonald, husband of Paulette McDonald, US Army-Korea

*Dale Hall, US Army-Vietnam

*Clyde Thomas, US Navy-Korea (deceased)

*Billy Joe Newby, US Army-Vietnam (deceased)

*Glenn Brown, US Air Force-Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom

*Gary E. Davis, US Army-Vietnam

*James C. Wilmoth, US Army

*Phillip Debord, US Army- Vietnam and Gulf War

*Ronnie Bates, US Army-Vietnam

*Ronnie Redmon, Sr., US Air Force-Vietnam

*Cody Jenkins, US Army-Afghanistan

*Gary Boywitt, US Army

To end the program, student Sam Tobitt read Psalm 33:12-22.