For immediate release
July 18, 2005 |
Nancy Carothers,
(408) 453-6662 |
On August 10, 2005, in a 5:00 p.m. ceremony at the Santa Clara County Office
of Education (SCCOE), SCCOE board members will present diplomas to military
veterans who were unable to finish their high school educations. This will be
the SCCOE's fourth Operation Graduate, and will honor veterans of the World
War II, Korean, and Vietnam conflicts. Among these veterans is a member of the
Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame, "Shorty Joe" Quartuccio.
The war-time experiences of the veterans include:
- being a squad leader of a mortar platoon with the famous First Infantry
Division, "Big Red 1"
- loading a forty millimeter gun on a navy destroyer
- serving in the "Lost Battalion" that was surrounded by Germans for
seven days with very little food or ammunition
Japanese-Americans interned during World War II are also eligible to receive
diplomas. This year Fujiye Dorothy Uyemura, a Heart Mountain internee, will be
honored posthumously.
A color guard from the Marine Corps League, San Jose Detachment 1122, will
open the event, which will be attended by veterans' family members and
interested public. A reception will follow.
The SCCOE has one of the most extensive Operation Graduate programs in the
state. The County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Colleen Wilcox, says: "We are
proud to participate in a program that honors and acknowledges sacrifices made
by those who proudly served our country or were prevented from completing their
education due to internment in relocation camps."
Date last updated: July 19, 2005
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