Students at Walnut Springs Middle School were honored to have Walter Link, father to teacher Nancy Palumbo, as a guest speaker on Monday, November 11, in honor of Veteran’s Day. Link served as First Lieutenant in the Army Infantry during World War II. He received the American Campaign Medal, the Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, the WWII Army of Occupation Service Medal and, perhaps the most important of all, the WWII Victory Medal.
Link treated the students to a historical flash back in time as he told his story of bravery and triumph while fighting for the United States in Germany during WWII. He shared the tale of “G.I. Joe,” a brave and dedicated soldier, later revealing that he was the G.I. Joe in the narrative. A question and answer session followed where students were able to find out what it was like to go 10 weeks without a shower and hear how much soldiers missed their loved ones and the comforts of home.
The Boy Scouts, led by Michael Doud, started the ceremony with the presentation of the American Flag and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.