The Valparaiso Rotary Club held their 11th Annual Veterans Day Program, “A Tribute to Tuskegee Airmen,” on Monday, November 9. George Carberry was the Program Chairman for the event. The ceremony started off with a patriotic musical selection performed by the Valparaiso High School Band, led by Miguel Rosario. The Culver Military Academy Color Guard presented the posting of colors, followed by the opening welcome and Pledge of Allegiance led by the president of the Rotary Club, Sharon Kish. 
After the opening remarks, Mayor Jon Costas offered an invocation. He was followed by the introduction of visiting Rotary officials and Civic Officials, as well as the presentation of Valpo Rotary Veterans and recognition of guest Veterans, led by Bob Wanek, Sharon Swihart, President-Elect Gene Novello, and George Carberry, respectively. John Wolf and the VHS Band then recognized each branch of service by playing the music specific to the branch.
The speaker for the event was Quentin P. Smith, speaking on the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all African American fighter squadron, the 332nd Fighter Group. At the end of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with 109 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down, the Italian destroyer TA-23, and the destruction of numerous fuel dumps, trucks and trains. The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorties on 1,500 missions. They were awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for escorting the B-17’s to bomb the Daimler-Benz tank factory in Berlin.
The Tuskegee Airmen also received several Silver Stars, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 8 Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze Stars and 744 Air Medals. From 1940 to 1946, 992 pilots trained in Tuskegee, around 445 were deployed overseas, and 150 Airmen lost their lives in accidents or combat.
President Sharon Kish provided a message of thanks and appreciation to the veterans after the speaker presentation. Rick AmRhein then sang “America,” followed by a playing of “Taps.” Russ Adams retired the colors and the VHS Band closed the ceremony with a rendition of “Stars & Stripes Forever.”
The Rotary Committee for the program was as follows:
Russ Adams, George Carberry (Chari), Gary Connors, Tom Kennedy, Jonathon Nalli, Bill Pauley, Kevin Pazour, John Shroat (Co-Chair), Sharon Swihart, Bill Vaughn, Bob Wanek and John Wolf.
A list of the Valparaiso Rotary Club Veterans is as follows:
World War II Era: J. Barile, C. Beach, B. Billings, J. Chapel, L. Ellis, L. Joint, A. Malasto, B. Naylor, K. Reinert, C. Stephens, J. Wolf
Korean Era: B. Billings, A. Brown, J. Chapel, R. Eibel, C. Hazlett, W. Maiers, H. McCarron, J. McGill, M. Nagel, B. Pauley, L. Raber, J. Schnurlein, J. Shroat, H. Snyder, E. Temkin
Vietnam Era: D. Asher, D. Bland, M. Bucko, L. Colby, D. Collins, G. Connors, M. Fisher, J. Fitzer, E. Garrard, C. Gill, C. Gillispie, L. Holt, L. Klemz, D. Maddox, R. McDonald, D. Pierce, J. Spanopoulos, B. Vaughan, P. Von Tobel