Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Young Wednesday (November 9, 2011) awarded high school diplomas to a group of 13 WWII, Korea and Vietnam veterans in front of their cheering family and friends at the Seventh Annual Operation Recognition program. (Honoree photos | Photos from ceremony)

“I want to extend my congratulations to each of our graduates, and express appreciation for all that you have done in the service of our great country,” Young said, after detailing sweeping world events from 1939 to 1975 that occurred during graduates’ years of service. “You are more than qualified and deserving of these diplomas.”

Young told graduates, who missed out on their diplomas because they were serving their country while still teenagers, to turn their tassels from the right side of their mortarboard to the left, signifying they were official graduates. He urged them to celebrate like any other graduates would on the night of their Commencement.

Many graduates said they waited years for a chance to participate in a graduation ceremony and hold their diplomas, including Charles Murphy of La Quinta, who served on an aircraft carrier during the Korean War when he was only 17. “You have no idea what this means to me,” he said. “This is everything.”

Operation Recognition bestows honorary high school diplomas to eligible veterans in recognition of the sacrifices they made in their service to their country. The Riverside County Office of Education has bestowed more than 230 diplomas upon veterans since a state law was enacted allowing county offices of education to award them.

In this year’s ceremony, 31 veterans were eligible to receive diplomas and all of their names were read at the ceremony. Thirteen appeared in person, while other diplomas were accepted by members of veterans’ families, two posthumously.

In this year’s Class of 2011, 15 graduates served during the Vietnam era, 11 during World War II and 5 from the Korean War.

Graduates sat together before the ceremony and swapped stories about battles, friends they lost during the wars and laughed out loud about funny mishaps when they were far from home.

In the end, they gathered for one final class photo for the Class of 2011. Someone shouted, “How about a class reunion in 10 or 20 years?” which drew applause and laughter before veterans gathered with wives, children and grandchildren for family photos.

For more information on Operation Recognition, please see www.rcoe.us/operationrecognition.

This year's graduates (and hometowns) included:

Juan Abarca, US Army, Vietnam War (San Jacinto)

Alfred Aguilar, US Army, Vietnam War (Riverside)

Virgil Edward Archer, US Army, Vietnam War (Murrieta)

George Van Ashley, US Army, Vietnam War (Riverside)

Clayton M. Babbitt, US Army, World War II (Hemet)

Thomas Jones Barber, US Navy, Korean War (Hemet)

Webster W. Brahams Jr., US Navy, World War II (Jurupa Valley)

Claude Chastain Jr., US Navy, World War II (Hemet)

Lonny Ross Crinklaw, US Navy, Vietnam War (Corona)

Willie B. Exson, US Army, Korean War (Lakewood)