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veteran getting his high school diploma decades after he left home to serve in the Navy. Love stories like this. 100 year old George Klopp returned to Lawrenceburg High School this weekend for the special moment. Well, he left to serve *** greater cause, he never got the opportunity to receive his high school. It is our honor to officially. And recognizes sacrifice So at this time, I would like to invite Mr. George Pop Senior. Oh my goodness, yeah, everyone was crying, understandably so. Mr. Klopp joined the Navy back in 1944 and set off for the South Pacific just *** month shy of graduating. He served nearly two years overseas during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1946. During his time in service, he received several awards and medals. Now another honor in his hometown, his high school diploma, 80 years after he came back home.
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World War II veteran receives high school diploma 80 years after returning from deployment
A 100-year-old World War II veteran received his high school diploma on Sunday, decades after he left home to serve in the Navy.George Klopp returned to Lawrenceburg High School in Indiana Sunday, where he was given a roaring standing ovation by more than 3,000 people at the school’s graduation ceremony.”I didn’t know which way to look. I mean, that was great. That was terrific,” Klopp said.Lawrenceburg High School principal Jared Leiker said it was the school’s honor to “correct” Klopp having never received his diploma, and recognized “a century of character, sacrifice, and service.”Back in 1944, as soon as Klopp turned 18 years old, he joined the Navy — following in his brothers’ footsteps. He left high school just a few months shy of graduating. He served 22 months overseas during World War II. During the war, he protected a Navy base hospital on an island, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, in the South Pacific. The hospital ran up against a dense jungle.”The island was here, and my post was right next to it, and then about 1,300 feet away was a jungle this way,” Klopp said.After the war, he was transferred to an American Samoa base as an electrician’s mate, hooking up shore power to Navy ships coming into the base. He was then transferred to Pearl Harbor.Klopp said he clearly remembers when the war ended and news made it to the base. He said it didn’t register to him that he was really coming back to the lower 48 until he saw San Francisco.”When I was coming all the way home, I never thought about it. Never thought, boy this is something, I’m coming home,” Klopp said. “Just nothing, until I got to the Golden Gate Bridge and stared under that I thought, ‘Oh man, I’m back in the States,’ you know.”After he arrived back home, Klopp was awarded for his service in World War II and spent 50 years with the American Legion Color Guard. At 96 years old, he was invited to join the Honor Guard, providing military funerals.
A 100-year-old World War II veteran received his high school diploma on Sunday, decades after he left home to serve in the Navy.
George Klopp returned to Lawrenceburg High School in Indiana Sunday, where he was given a roaring standing ovation by more than 3,000 people at the school’s graduation ceremony.
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“I didn’t know which way to look. I mean, that was great. That was terrific,” Klopp said.
Lawrenceburg High School principal Jared Leiker said it was the school’s honor to “correct” Klopp having never received his diploma, and recognized “a century of character, sacrifice, and service.”
Back in 1944, as soon as Klopp turned 18 years old, he joined the Navy — following in his brothers’ footsteps. He left high school just a few months shy of graduating. He served 22 months overseas during World War II.
During the war, he protected a Navy base hospital on an island, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, in the South Pacific. The hospital ran up against a dense jungle.
“The island was here, and my post was right next to it, and then about 1,300 feet away was a jungle this way,” Klopp said.
After the war, he was transferred to an American Samoa base as an electrician’s mate, hooking up shore power to Navy ships coming into the base. He was then transferred to Pearl Harbor.
Klopp said he clearly remembers when the war ended and news made it to the base. He said it didn’t register to him that he was really coming back to the lower 48 until he saw San Francisco.
“When I was coming all the way home, I never thought about it. Never thought, boy this is something, I’m coming home,” Klopp said. “Just nothing, until I got to the Golden Gate Bridge and stared under that I thought, ‘Oh man, I’m back in the States,’ you know.”
After he arrived back home, Klopp was awarded for his service in World War II and spent 50 years with the American Legion Color Guard. At 96 years old, he was invited to join the Honor Guard, providing military funerals.
