May 27—Logansport High School officially unveiled its new Military Wall of Honor on Memorial Day, hosting a large audience who came to honor the graduates who had served their nation.

“On this Memorial Day we remember and pay tribute to those who have sacrificed in service to our country,” said principal Matt Jones at the beginning of the ceremony. “Their courage and selflessness are the foundation of our freedoms and values. This Military Wall of Honor symbolizes our appreciation and a lasting testament to the bravery and dedication of those who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces.”

The wall’s origins date back to January 25, 2023, when class of 1964 graduate and Army Green Beret (1966-69) Lenny Corso messaged Jones on Facebook and told him about how Valparaiso High School was honoring its veterans.

Support quickly grew within the school corporation and the community. One day, an art teacher found some art work that Cpl. Humberto Sanchez had created while he was a student and the teacher went to Jones, feeling the family would like to have those works. When he sent the art to Coral Doolittle, Sanchez’s mother, he also included some promotional information about the wall.

Doolittle recalled visiting the school and when she left, she saw all the trophies on displays and she felt sadness because there was nothing honoring her son or others who had served.

“My son gave his life for this school and he graduated from this school and there is nothing,” she recalled thinking.

After learning about the project, Doolittle and her husband later approached Jones about donating money that had been raised in honor of her son to help establish the wall.

“This is really important to me and my family,” she said. “There are more people who are going to enlist and unfortunately we know that some are not going to come back.”

Corso told a story of the class of 1964 beginning their school year having no idea where Vietnam was, and by the time they graduated they were volunteering or bring drafted to serve.

Corso said there were 160 males in the Logansport class of 1964. As close as he and others could verify, he said, 85 of the men served.

“The Military Wall of Honor has 667 names that are recognized today and for many years to come,” he said. “On this Memorial Day, the LHS class of 1964, along with many other individuals attending or watching via streaming network, would like to thank express our appreciation and remember all of those who served and sacrificed so much for our country.”

To close out his speech, Corso recognized Jones for his efforts to quickly create the Military Wall of Honor. Corso announced that Jones had been honored at the Valparaiso Kiwanis Salute the Recruits event with the Our Community Salutes Colin Powell Award. The award recognized Jones for exceptional service to his students, school and community.

Corso, acting on behalf of the Class of 1964, also gave Jones a plaque honoring him for his dedication and commitment in creating the Military Wall of Honor at the high school.

The event opened with the “Pledge of Allegiance” and the playing of “Taps” by Logansport band director Ned Boyd. John Scott, Service Officer at the VFW 3790, and Thomas Schoenradt, commander of American Legion Post 60, also spoke during the ceremony.

Lindsey Miller, who served in the Indiana National Guard, was one of the many who had her name displayed on the wall.

“Seeing my name in person on the Wall of Honor was really something,” she said earlier in the week. “It made me feel more connected to others in the community who served. It was fun to look through the names to see which ones I recognized. I especially love finding women listed because there are so few compared to men.

Miller said she loved that the school was honoring those who served their country and hoped the wall would inspire others.

Individuals who have served in various branches including the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and National Guard are eligible to be recognized on the wall.

“To our students who walk these halls every day—we have 1,200 students—this wall is more than just a collection of names,” Jones said. “it’s a source of inspiration and a powerful reminder of the virtues of duty, honor and patriotism. May it inspire them to strive for excellence and serve others selflessly and to appreciate the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.”