See, now this just goes to show, it is never too late to get your education. A 100 year old veteran of World War II has finally gotten his high school diploma, at the same time as his great-grandson. Meanwhile, somewhere there’s a super senior out there ready to drop out because they would rather not do an extra year of school. Such a shame. Read the rest of this inspiring story after the jump!
In New York veterans from World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam who have lived in the state but didn’t get to graduate are allowed another chance to get their diplomas.
George Hulka Jr. only made it to eighth grade before he had to work on his family’s dairy farm in the upstate town of Saratoga, New York and was later drafted just before the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941.
After serving years in the military, suffering from malaria and partial hearing loss from bomb explosions nearby Hulka earned himself a Bronze star and several others medal but most importantly the unconditional respect of his family and his country. He saw action in Algeria-French Morocco, the Tunisia Campaign, Sicily and even landed on Utah Beach on D-Day.
“He’s a very amazing man for what he did,” his grandson, Devin Stark, said. On Saturday, Stark will pick up his great-grandfather’s diploma at his graduation ceremony in the Schuylerville School District. Hulka told ABC News he plans on framing his diploma and hanging it on his wall with pride.