Bishop’s senior organizes Veterans Day program

Bishop’s senior Josh Clapper, whose parents are retired military, organized a Veterans’ Day program that featured a combinatory of retired and active duty service personnel.

Harry Kaplan, a World War II veteran who was a radio operator in the aerial missions above the eastern Himalayas (“the Hump”), was the keynote speaker.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Oak Leaf Cluster for his service and was one of a group of veterans talking about their service.

The other speakers were:

— Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon. He lost both of his legs in an explosion earlier this year while he was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was an explosive ordnance disposal team leader. Still on active duty in the same position, he received two Purple Hearts and a Navy Commendation Medal.

— Michael Zoeller, an Air Force veteran who is a representative of the Department of Veteran Affairs. He is coordinator for military funerals at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery;

— Nancy Hollingsworth who is the regional master chief for the Navy Region

Southwest and has served in the Navy since 1985;

— Ryan Proctor, is an Army 2nd lieutenant who is a recruiting officer with the San Diego State University Army ROTC Unit.

Following the presentations, ninth- through 12th-grad students participated in breakout sessions with the speakers.

Sixth through eighth graders heard from Bruce Linder, a retired Navy captain who has written numerous books and scholarly articles related to Naval history, specifically as it relates to San Diego. He was part of the effort to install a permanent “Navy in San Diego” exhibit at the San Diego Maritime Museum.