Veterans Of Several Wars To Get High School Diplomas

More than two-dozen veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam will receive long-overdue high school graduation certificates Friday under a program that awards diplomas to service members called to duty before they could finish school.

“Operation Recognition” is jointly run by the Riverside County Office of Education and the county’s Department of Veterans’ Services, and it is allowed to reward graduation certificates retroactively, thanks to a California law.

Since the introduction of the program in 2007, about 200 vets from Riverside County have received their diplomas, according to county officials.

The process requires submitting an application to the Office of Education.

Among this year’s 28 diploma recipients is former U.S. Navy seaman Ronald Costi, who served aboard the USS Denver, a cruiser, during World War II. He saw action at Corregador, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and other locations in the Pacific Theater.

The San Gabriel Valley native, who now lives in Palm Springs, couldn’t wait to join the service in 1943 and missed out on completing his high school education. Under Operation Recognition, the 84-year-old qualifies for a diploma irrespective of his academic background.

Costi was urged to take advantage of the program by his wife of 39 years, Marilyn, and their three daughters and son.

“Well, I don’t need it for business,” he quipped. “I guess it means that I have learned enough for a high school diploma.”

The other graduates are:

— Clifford Eugene Burdick, of Temecula, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II;

— Charles D. Case, of Riverside, who served in the Navy in the Korean War;

— Galen L. Christman, of Riverside, who served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam;

— Bill E. Crowe, of Riverside, who served in the Army in World War II;

— Howard Noel Curren, of Hemet, who served in the Navy during the Korean War;

— Michael James Hendershot, of Beaumont, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during Vietnam;

— Martin Warren Keller, of Menifee, who served in the Navy and Army in World War II;

— James Fred Lancaster, of Moreno Valley, who served in the Army during the Korean War;

— William A Lea, of Banning, who served in the Army during Korea;

— Jose Macias, of Lake Elsinore, who served in the Army during Vietnam;

— Alfred M. Martochio, of Palm Springs, who served in the Navy during World War II and Korea;

— Bobby G. McPherson, of San Jacinto, who served in the Navy during World War II and Korea;

— Robert Moreno, of Moreno Valley, who served in the Army during the Korean War;

— Albert Robert Munoz Jr., of Riverside, who served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam;

— John Michael Palmer, of Lake Elsinore, who served in the Navy during Vietnam;

— Benjamin A. Perry, of Cathedral City, who served in the Army during Vietnam;

— Rocky Stanley Porter, of Cathedral City, who served in the Navy during Vietnam;

— Frank Zavala Ramirez, of Riverside, who served in the Army during Korea;

— Steve Ramirez, of Hemet, who served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam;

— Frank R. Sanchez, of Calimesa, who served in the Marines Corps during Vietnam;

— Raphael Viscusi Shapiro, of Rancho Mirage, who served in the Navy and Air Force during World War II and Korea;

— Jack Sims, of Riverside, who served in the Navy during the Korean War;

— Patrick Stanley, of Corona, who served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam;

— Matthew Irwin Stein, of Menifee, who served in the Air Force during Korea;

— Marion A. Sugamele, of Perris, who served in the Navy during Korea;

— Gregg Thompson, of Rancho Mirage, who served in the Navy during Vietnam;

— Michael Dean Witforth, of Riverside, who served in the Navy during Vietnam.

The men’s diplomas will be personally awarded by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Kenneth M. Young.

The graduation ceremony set for 10 a.m. Friday at Cal State San Bernardino-Palm Desert Campus, Indian Wells Theater, 37-500 Cook St.