Century Middle School honors veterans

A middle-school presentation about the U.S. Army's most decorated medic was a highlight of the Veterans Day honors Monday at Century School.

Born in 1911 in Sherburne County and buried in 1953 in Park Rapids, Lloyd Cortez Hawks was the first medic in the military to receive the Medal of Honor.

Students Nadia Yliniemi and Levi Trygstad described Hawks' heroism in World War II and Korea, including one incident in which he continued treating a fallen soldier and dragged him to safety after having his own hip and arm shattered by machine gun fire.

Earlier, Century seventh graders lined up in the school's main hallway, dressed in heirloom military uniforms, and acted as living wax figures honoring servicemen and -women of the past and present. Teachers, students, family members and people from the community paused to listen to them recite their chosen veterans' stories.

Following the tribute to Hawks, middle school students honored all branches of the U.S. military and performed a solemn flag-folding ritual. Trumpeter Daniel Neubauer played "Taps."

The Park Rapids American Legion Color Guard posted the colors. The program ended with Lee Greenwood's song "God Bless the U.S.A."

1/3: Levi Trygstad and Nadia Yliniemi deliver the keynote address at Monday's veterans program, honoring Lloyd Cortez Hawks (1911-53). Hawks served in World War II and Korea, becoming the Army's most decorated medic and the first military medic to receive the Medal of Honor. He is buried in Park Rapids.

2/3: Maya Deshayes, left, performs a "wax figure" piece about U.S. Navy veteran Leonard Swenson, who served during World War II. Among those watching her demonstration is Virgil Eskola with the Sons of the American Legion.

3/3: Performing the flag-folding ceremony at the end of the Century Middle School Veterans Day program are, from left, Marc Moir, Josie Skoblik and Matt Lichter. The flag belongs to Glyndie Sibert, and was the burial flag of her ex-husband, Tech Sgt. Jan Hubertus Bastian, a Vietnam Veteran who served 1966-70.