Sterling Veterans Day ceremony honors those who served

November 11, 2024 at 6:00 pm CST

Sterling Veterans Day keynote speaker Ray Torres is comforted by Mike Wolber during his speech on his service in Vietnam. After seeing fierce fighting and attending to wounded Marines, Torres himself was injured ending his service. — Sterling Veterans Day keynote speaker Ray Torres is comforted by Mike Wolber during his speech on his service in Vietnam. After seeing fierce fighting and tending to wounded Marines, Torres himself was injured, ending his service. (Alex T. Paschal)

An informative and emotional speech by Navy corpsman Raymond Torres punctuated a Veterans Day ceremony Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, held at Centennial Auditorium in Sterling. Torres served in the heart of the largest fight of the Vietnam War, the Battle at Khe Sanh, as a medic. Torres was injured by a grenade and flown from the base where his service ended. After Torres’ speech, branch anthems were played and members of those branches were recognized. A rifle volley and taps, played by Sterling High School senior Conner Jagitsch, was held before a closing benediction. Sterling American Legion member Mike Wolber was the day’s master of ceremonies.

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