CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A Vietnam War Veteran, who dropped out of Leo Catholic High School at the age of 18 and joined the Army, was given his diploma during an observance of Veterans Day on Thursday.
The ceremony involved a performance from the Leo Choir in the school’s front courtyard, where a war memorial contains the names of 75 former students — and where Frederick Arana, now 78, received his diploma from the Dr. Shaka Rawls.
“Welcome our newest graduate of Leo High School, class of 1965,” Rawls said to an applauding crowd.
Arana said Leo Catholic School “has a special place in my heart.”
“It helped me a lot as far as being responsible and serving my country,” he said.
His son was responsible for connecting Arana with his old high school.
“My father accomplished a lot in life,” Arana’s son said. “He went from a high school dropout, [and] he went through the military and war. He came back, became an assistant principal and then a principal, but his biggest regret is that he never graduated from high school.”
Arana had hoped to run into an old friend at Thursday’s ceremony.
He found his name on the memorial.
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