Students of Phillipsburg High School
on Saturday sponsored their annual trip for veterans to Washington,
D.C.
Forty-six veterans, including 15
from World War II, were guests of students who organized a charter
bus tour of several spots in the nation's capital.
Among the stops were the World
War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Memorial
and Arlington National Cemetery.
This was the fifth year for the
trip, which was the brainchild of Bill Nixon, a retired assistant
principal at Phillipsburg High School who served in the U.S. Navy
in Italy during the Vietnam War.
Nixon got the idea after organizing
a veterans tribute for years at Phillipsburg High and discovering
so many local veterans had never been to Washington to see the
war memorials or Arlington National Cemetery.
One of them who traveled Saturday
was Sam Goddess, an 84-year-old World War II veteran who served
on a PT boat in the Pacific.
Goddess, who grew up in the Phillipsburg
area, now lives in Bethlehem Township, Pa.
"He told me he's so excited, he
can't sleep," Nixon said before the group's departure Saturday.
Nixon said 13 servicemen from Phillipsburg
were killed or missing in action in Vietnam.
On Saturday, the contingent placed
roses at the Vietnam memorial wall, under the names of those 13.
Two of the missing men were Nixon's best friends from Phillipsburg.
Each year, Nixon said, the day
is a fulfilling one.
"It's very emotional," he said.
"It's so solemn but emotional. They just walk and talk and look.
It's unbelievable.
"It's so rewarding for every person
that's there with them. It's a great day for sharing."
The group left Phillipsburg after
a 7 a.m. breakfast prepared and hosted in the high school cafeteria
by students in the FFA chapter.
Bag lunches for the veterans were
provided by ShopRite of Greenwich Township.
Phillipsburg High students pay
expenses for the trip through fundraisers throughout the school
year, Nixon said.