thedrifter
05-26-09, 06:48 AM
Vietnam vet graduating with EV Class of '09
Posted: May 25, 2009 6:19 PM
SPOKANE -- Allen Malmoe will graduate with the East Valley High School Class of 2009 on June 15th. If it hadn't been for his enlistment in the Marines and two tours in Vietnam he would have graduated with the class of 1966.
Malmoe, who enlisted in the Marine Corps three months before his graduation in 1966, is getting his diploma 43 years late in honor of all the veterans who weren't able to graduate.
At 62-years-old Allen Malmoe has lived a full life. He's a Marine, Vietnam veteran, father, grandfather and recently retired from decades of working in shipping and receiving at a local warehouse. But over the years he had one nagging regret.
"There hasn't been a week that hasn't gone by that I just don't reflect on, reflect maybe I should have graduated," he said.
As his class, the East Valley Class of 1966, graduated high school he was in Marine Corps boot camp which was followed up by two tours of duty in Vietnam.
"I just felt kind of a duty, I just couldn't wait," he said.
Nearly 60,000 American soldiers died in Vietnam and it's in their honor that Allen Malmoe is graduating all these years later.
"I'm kind of doing it for them as well as myself because it's just like something that needs to be done, I just think, they never made it," he said.
Malmoe didn't have to take any additional classes and is able to graduate because of a new law allowing veterans who were scheduled to graduate to get a diploma.
In addition to getting his diploma Allen was also voted "Student of the Year" by the students at East Valley.
That vote was unanimous.
Ellie
Posted: May 25, 2009 6:19 PM
SPOKANE -- Allen Malmoe will graduate with the East Valley High School Class of 2009 on June 15th. If it hadn't been for his enlistment in the Marines and two tours in Vietnam he would have graduated with the class of 1966.
Malmoe, who enlisted in the Marine Corps three months before his graduation in 1966, is getting his diploma 43 years late in honor of all the veterans who weren't able to graduate.
At 62-years-old Allen Malmoe has lived a full life. He's a Marine, Vietnam veteran, father, grandfather and recently retired from decades of working in shipping and receiving at a local warehouse. But over the years he had one nagging regret.
"There hasn't been a week that hasn't gone by that I just don't reflect on, reflect maybe I should have graduated," he said.
As his class, the East Valley Class of 1966, graduated high school he was in Marine Corps boot camp which was followed up by two tours of duty in Vietnam.
"I just felt kind of a duty, I just couldn't wait," he said.
Nearly 60,000 American soldiers died in Vietnam and it's in their honor that Allen Malmoe is graduating all these years later.
"I'm kind of doing it for them as well as myself because it's just like something that needs to be done, I just think, they never made it," he said.
Malmoe didn't have to take any additional classes and is able to graduate because of a new law allowing veterans who were scheduled to graduate to get a diploma.
In addition to getting his diploma Allen was also voted "Student of the Year" by the students at East Valley.
That vote was unanimous.
Ellie