A special program was held on Wednesday to honor some local World War II veterans.

Two ceremonies were held awarding WWII medallions to 18 war veterans.  The ceremonies were hosted by the VFW Post 3278 and Auxiliary and the awards were presented by the Non-Commissioned Officers Association Excalibur Chapter of Abilene.

The morning ceremony honored Lester Curry, C.F. Allison, Chester Damron, Jack Gorden, Roy P. Ferguson, C.T. Laxson, Grady Thompson, Homer B. Allen Jr, and W. Sutton Gable (pictured above).

The afternoon group included George Odell Duncan, Herman Drinkard, Charles Cole, James W. Johnson, Joe Bob Morgan, Arvel W. McClure, L.B.Bowman, Cameron Warren, and A.W. Rendleman (pictured below).

The VFW Post 3278 representatives said, “We must never forget that without the loyalty, sacrifice, and patriotism of those who received and present here, this nation might not exist and our lives could have been vastly different.”