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89-Year-Old World War 2 Vet Receives Diploma From Kalkaska High School

A moment decades in the making for an 89-year-old World War 2 Veteran.

Saturday, he got his high school diploma.

When Milton Mockerman joined the U.S. Navy back in 1944 he missed his graduation at Kalkaska High School.

Saturday he proudly walked across the staged and received his hard earned diploma. 

Megan Woods was there with the story behind it all.

“I don’t know how you’d put it in words but it does mean a lot to me.”

Milton Mockerman changed his birth certificate back in 1944 so he could join the navy and fight in World War 2. He says, “Everybody my age was engulfed in a war, it was a war to survive and everybody that could was serving.

And although he says he enjoyed his time in the navy, it cost him his high school diploma.

“We created so much of a commotion that they decided they had to do something with us so they said well we’re figure this out and have a special ceremony for you well the school burned down with all the records,” says Milton.

So he moved to Muskegon, started a career in the railroad business and a family.

More than 70 years later something was still missing, that’s when he contacted Kalkaska High School, again.

Mary Deb Rabourn, the principal’s secretary says, “Both of my grandfathers fought in World War 2 and they’re both gone and have been gone for a while so it was very emotional for me as well and just wanting to make this happen for him so he came to the school with his discharge papers and agreed to meet with two of our history classes to speak about his experience in the war.”               

Saturday’s graduation was monumental for more than just Milton.

His grandson, Aaron Mockerman says, “We’re all extremely proud of him I mean a lot of people didn’t know about this until just a few years ago and now that he’s finishing it I mean we drove up from Indiana we left the house at 6 o’clock this morning to make sure we were on time.”

Mary Deb Rabourn says, “This has meant so much to me to be part of I am so pleased that the school was able to do this for him and we’ve gotten so much out of it.”

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