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UNIONVILLE, MO -- They serve our country, but Friday morning students and staff wanted to give back by honoring armed service men and women.

Veteran Charles Davis said the ceremony was heart warming."It was touching and kind of discouraging," he said. "A lot of guys I was stationed with aren't here. This is the first time I actually thought that people cared about me."

It was the the 15th year the all-school veterans day assembly has been held and it drew quite the crowd. Nearly 1,000 people, gathered in the Putnam County High School gym to give veterans special recognition.Students presented projects, wrote essays and performed musical selections.

KTVO spoke with Vietnam War veteran Duane Crawford and he told us, the program was well put together. "We have these every year," Crawford said. "Mary Comstock and the National Honor Society do a great job a putting the program together."

Each 5th-grade student wrote an essay and transferred it to a flag. They then awarded their framed old glory projects to a family member who portrayed positive traits.Members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War were able to detail some of the specifics about their military service.

Crawford said he enlisted straight out of high school, back in 1953. "I served 13 years enlisted," crawford said, "then I was commissioned an officer as a staff sergeant. I was in vietnam at the time and ended up serving 2 tours in vietnam."

The ceremony ended with the retiring of colors. People stood to honor and offer their thanks to veterans as they remember those who served our great nation.