Staff photo / Bob Coupland Terry Shavers, a veteran and Braceville native, shows the veterans recognition room at the Braceville African American Heritage Museum which honors 88 veterans who came from Braceville and served their country in different branches of the military. A veterans tribute event took place Saturday.

BRACEVILLE — Members of the Braceville African American Heritage Museum honored veterans at a special gathering on Saturday and will permanently honor them with a veterans’ room at the building.

More than 30 people gathered for the veterans tribute program where veterans shared about their military experience and were presented certificates of appreciation for their service. Nelson Toles, a member of the BAAHM, said the program was for a great purpose to celebrate veterans.

“We thought it would be a great idea to have a room to honor those who served in the military right here from our own community. We have many from our community who served in the military. We have pictures of veterans displayed in one room,” Toles said.

He said Braceville is 25 square miles, but the black community was mostly from one square mile.

“We have a great history of our veterans who participated in several wars. Many joined the military and learned a skill or trade or afterwards went to college. They made a commitment to the country and loyally served the country and its citizens,” Toles said.

Gwen Shavers, a member of the museum, said in that less than one square mile in Braceville, there have been 88 people from the black community who served in the military from World War I to post Korean and Vietnam wars,

“We were a very patriotic community. There were so many stories that we missed from not hearing from many of those veterans. We appreciate that people put their lives on the line to serve and protect the country and is why we have a room dedicated to them,” Shavers said.

Certificates were presented to veterans Hugh Anderson, U.S. Army; Roy Yancey, U.S. Army; Kim Johnson, U.S. Marine Corps; Laura Miller, U.S. Air Force; Cliff Diles, U.S. Marine Corps; Mike Hovis, Ohio Army National Guard; John Brown, U.S. Army; and Terry Shavers, U.S. Army.

Shavers said the veterans room at the museum has photos of Braceville area veterans as well as military memorabilia.

Diles said he graduated from high school and then joined the Marine Corps at age 17 and soon was at Paris Island.

“When you go into the military, you are signing a contract. You honor that contract. No one is ever prepared for war,” Diles said.

He said he remembered when he was serving, the troops received word that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Yancey said today there is concern with the situation in Iran and Israel. He said no one can be mentally prepared for war.

“It is something that happens and you have to go with the flow. When you serve, you have to take what comes,” Yancey said.

He said he encourages young people to serve in the military and to gain a skill or trade they can use after serving.