Veterans Day to be observed with special broadcast  

  Monday, November 2, 2020 9:00 AM
  News, People and Society, Alumni

Pittsburg, KS

As was the case with the annual Memorial Day ceremony in May, Pittsburg State University will present a reimagined Veterans Day program — one that is being recorded in advance at the PSU Veterans Memorial and that captures stories of veterans with pavers in the memorial. 

It will air across several platforms at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, in honor of the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918 that signaled the end of World War 1. It also will be available for viewing on demand later as an archived video, and will air again that day on CAPS 13 TV at 1 p.m. and at 7 p.m. 

Among the veterans to be featured: GeGe Sachetta, a former miner with Big Brutus who served in World War II; Gene Corsini (BSEd '64), a longtime local pilot who served in Vietnam; Dr. Ron Seglie (BA '65), a local physician who served in Operation Desert Storm; and Chris Kmiec (BS'07), a local police detective who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.   

A link to it, along with an outline and suggested discussion points, will be sent prior to Veterans Day to all sixth-grade teachers in Pittsburg so that they may show it to students at their convenience. 

"One of the driving forces behind our live ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial has always been the opportunity to use it as a history and civics lesson for local sixth graders, who attend each year,” said Kathleen Flannery, vice president for University Advancement. “This year, since we can’t have a live ceremony and large gathering, this virtual program will be an ideal way for teachers to be able to bring history to life in their classrooms.” 

How to watch:

• online at pittstate.tv
• online at youtube.com/pittstate
• online at the PSU Veterans Memorial Facebook page at Facebook.com/PSUVeteransMemorial
• on the local cable television channel, CAPS 13 TV

About the Memorial   

The PSU Veterans Memorial is located at 1909 S. Rouse on the campus of Pittsburg State University. It was dedicated with a ceremony on Memorial Day 2004. It features a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., and a kiosk and directory to help visitors locate names. A 250-seat amphitheater serves as a venue for special events, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies open to the public each year.    

The memorial includes an entry rampart featuring U.S., state, and university flags, the five seals of the uniformed military branches, Kansas Medal of Honor recipients, a reflecting pool with an eternal flame, and patriotic bronze sculptures.   

The plaza of the entrance and the amphitheater features more than 3,400 engraved granite pavers that honor veterans and veterans’ organizations. A display of the 50 state flags is featured on the north berm.   

It is one of the most visited sites in Southeast Kansas. Details: www.psuvetmemorial.org