A Rhode Island man who left high school nearly 80 years ago to serve in World War II has finally received his diploma thanks to loved ones who believed in him.
Arthur Masterson, 96, joined the U.S. Navy in April of 1945, during his senior year in the East Greenwich Public Schools system, said his daughter, Elaine Vespia.
He served in the Navy for 11 months and after that, he was drafted into the U.S. Army for the Korean War.
He never returned to school but once his time in the military came to an end, he worked as a milkman and later for the United States Postal Service, where he retired, his daughter told USA TODAY on Friday.
Vespia said their family was spending time together around Thanksgiving when her son-in-law, a history buff, found old paperwork that said Masterson had left school to join the military.
“I knew he never graduated,” Vespia said. “I just didn’t know why he didn’t graduate. It was never anything he talked about.”
She suspects a high school education wasn’t as important back then as it is now, she said. After learning why he never graduated, her son-in-law had an idea: Reach out to the school division and get him an honorary diploma.