Veterans who are residents of St. Barnabas’ retirement community were recognized on Tuesday, Nov. 10, with a flag ceremony and color guard presentation from Pine-Richland Air Force Junior Reserve Officers in Training Corp cadets. Varad Raigaonkar/Butler Eagle

RICHLAND TWP, Allegheny County — Many generations were present at The Village at St. Barnabas on Tuesday morning, Nov. 10, for St. Barnabas Health Systems’ observation of Veterans Day.

Nearly 100 residents of the senior independent living and retirement community who are veterans were joined by Air Force JROTC cadets from Pine-Richland and Mars Area school districts at the health system’s on-site dining space.

Cadets joined veterans who served across three wars for brunch after conducting a ceremonial flag folding and a color guard presentation.

The restaurant, upon request, made a war cake for the occasion. War cake is a milkless and butterless fruitcake designed to be made with minimal ingredients. The cake was popular during the World Wars and Great Depression for that reason.

The event reflected one of the nonprofit’s goals: to help older and younger generations interact, said Brian Tedeschi, St. Barnabas’s interim public relations director.

He said, “We always try to put those folks together,” because there is value in helping impart the veterans’ wisdom to the future of the country.

“To hear those guys talk, it’s amazing the life that they led and the next chapter they’re writing by continuing to be a part of each other’s lives,” he added.

Some of the veterans shared experiences from their military careers with the Butler Eagle.

“I’m 99. But one day, I was a young kid getting out of high school,” said David Hepler, the eldest veteran in attendance.

Hepler enlisted for World War II at the age of 17. He trained to be a technician in classified radar and sonar systems, passing at the top of his class, and pursued a career in engineering after his service.

Hepler also looked back at the final stages of the war, in particular, the dropping of nuclear weapons in 1945.

“I remember when that thing hit, I kept wondering, ‘What in the world’s an atomic bomb?’” he said.

One Vietnam War veteran, Tom Dillon, talked about the time his unit was fired at and he was seriously wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade. Dillon underwent a six- to eight-monthlong recovery process, he said.

Dillon also reminisced about Boli, a Filipino medical aide, who helped make the recovery more bearable.

“I trusted him more than anybody else to change my dressings,” Dillon said. “And he’s a hero for me.”

John Herrick, another veteran, said he does not have many items of remembrance from his time in the service. Herrick served from 1954 to 1957 and has only a shoulder sleeve insignia to serve as memorabilia.

One of the veteran residents, Richard Holm — who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War — turned 100 on Aug. 19. Holm’s service included 105 missions during the Korean War, according to a news release by St. Barnabas.

“We are honored so many veterans call St. Barnabas home,” said Douglas Day, president and CEO of St. Barnabas Health System, in a news release.