Three Iowa veterans who left high school to fight in Vietnam finally received their diplomas—six decades later—in a powerful reminder that honoring service can never come too late.
At a Glance
- Three Vietnam-era veterans—Dennis Snyder, Richard Hill, and Robert Holliday—received their high school diplomas in Muscatine, Iowa, 60 years after leaving school to serve in the military
- Snyder (81) and Hill (81) walked across the graduation stage at Muscatine High School’s ceremony, while Holliday (85) received his diploma at home
- The diplomas were awarded through Iowa’s Operation Recognition program and signed by Governor Kim Reynolds
- Eight veterans with ties to Muscatine have received their diplomas in the past three years as part of this ongoing initiative
A Long-Delayed Tribute
It took 60 years, but last week in Muscatine, Iowa, two aging veterans finally crossed a graduation stage they left behind in their teens. Dennis Snyder and Richard Hill, both 81, joined Muscatine High School’s Class of 2025 at their commencement ceremony, marking the end of a decades-long wait. Fellow veteran Robert Holliday, 85, received his diploma at home, surrounded by family.
The honors came via Iowa’s Operation Recognition program, a state initiative awarding diplomas to veterans who left school to serve during wartime. Governor Kim Reynolds personally signed each certificate, adding gravitas to the moment.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Snyder told reporters. “I told my wife, and she started crying right away. I was just shocked.”
From War Zones to Graduation Stages
Their journeys were shaped by a higher calling. Snyder left school at 17 to join the Navy, serving in Pearl Harbor under an admiral focused on Pacific anti-submarine warfare from 1961 to 1965. Hill fought in Vietnam until 1969, while Holliday, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, served in five countries including Vietnam and Germany. Their stories reflect a generation that prioritized duty over personal ambition.
Watch a report: Veterans honored with diplomas in Iowa.
Though Snyder obtained a GED after returning stateside, he never expected to receive an official diploma from his hometown high school. Hill echoed that sense of disbelief and gratitude, highlighting how rare such recognition has become.
“Getting it now, I look back and I think, ‘Well, everything that I did with the service and everything was all worth it,’” Hill reflected in a moving statement to local media.
A Town That Still Remembers
The scene at Muscatine Community Stadium was as heartwarming as it was patriotic. Families cheered not only for fresh graduates but also for three veterans whose service had long gone unrecognized in a formal academic sense. Their inclusion underscored a deeper community value: that sacrifice deserves acknowledgment, no matter how long it takes.
“It’s really a community effort,” said Snyder’s granddaughter, Emily Lerch. “It’s just really special that he was able to receive this and was able to have this moment with not only us, but with the whole Muscatine community.”
This isn’t an isolated gesture. In the last three years, eight local veterans have received diplomas under Operation Recognition, reflecting a consistent commitment to remembering those who gave up everything to serve. In a time when national unity often feels elusive, Muscatine offers a stirring example of how small towns can lead with gratitude and grace.
