Veterans at the Mahoning Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center were honored by the Carbon Mountaineers Marine Corps League Detachment 996 during a Veterans Day program at the center.

The program was presented by Nick Hawkey, commandant; and George Unangst, paymaster.Nancy Snyder, activities staff, said that Hawkey has been presenting Veterans Day programs for the past eight years."It's special for our residents to have you honor them," she said to the former Marines.Hawkey said, "All that we have is because of a veteran."Hawkey's program centered on the soldiers of the Civil War.He said that some of those who earned the Medal of Honor were only teenagers when it was bestowed on them for their heroic service.These underage soldiers ranged in age from 8 to 16 when they participated in the War Between the States."They were in nearly every battle," said Hawkey. "Most were musicians and they were brave. "Hawkey said that the drummers were essential during battles when the smoke made it hard to see. The drummers helped the other soldiers know their position with their drum beat.Willy Johnson, the youngest Medal of Honor recipient, held fast to his drum during the battle. President Lincoln was so impressed with the young man that he awarded him the Medal of Honor.John Joseph Clem was only 12 when he picked up a musket and shot a Confederate colonel during the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and that Julian Scott was a fifer and drummer who also earned the Medal of Honor. At 16 years old, he helped at least nine men to safety following an attack.Hawkey noted that William Horsfall was 15 years old and only 4 feet, 3 inches tall when he served as a drummer during the siege of Corinth, Miss. He rescued his unit's captain under fire. Orian P. Howe was only 12 years old when he was wounded four times in some of his 14 battles, earning a Medal of Honor during the Battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi. Howe was shot retrieving ammunition from dead soldiers when supplies were running low. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.Each of the veterans in the center were asked to turn around and face everyone before Unangst and Hawkey saluted each one and thanked them for their service.Veterans at the center are: Sam Citano, Frank Andrews, Margaret Glancey, Claude Shelly, Bernard Gogal, John Gazdick, Nathan Steigerwalt, Leighton Steigerwalt, Oliver Solt, Carlton Nothstein, Halbert Towne, Halbert Getz, William Koszarek, Charles Hauser, Wilson Rehrig, Edward Gross, Anthony Pagano, Collis Dixon, Elizabeth Tumas, Alvin Hallman, Frederick Lach, Fred Hussar, Richard Ahner and Roland Donces.