In observance of Veteran’s Day, which falls on Saturday, October 11, The Storm King School took the time to commemorate its fallen alumni and educate its students about the history and importance of this national holiday. On Friday, October 10, students and faculty members joined Headmaster Jonathan Lamb as he placed a wreath on the School’s Memorial Rock to honor members of the school community who have served and passed away in the line of duty.

History Department Chair Michael Hauser ensured the student body was involved in the commemorations, and aimed to make Veteran’s Day more relevant to them. To accomplish this he prepared an engaging and informative presentation about Veteran’s Day, its history and purpose, and the story of one Storm King alumnus who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country only 17 years ago. Mr. Hauser gave the presentation to the school community at the All-School Meeting on Wednesday, October 8.

 

“Veteran’s Day is not about celebrating war or military might, but about acknowledging the horrors of conflict and honoring those individuals who experienced that while serving their country. It is a day of remembrance,” Mr. Hauser told the students during his opening remarks.  Following a brief explanation of the history of Veteran’s Day, Mr. Hauser went on to talk about Patrick Howard Roy, Class of 1999, who was killed in the line of duty exactly 17 years ago. Patrick, then a new SKS graduate and recruit in the United States Navy, died on the USS Cole on October 12, 2000, along with 16 other crew members, following a terrorist attack on the ship which was refueling in Aden Harbor, Yemen. Roy was 19 years old at the time of his death.

“Patrick’s life wasn’t too different from many of you,” Mr. Hauser told the students. A native of Keedysville, Maryland, Patrick enrolled at The Storm King School in 1996. “Patrick was manager of the wrestling team and, as the captain of the lacrosse team his senior year, Patrick led the team to an HVAL season championship. He was a strong student and a good athlete. Patrick could have easily have attended college, but rather, he chose to serve his country and joined the U.S. Navy. Following his death on the USS Cole, he was buried in a formal military ceremony with a 21-gun salute near his home at Antietam Battlefield National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Maryland. On Veterans Day, we remember Patrick Howard Roy,” explained Mr. Hauser.

 

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