“There is no greater love than to lay one’s life down for others.” This is how the ceremony, conducted on the evening of March 1st at the Michigan City chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), began as it marked the 50th anniversary of when Michigan City native Private First Class Danny Bruce sacrificed his life to save his fellow Marines. Bruce paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his country during the Vietnam War. For his heroism, Bruce was awarded the Nation’s highest decoration for bravery in combat, the Medal of Honor.
Cadets from the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) provided the Color Guard for the ceremony. Among the dignitaries who spoke were Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer and retired State Senator Jim Arnold. There was an overflow crowd at the DAV, to include Bruce’s wife, daughter, and granddaughters, along with many local veterans. The ceremony included the unveiling of a large shadowbox detailing Bruce’s actions and subsequent awarding of the Medal of Honor.
“It was a good experience for our cadets to be involved with this ceremony to honor a true American hero,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath. “This also shows their dedication, as they had to be at the school at 3:00 am the next morning for our drill meet in Indianapolis.”
Mater Sergeant Jeff Benak, the Marine Instructor, complemented the cadets for their devotion to duty, and as a positive sign for the future of the MCHS MCJROTC. “All members of this Color Guard are underclassmen, with three of them being sophomores. They will be taking leadership roles in our program next year, as we are losing a good number of seniors.”
The cadets will be busy during March, as they will be preparing to compete in the National MCJOTC drill championship in Washington, DC in April. They will also be supporting the Boys Basketball Regional Championship being hosted by MCHS and marching in the Michigan City St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 9th. The following week, on March 14th, the cadets will be supporting the MCHS Parent/Teacher conference and the Wolf Pack Round-up.