It took more than 50 years, but a man born in Wahpeton has finally received his high school diploma.
Marvin King, 74, was a chemistry course shy of graduating from Wahpeton High School when he enlisted in the Navy in March 1968.
Fortunately for King, North Dakota law gives veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War the option of applying for an honorary degree. The law applies to veterans like King who went into the service before they graduated from high school and were later honorably discharged.
Assisting King were Wahpeton High School counselor Jessica Gilsrud, Principal Ned Clooten and Joe Kolosky, the director of school approval and opportunity at the Department of Public Instruction.
King, who now lives in Spokane, Washington, was surprised by his family at a gathering in late May where he was given a diploma and a T-shirt that read “Class of 2023 … Actually 1967-2023.”
“I had previously thought, ‘If I get (the diploma), great. If not, that’s OK, too,’” King said. “I was wrong. It really means a lot to me.”
The North Dakota Legislature originally authorized honorary high school diplomas for veterans in 2001 and the first bill applied to veterans of World War II only.
It was extended to veterans who served in Korea and Vietnam in 2003.
According to Kolosky, only two honorary diplomas have been awarded in recent years with the other going to a Korean War veteran.
King was in the Navy for almost four years, serving in Taiwan and the Phillipines. He did temporary duty on five aircraft carriers and two submarines while in the Phillipines and the Phu Bai combat base in Vietnam.
Following his naval service, King served in the Washington Air National Guard and worked in veterans’ services for the Veterans Administration.
“When I got the diploma I thought, this is pretty cool, I feel darn good about this,” King said. “But I’m not going to throw my hat into the air. I’ve got a bad back and I probably could hurt myself trying to catch it.”
