CINCINNATI — Roger Bacon High School honored more than 100 local veterans during its annual Veterans Day breakfast and assembly, including a remarkable 100-year-old World War II veteran who graduated from the school in 1943.
John Nimeskern, a Navy veteran who served two-and-a-half years during World War II, was among those recognized for his service. Nimeskern remains in good spirits about his milestone birthday, saying people tell him he looks "good for 100."
"I said, 'Well I don't know about that, but I feel okay, '" Nimeskern said.
WATCH: We learned about Nimeskern's military journey
"I was sent to Norfolk, Virginia, and got on a ship there and went through the Panama Canal and over to Pearl Harbor," Nimeskern said.
Nimeskern said he was on a ship that was only 156 feet long with 40 enlisted men.
The St. Bernard native has maintained a strong connection to his alma mater throughout the decades.
"I was proud of the school I went to, I still think it was the best school in Cincinnati," Nimeskern said.
He said he continues to attend the school's annual veterans recognition events.
"Well, I think I've went to every one of them and it goes way back to the 1990's I guess," Nimeskern said.
Nimeskern hopes his story will inspire young people to consider military service and understand the importance of defending their country.
"I would tell (young people) that our country is worth fighting for," Nimeskern said.
