The Retired Senior Volunteer Program will be hosting its ninth Star Spangled Celebration on Friday, Nov. 10 and honoring several veterans in the area.

Among the veterans listed on the program are Cecil Applegate, Eddie Brierly, Robert Berry, and Hal Teegarden, according to Ron Walsch.

At age 19, Applegate was drafted on June 5, 1966, he said. Applegate spent two months in basic training at Fort Knox and two months AIT training at Fort Ord in California.

From there, he went to Hunter-Liggett military base in California for jungle training, Applegate said. He left for Vietnam in October 1967.

According to Applegate, he was assigned to the 84th engineering while in Vietnam. His last two months there were spent working as an advisor with a Vietnamese basic training unit, he said.

When the 1967-68 TET Offense started in December, Applegate returned to his unit where they would be “attached” to the first Calvary Division Infantry until Jun 12, 1968, he said.

Upon his return home from service, Applegate began working at Browning Manufacturing. During his years at Browning, Applegate met his wife and took classes to became a certified locksmith.

After 17 years of employment with Browning, Applegate “went full-time” with Tom’s Mobile Locksmith. He said he was a 30 year member of the National Locksmith Association.

Now, Applegate is a member of several organizations and establishments in the area. He has been happily retired since 2009 and visits his daughter in Florida, he said.

Brierly, born Jan. 5 1943, served as a United States Marine for over seven years. Brierly served in the Vietnam War, Walsch said.

Since his honorable discharge in 1967, Brierly has been heavily involved in several organizations, several of which are related to veterans programs.

Brierly participates in veterans parades, dinners, fundraisers, and helps families in need in the community, he said. He also delivers “care packages” to veterans in hospitals and nursing homes in the area.

Around Christmas time, Brierly visits “shut-in” veterans and delivers fruit baskets and other items they may be in need of. He also organizes Christmas dinners for children and Shop With a Veteran.

He noted that he has attended over 800 funerals that have honored veterans.

Berry started his career in 1966, he said. He served four years in the United States Army, starting at Fort Knox for basic training. From there, he went to Fort Dix for AIT training and then to Fort Gordon in Georgia for his final training.

After training, Berry was sent to Vietnam. During his time there, he joined the first divsion called “The Big Red One.” Berry was in Vietnam for one year with the signal unit as an operator of the switch board, he said.

Berry has recevied the Noble Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, two Over Seas Service Medals, and the Marksman Badge, M-14 Rifle.

After leaving Vietnam, Berry returned to Fort Campbell and completed his military assignment, he said.

Teegarden, of Germantown, served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959, he said. He joined the army in June of 1957 at a recruiting center in Newport, he said.

Teegarden completed his basic training in Kansas at Fort Riley. He returned home briefly in September on leave and married his wife before being deployed to Baumholder, Germany.

He was in Germany for 17 months for additional training during the Cold War, he said. During his time in Germany, Teegarden was with the eighth infantry division as a specialist four and expert marksman.

Following his return from Germany in 1959 and honorable discharge from active duty, Teegarden was assigned to Individual Ready Reserves for four years.

After discharge, Teegarden continued the career he left when he was recruited for the army. In 1962, Teegarden began barber school and later started a career that would last 60 years.

Occassionally, Teegarden makes special trips as a barber to nursing homes to cut residents’ hair. He said he will travel to someone’s house to give them a haircut in the event they are unable to make it to his shop during hours.

The RSVP Star Spangled Celebration will be held on Friday, Nov. 10 at the Fields Auditorium at Maysville Community and Technical College. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the program will start at 7 p.m. It is expected to last two hours.

Hosting the program will be Bob Herzog, a television “personality” for WKRC Channel 12. In attendance and performance will be Judy and Mary of The Sensational Robinson Sisters, Julie Clarke, Miss Kentucky 2022 Hannah Edelen, Miss Kentucky 2023 Mallory Hudson, Barbie Zweigart, and Hunter Jordan.

A few groups from Mason County Schools will be in attendance as well. Mason County JROTC Honor Guard will be giving the Missing In Action table ceremony during the program and the Mason County High School Jazz Band will be under the direction of Kendrick Applegate, the school’s band director.

Admission to the program is free.

It is recommended to bring a can of food for the veterans food baskets and Mason County Food Bank.

For more information regarding the program, please call 606-564-5511.