On the recordNovember 15, 2016
On Veterans Day, I attended Port Aransas High School Veterans Day ceremony honoring Port Aransas veterans. This year's event was renamed to remember its founder, Dr. Bill Lehmann, who passed away earlier this year at 91. During World War II, Dr. Lehmann served in the Army stateside, selling war bonds and working at a POW camp. After the war, he earned his master's degree and Ph.D. in physics, and began a 30-year career in the Air Force Civil Service. He rose quickly in the ranks, becoming director of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and, later, chief of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, the first civilian to hold this job. Lehmann focused his energy on community service when he retired in Port Aransas in 1992. He was an active member of the Port Aransas Rotary Club, where he was honored as Rotarian of the Year in 2013. He also founded the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the school in the early nineties, growing it from a small event to a gymnasium full of people packed with hundreds of veterans, students, and community members. Dr. Lehmann created a fantastic legacy that will impact the Port Aransas community for years to come. To Dr. Lehmann and his family, and to all veterans, thank you for your service, and God bless you all. ____________________
