UPDATE: Due to forecasted rain, the Ohio Northern University-hosted Veterans Day event will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 11) in the Walter and Marian English Chapel on campus. For more event details visit: https://www.onu.edu/news/onu-commemorate-veterans-day-22-public-wreath-l....

To commemorate Veterans Day 2022, Ohio Northern University will host a public wreath-laying ceremony at the Henry Solomon Lehr statue in front of campus at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11.

Charles Willner, a U.S. Army veteran who has assisted with annual planning for ONU and Ada Veterans Day ceremonies, will be the featured speaker. An Honor Guard from Ada VFW Post 9381 will be participating.

Originally from Canada, Willner was promoted to Major as corps commander of the Royal Canadian Army Corps in his senior year at Linwood High School in Merritton, Ontario, Canada. While in high school he also served as the head of signals, obtaining the rank of Bombardier (Corporal) of the 44th Field Artillery, Royal Canadian Army Reserves in St. Catharines, Ontario.

In 1965, Willner was drafted into the U.S. Army and inducted at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a Canadian, he had obtained a green card to work his way through college in the U.S. However, he did not know to let his draft board know when he transferred from one college to another. He obtained the distinction of “outstanding trainee” of his company during basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In 1967 he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant E-5 from Fort Gordon, Georgia.