The Navy's 251st birthday was recently celebrated on November 13 this year, as was Franklin's last known WWII Navy Veteran, Art Ziemer. He turned 99 and has now entered into his 100th year walking the planet. Krystale the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools in Franklin was asked if 100 students could write birthday letters to Art.

Kudos to Krystale as she leapt at the chance to honor a veteran and contacted the school principals who were equally excited. Only 100 letters were needed to kick off Art's Cake Walk. The 100 birthday wishes were meant to signify the 365-day walking this planet that Art would be living for his 100th year marker. The student's interest allowed Krystale to collect 428!

The outpouring of love for a veteran is always so strong in Franklin. The drawings, artwork, creative skills, and most of all the love these students incorporated into their birthday messages to Art was exceptionally remarkable! Seeing the huge box of birthday messages bought tears to his eyes. "I never expected anything like this!" he emotionally exclaimed.

The birthday messages the students wrote to Art were about their appreciation not only being a Veteran, but that he is a WWII Veteran. Art was shown the love of Franklin students threw their hand drawn illustrations, pictures of American flags and soldiers, accurate navy emblems, creative artwork, and their heart felt messages. One student writing "Thank you so much for your service, it means so much to me to have people like you that live near me and be able to say, "A World War 2 Veteran lives in my town! I am so glad I live in Franklin and get to know a WWII Veteran!" Another student took a picture from the article Art was featured on the front page of last year's December issue and made an incredible pencil drawing of it!

Being born on the Navy's birthdate was not Art's reasoning for joining the Navy. It was family pride. In December of 1942 then President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9279 creating an act whereby students in their Junior year of High School could enlist at the age of seventeen. As soon as Art turned 18, he jumped at that opportunity and enlisted. His motive, he was the youngest of six from a family of freedom fighters during World War II.

All five boys and one sister of the Ziemer family joined the Navy in full support of the war efforts during the 1940's. His brother Bill just older than him was a Navy pilot who was shot down during the Pacific War. Captured by the Imperial Army of Japan, he was sent to their infamous Ofuna Prison, a secret prisoner-of-war camp used to imprison and interrogate U.S. Navy personnel that was known for its extreme cruelty and can be best described in the 2014 Australian movie "Unbroken."

Camp Ofuna did not abide by the Geneva Conventions created in 1864 and expanded after WWI to protect imprisoned soldiers of all countries. Brother Bill Ziemer succumbed to grievous injuries he sustained while being interrogated aka "tortured." Years later a fellow prisoner would keep Bill's promise to personally bring the news of his demise home to his family. At Camp Ofuna, prisoners were not allowed to speak, so these brave POWs would tap code to communicate with each other Art explained. Using this communication method, his brother Bill and a fellow prisoner made a pact with each other; whoever survived would go to the others' family and share the truth of what happened to them at Camp Ofuna.

Throughout this year, we will be chronicling Franklin's World War II Navy Veteran Art Ziemer as he journeys into his 100th year walking the planet - his "Cake Walk 2027." Each month, Art will chat with some of the Franklin students who made cards, signs, created artwork or wrote letters for his surprise 99th birthday. The students will share with Art what prompted them to create their piece while Art shares his emotion in receiving it. The project is underway, so stay tuned for some exciting months ahead as we honor a hero from the "Greatest Generation" along with some WWII sage advice or era-lived story from Art.