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WWII vet, 101, ‘finally’ walks at graduation 80 years after having to miss ceremony amid global war

Source image: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/wwii-vet-101-finally-walks-graduation-80-years-having-miss-ceremony-global-war

Eighty years after missing his college graduation ceremony, a 101-year-old WWII vet walked the stage and officially received his diploma on Sunday, May 14, in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

“Every able-bodied man and lots of women were involved in World War II,” Fred Taylor of La Mesa, California, told Fox News Digital.

“I think 16 million altogether,” Taylor added. “I have no regrets about going into the service.” He went on, “I really enjoyed flying. My only regret is missing my graduation ceremony, as you normally would end your senior year.”

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Taylor joined more than 200 graduates of the Cornell College Class of 2023 — and when he did, they embraced him as one of their own.

Fred Taylor's junior yearbook photo from Cornell College's Royal Purple

Fred Taylor completed his requirements to receive his music degree from Cornell College in Iowa, but was unable to attend his graduation ceremony due to activation of the Air Corp Reserves in 1943. In 2023, he finally walked across the stage with other college graduates.  (Linda & Fred)

“Every time I mentioned his name — standing ovation,” Jonathan Brand, the president of Cornell College, told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

“It was heartwarming. It was emotional. It brought full circle his own connection with Cornell,” Brand added. “He’s gracious, humble, articulate, warm, loving. He is everything that one could ever hope a Cornellian would be.”

Brand went on, “I think there was love for him because of his connection to Cornell, because of his military service, because of his endurance.”

Taylor had completed the requirements for his music degree at Cornell College, but the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 catapulted the United States into World War II — putting the plans of many in his generation on hold.

Fred Taylor's junior yearbook photo from Cornell College's Royal Purple

Fred Taylor’s photograph from his junior year yearbook at Cornell College in Iowa in 1942. (Cornell College)

“Some friends and I joined the Army Air Corp Reserve because we wanted to fly rather than be foot soldiers,” Taylor said. 

“On Feb. 19, 1943, of my senior year, the Air Corp Reserves were activated and we had to leave the college for basic training in Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. So, of course, we missed our graduation ceremony and that was a very incomplete feeling,” Taylor added.

He said that at the time, his dad drove 10 miles to campus to pick up his son’s diploma while he was away.

“I have no regrets about going into the service … My only regret is missing my graduation ceremony, as you normally would end your senior year.”

— Fred Taylor

But earlier this year, Taylor’s daughter, Linda Taylor, a professor emeritus at the University of Miami, contacted Cornell College to see if it was possible for her father to walk across the stage and finish what he started.

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“To find out that we [had] a student who, 80 years ago, missed that culminating moment in his life to actually celebrate the completion of his study — there’s sort of this feeling that something wasn’t finished,” Brand said. 

“Here’s somebody who served our country during World World War II, somebody who left college so that he could help literally save the world from the greatest threat. What a wonderful way to honor him in front of our students,” Brand added.

Fred and Peggy 1944

Taylor married “the love of his life,” Peggy Newberg, a fellow student from Cornell College. The couple is shown together in 1944. (Linda & Fred)

“I was thinking … finally,” Taylor said, laughing. “It was exhilarating and sparked a lot of memories. I was also thinking of my 75-and-a-half-year marriage.”

Taylor’s training took him around the country, including to Colorado Springs, where he married “the love of his life,” Peggy Newberg, whom he met at Cornell College. 

His wife died in 2020, according to media representatives at the school.

During the war, Taylor flew fighter planes.

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“I flew the P51 Mustang in Italy,” Taylor said. “And that’s a terrific airplane.”

“Here’s somebody who served our country during World World War II, somebody who left college so that he could help literally save the world from the greatest threat.”

— Jonathan Brand, president of Cornell College

After leaving the service in 1945, Taylor earned his graduate degree in music education from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. 

He became a music teacher — first in the tiny town of Bayard, Iowa.

“I was the band director there for 10 years and we really enjoyed living in a small town and made a lot of lifelong friends there,” Taylor said.

The family moved to California, where Taylor continued teaching for 26 years in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. He then retired.

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For his 80th birthday, Taylor went for a ride in a P51 again — another experience arranged by his only child, Linda.

Fred and Peggy in 2014

Taylor and his wife Peggy were married for more than 75 years. His wife died in 2020, according to officials at Cornell College. (Linda & Fred)

“The P51 is a one-man airplane, but on several of them now, they have removed some of the equipment behind the pilot seat and put a little jump seat there so that they can take a passenger,” Taylor said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Linda Taylor recalls that the pilot was impressed with her father’s experience.

“He commented that it was really nice to have someone on board who had actually flown one because a lot of kids, meaning anybody younger than 80, would get in there and immediately get stomach distress from the G forces and the power,” she said. 

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“Dad was like, ‘Great, let’s get upside down. Let’s go for it,’” Linda Taylor said.

Fred Taylor, 101, gets degree

After completing his university degree 80 years ago, Fred Taylor was finally able to walk across the stage at Cornell College in Iowa and receive his diploma in person this year.  (Cornell College)

Being able to see her dad walk the stage meant a lot, she added.

“I don’t think there’s one word for it,” she said. “I was proud. I was very happy. You know, you have a lump in your throat for all the good reasons. It’s just really nice when someone who means so much to you is recognized and honored. It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments.”

Brand said it means a lot to Cornell College as well.

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“When we finally got to conferring the degrees, I introduced him and he walked up to the stage alone,” the Cornell College president said.

“There was another standing ovation as he came up onto the platform. He was looking at me. You could see that it was gratifying. He waited 80 years for that moment. He was at ease.”

Fred Taylor graduation 2

At the age of 101, Taylor traveled from California to Iowa to receive his diploma from Cornell College along with this year’s graduating class.  (Cornell College)

Brand said that as he officially conferred the degrees of all the graduates from the class of 2023 and 1943, he “had goosebumps.”

“He [Taylor] led everyone in moving their tassels from the right to the left,” Brand said. “And then with appropriate military music, he recessed back to his seat.”

After the ceremony, Taylor traveled to Drake University in Des Moines, where there was a small get-together with the president, the provost and several other faculty and administrators who presented him with his master’s degree in music education. 

Taylor earned that degree in 1953 — but was unable to participate in the ceremony due to work.

“I waited 70 years for that one,” Taylor said. “I was working for Armour & Company in the Black Hills at the time. I worked for them on the road as a traveling salesman for about three years. Then I decided if I was ever going to use my degree, I better get started.”

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With all the knowledge and experience that comes at age 101, Taylor said he doesn’t think he is qualified to dole out advice to his fellow graduates of today.

“I would just say that they are well-prepared for their future life,” Taylor said. 

“They have everything, all the good things, ahead of them. All they have to do is pay attention, do their best work and be kind to others.”

Fred Taylor graduation split

“All [the students] have to do is pay attention, do their best work and be kind to others,” Taylor told Fox News Digital. (Linda & Fred/Cornell College)

Brand said Taylor’s presence added depth and meaning to this year’s commencement ceremony.

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“We tell our students that we want them to graduate with a focus on others, a compassion for helping others,” Brand said.

“How often do they get to have somebody in front of them who actually represents that, who lives it? I am excited for him to be back on his campus, not just for him, but frankly as an inspiration for our students.”

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/wwii-vet-101-finally-walks-graduation-80-years-having-miss-ceremony-global-war

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Ohio firefighters find 118-year-old time capsule buried in fire station: Here’s what was inside

A team of firefighters has uncovered treasure hidden in their fire department that’s nearly 12 decades old.

Captain Ryan Redmon and a group of six firefighters from the City of Marion Ohio Fire Department were on a mission to retrieve an old department cornerstone from a retired fire station that was about to be demolished, but they ended up finding something truly unexpected.

The Marion Fire Department (MFD) has recently been researching the history of their department, going back to 1848, by digging up some information — both figuratively and literally, Captain Redmon told Fox News Digital.

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On May 25, Redmon and the firefighters went down to the old Marion Fire Department Station No. 2, which was built in 1905, to excavate their department’s cornerstone for preservation purposes before the building was scheduled to be torn down.

MFD cornerstone 2

Captain Ryan Redmon and a team of six firefighters from the Marion Fire Department in Marion, Ohio, discovered a hidden time capsule dating back to 1905. Firefighter Andrew Niles is pictured above removing a brick. (City of Marion Ohio Fire Department)

After spending nearly 30 minutes on the excavation, Redmon and his men quickly realized the cornerstone was deeper into the building than anticipated, so they called in professionals to complete the removal.

As Redmon and his team were about to leave, they pulled out one last brick and saw a copper box fall out of the sandstone, Redmon shared.

Redmon and the other firefighters on the scene took it back to the station excited to show everyone their new discovery.

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“Obviously, everybody wanted us to open it right away, and we wanted to, trust me. It was killing us to see what was in there,” Redmon commented.

copper time capsule

The 118-year-old time capsule was hidden near the cornerstone of the retired fire station building that was set to be demolished. (City of Marion Ohio Fire Department)

The MFD has been working on the written history of their department, but nothing in their prior research led them to believe there would be a time capsule hidden in the 1905 fire station.

“We’ve done so much history work around the station and I feel like we’ve got a pretty good grasp on our past and where we’ve been, and [to] discover something like [this], there’s no written record of it,” Redmon stated.

“We scoured newspapers, we scoured old records [and] there was never any mention of a time capsule in there, so it was very exciting,” he added.

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The time capsule was placed near the cornerstone of the old MFD station on July 20, 1905, according to a letter found in the capsule written by the fire chief at the time, Redmon added.

men opening time capsule

Chief Chuck Deem (left) looks on as Captain Redmon (center) and Andrew Niles (far right) pry open the time capsule during a public ceremony on May 31.   (City of Marion Ohio Fire Department)

“Firemen aren’t exactly known for being gentle, delicate creatures with things,” Redmon joked. “So we took it to the historical society in town.”

The copper box had been soldered shut on the edge and wasn’t easy to pry open, according to Redmon.

On May 31, the MFD invited the residents of Marion to be a part of a public opening of the time capsule.

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Inside the 118-year-old copper box were dozens of well-preserved memorabilia referencing the department including: nine MFD badges from the “turn of the century,” an invitation to the 1878 “Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Fireman’s Association Fireman’s Games” (which is still held today), four newspapers from July 1905 and so much more, according to the City of Marion Ohio Fire Department Facebook page.

Redmon took note of the differences between the “turn of the century era” badges that had been found in the time capsule, detailing the difference in style and size.

“There has been talk about trying to back to that style now that we know that’s our history and that’s kind of where we came from. In the future, maybe we can go back to that,” Redmon commented.

One of Redmon’s favorite discoveries in the box was the letter from Chief McFarland, the department’s fire chief for almost 40 years, he added.

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“He has kind of got his touch on everything. To have an actual letter from him was very [exciting].”

Ohio time capsule split FINAL

Redmon is looking forward to making a new time capsule for the new fire station which will include an item from the newly found 1905 capsule. (City of Marion Ohio Fire Department)

Redmon gave a lot of credit to Andrew Niles, a firefighter on his team, who has been heading up the department’s historical research and was the one to open the time capsule.

One of the biggest takeaways for Redmon is knowing that he now has a tangible place in the history of the MFD.

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“I was becoming a part of history because I was involved in this opening and this finding,” he shared.

The MFD is planning on taking an item from the 1905 time capsule, most likely one of the badges, and placing it in a new time capsule that will be buried in the construction of the new fire station, Redmon added.

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The hope is that another 118 years will pass by before the new capsule is opened and someone will be able to discover a 236-year-old badge, paying homage to the history and legacy of the Marion Fire Department, Redmon said.

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On this day in history, June 7, 1942, Battle of Midway ends in decisive US victory

On this day in history, June 7, 1942, the Battle of Midway — regarded as one of the most decisive U.S. victories in its war against Japan — came to an end.  

The Battle of Midway was an Allied naval victory and a major turning point in World War II. 

The battle was fought between Japanese and American carrier forces near the Midway Atoll, a territory of the United States in the central Pacific, from June 4-7, 1942.

On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway began. 

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Midway Island is a fairly isolated atoll, so named because it is midway between North America and Asia in the North Pacific Ocean, according to National Geographic.

Midway’s importance grew for commercial and military planners, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Battle of Midway

In this June 4, 1942, file photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the USS Astoria (CA-34) steams by USS Yorktown (CV-5), shortly after the carrier had been hit by three Japanese bombs in the Battle of Midway.  (William G. Roy/U.S. Navy via AP, File)

In the 1930s, Midway became a stopover for Pan American Airways’ “flying clippers” — seaplanes crossing the ocean on their five-day transpacific passage, the same source indicates.

Midway was an incredibly strategic location, multiple sources say. 

“The Imperial Japanese Navy planned to use it to secure their sphere of influence in the Pacific theater of the war,” according to National Geographic. 

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“The Japanese had not lost a naval battle in more than 50 years, and had nearly destroyed the American fleet just six months earlier in a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.” 

The American success at Midway was a major victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy. 

Pearl Harbor is about 1,300 miles east of Midway, says the same source.

In preparation, American military and intelligence forces worked together to defeat the Japanese. 

Battle of Midway Island

The Battle of Midway Island, which resulted in a major victory for the U.S. fleet. The USS aircraft carrier ‘Yorktown’ received a direct hit from a Japanese plane, which got through despite the heavy barrage put up by American destroyers.  (Keystone/Getty Images)

Code breakers were able to decipher Japanese naval code, allowing American leaders to anticipate Japanese maneuvers, notes National Geographic. 

Because of this, the U.S. Navy was then able to launch a surprise attack on the larger Japanese fleet in the area and the Battle of Midway turned the tide of the war, says the same source. 

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The American success at Midway was a major victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy as all four Japanese carriers — Akagi, Hiryu, Kaga and Soryu — had participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor, says the National WWII Museum.

The Battle of Midway is often referred to as the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

“Sinking those Japanese carriers represented a resounding defeat over the enemy fleet which had wrought such destruction only six months before,” the same source says.

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The Imperial Japanese Navy would not be capable of overcoming the loss of four carriers and over 100 trained pilots — and with the loss at Midway, the Japanese offensive in the Pacific was overturned and the United States began offensive action in the Pacific, says the National WWII Museum.

The Battle of Midway is widely considered the most decisive U.S. victory of that period.

It is often referred to as the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

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Midway Atoll has since been designated as a National Memorial to the Battle of Midway, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Invisible AI’s ‘intelligent agent’ cameras can see what autoworkers and machines are doing wrong

Tesla CEO Elon Musk often refers to the automobile factory as “the machine that builds the machine,” but there are plenty of human workers involved in even the most highly automated plants.

They remain a key part of the exceedingly complex process that is automobile assembly but need to operate as efficiently as their mechanical counterparts to keep cars and trucks coming off the line with a combination of quality and speed.

Weeding out issues and making sure everything is running smoothly has traditionally meant sending quality control personnel up and down the lines to get eyes on the action. But now there’s a way to automate that job with better results than ever before.

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Palo Alto-based Invisible AI was founded by veterans of the autonomous car industry who saw an alternative for the artificial intelligence-driven machine vision technology they were working on that could come to market long before the mass acceptance of self-driving cars.

invisible ai

Invisible AI’s cameras have two terabytes of storage, enough to capture two months of data. (Invisible AI)

The company designed a network of cameras that can monitor an assembly line in real time and spot even the smallest things going wrong.

“Productivity, safety and quality are always top of mind in manufacturing, especially auto,” Invisible AI CEO Eric Danzinger told Fox News Digital.

The self-contained units are equipped with stereoscopic vision and onboard processing that allows them to be easily set up in a factory without having to tap into the facility’s own networks.

Invisible AI workers

The cameras use stereoscopic vision that can monitor how workers are moving. (Invisible AI)

“Our AI is not just about watching one workstation but about getting that view across the line about where you’re hitting production bottlenecks, where you’re seeing deviations from how the work is supposed to be done and where you’re seeing issues like bad reaches that can cause physical issues for your workers,” Danzinger said.

The cameras don’t need to be programmed with the assembly process. They only have to scan a single, correct cycle, and then the system can determine if anything deviates from it later.

“Our AI system analyzes the video, from raw pixels, to understand the pattern of work that’s happening and then compares those patterns so we can tell if someone is following a standard,” Danzinger explained. “All of that is being done by an intelligent agent in the cameras so a person doesn’t have to.

“If you have 100 cameras on one section of an assembly, you are actually seeing in 3D the living, breathing line.”

invisible ai paint gif

The system can tell if a worker’s movements are deviating from the ideal process. (Invisible AI)

Pricing varies by application, but Danzinger said the cost is far less than bringing in a consulting team or trying to accomplish the same work manually, which really can’t be done given the scope of what the system is capable of. 

Since they’re self-contained, installing all the cameras can be done in a couple of days between shifts.

“Our system has become the place you can go to help frontline employees understand the work being done,” Danzinger said.

“There are a million things happening. People are sick, bad parts are coming from suppliers, machines are broken down. … To be able to know what’s going on, what’s the most crucial component to fix, how do I meet my numbers? That’s the most important thing.”

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Invisible AI has collected a roster of a dozen automotive parts suppliers and four original equipment manufactures as clients, including Toyota, which uses the system at a factory in Indiana.

Toyota declined to provide comment for this report, but Senior Engineer Jihad Abdul-Rahim said when the project was announced last year that “Invisible AI is not only helping us find opportunities for improvement on the assembly lines, but we’re also constantly finding new use cases for their technology, such as ergonomics analysis to proactively prevent injuries.”

Invisible AI dashboard

Users can use an app to get an overview or check the status at a specific point in the assembly process. (Invisible AI)

Danzinger said details about its other customers and how they are using the system is confidential and that Invisible AI can’t provide details on their behalf.

As far as privacy is concerned, the system doesn’t have facial recognition technology, and it can blur faces captured on video. But the point of it is to offer direct feedback, so it is not an entirely anonymized analytical tool.

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“Most of what we see is helping workers have a voice and raise their hand to say, ‘This is broken. We need help fixing it,’ and actually getting a response,” Danzinger said.

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