Havreite receives diploma after 78 years

A local Eagles Manor resident received his high school diploma Monday, 78 years after his senior year at a Kansas high school.

"I'm real proud of it," 94-year-old James Catt Sr. said. "They're good people back there and they sent it to me."

He said he was just tickled to receive at his age.

Catt was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1943 for service during World War II before he could graduate from high school.

He said his daughter Myrna Catt Vernon arranged to have all his papers sent down to Rossville Junior-Senior High School in Rossville, Kansas.

"I decided my dad is a self taught knowledgeable man and he should have his high school diploma," she said. 

She said she was really excited about getting her father's high school diploma for him.

"It made me feel good and I think dad's awful happy today," Vernon said Monday.

The superintendent of the high school's district in Kansas, Kerry Lacock, said Monday that they are very honored to award Catt his high school diploma.

"As a veteran, Mr. Catt has fulfilled much more than the requirements for graduation," he said. There is no greater service than to risk your life to defend the freedom of others. During this time where all of us are sacrificing for the health of others, James is a great example to us all on selflessness." 

Catt said he served in Nagasaki, Japan, on the USS Mobile as a gunner a position where one fires lots of guns.

He said he served for three years in World War II.

"I was proud that I served on it," he said. "It didn't back up from anybody, even, the Japanese had a big battle wagon, and it could shoot 16-inch projectiles for 21 miles on head of target. We chased that sucker right into Tokyo and left."

After the war, he moved to Havre, where he married his wife, Maxine, in 1946. They were married for 67 years.

He said the secret to being married that long is to be honest and take care of each other.

"You bet, she was my best friend," Catt said. "... She was a wonderful woman, she really was."

They had three children Myrna, Jim Jr. and Cindy, he added.

Maxine died in 2012, he said, suffering from Alzhiemers then getting pneumonia. 

He worked as a mechanic in a machine shop for a number of years, he said, adding that he then went on to work for the police department for 20 years.

That included serving as Havre's police chief.

He was born and raised around Willard, Kansas, out in the country and attended Rossville schools, he said.

"I love this country," Catt said. "I would do it again if I had to."