CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — A World War II veteran was presented with an honorary high school diploma Thursday in Cranston. 98-year-old Anthony Simeone said he was proud of his military service, but finally getting his diploma is a unique honor. “Today we gather to honor Anthony Simeone, a remarkable man whose life exemplifies service, resilience, and dedication,” Cranston High School East Principal Thomas Barbieri said. Simeone said he never had the chance to complete high school when he was growing up. “I was actually taken out of school when I was 16, but I had to do what I had to do,” he said. “My family needed money. I grew up during the Great Depression, which was not easy.” In 1944, Simeone was drafted into the military in the midst of the Second World War. “I didn’t mind the military, but the combat part of it, that’s something else,” he said. After serving in both France and Germany, including fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, Simeone returned home and obtained his GED. But he said something still felt like it was missing until Thursday, when he received his diploma surrounded by friends and family. “It just feels great because I was like an outcast; everybody around me had a diploma and I didn’t have it,” Simeone said. “I want to say I’m very proud of my family and I’m very proud for the military service I was in.” Categories: Cranston, News, Rhode Island