Platt To Be Keynote Speaker During Nov. 5th Veterans’ Day Service

Platt To Be Keynote Speaker During Nov. 5th Veterans’ Day Service
























































Submitted Press Release • A. Fish

(Wentworth, NC) – A Reidsville resident who conducted numerous funerals a day while serving as the Arlington National Cemetery Naval Chaplain will be the keynote speaker Sunday, Nov. 5 at the annual Veterans Day Service.

Although he pastors Wells Memorial Church of God in Christ, Dr. Herman G. Platt likes nothing better than driving his tractor and herding his cattle on his Massey Road farm off Grooms Road in Reidsville.

The service will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Veterans Park in front of the Rockingham County Governmental Center on the Ray Kelly Highway (N.C. 65) in Reidsville.

After the opening ceremonies led by the Morehead High School ROTC, patriotic music will be provided by long-time participant Robin Burroughs and Dwight Lucas.

The program will conclude with a 21-gun salute by the Rockingham County Veterans Honor Guard and a bugle presentation of “Taps.”

The public is invited. Handicapped parking and seating access are available.

A native of Greensboro, Platt has a farm off Massey Road in Reidsville. After enlisting in the Air Force in 1972, Platt served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan, one in Korea and one at Suda Bay Air Station on the Island of Crete in Greece, and numerous stateside locations over his long tenure in service to his country.

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Dr. Herman Platt, right, talks with Vietnam Army Veteran Monk Barton after a veterans program several years ago in Eden.  (Photo by Ann Fish)

Now pastor of Wells Memorial Church of God in Christ in Greensboro, Platt accepted the call to ministry in 1978 and was ordained while serving his first tour of duty in Japan.

Throughout his career, Platt served at churches near his duty stations throughout the world. In 1989, he attended the Chaplain’s school in Newport, R.I. before being assigned to the 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego, Calif. During this time, he also served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

After returning from his second tour of duty in Japan, Platt completed seminary training at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master’s Degree in divinity. Following graduation, he transferred to the U.S. Navy Chaplains’ Corp.

In the mid-80s while at Osan Air Base, Songtan City, Korea, Platt founded the Upper Room Church of God in Christ, the only military local congregation recognized by the military chaplaincy. This ministry led to many other military congregations that existed in the Army and Air Force chapels.

From 1997-1999, Platt worked within the chaplain department at Bethesda Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. Serving as oncology staff chaplain, a spiritual class teacher for Aids patients spiritual renewal and development, he also conducted a monthly worship service in the hospital.

During his time at Arlington, Platt was responsible for all veterans of the Marine Corp naval personnel and civil workers and supervised the Marine and Navy honor guards. Platt also was selected to appear in the television series, “West Wing.” He was the chaplain conducting the burial service of a homeless Marine at the end of one the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday period shows.

“It was a position of honor,” Platt said of his final duty station. “It was an honor to be selected as the senior chaplain to do all the burials for all the naval, coast guard and marine veterans and active duty personnel and all Naval civilian personnel.”

One of the most touching experiences was when Platt helped a teenaged brother and sister plan the services for the father never knew.
“Bringing them in and talking to them about their father was a burdensome task because I could see the pain and the loss of not having their father in their lives,” he said.
“It was a rough time for me and it was a rough time for them,” Platt said. “I found myself emotionally attached to that situation. That one really bothered me.”
In April of 2000, Platt assumed his pastorship at Wells Memorial, commuting on weekends from Washington to North Carolina to serve his church. In 2010, he was elevated to the office of Superintendent of the Winston District in the Greater North Carolina Jurisdiction.
When he retired in January of 2001, Platt had served 16 years in the Air Force, and 12 in the Navy.
“I enjoyed all that I was exposed to and the world that I traveled in,” Platt said.
At their son’s suggestion, the Platts settled on their farm outside Reidsville where he enjoys planting his own crops and looking after his cattle.

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