World War II veteran Gerard “Gerry” Barbosa, 81, has done many things in his lifetime: survived the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, provided supplies and equipment to American soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, helped build the lunar module used on the moon in July 1969, and retired from the New York City Transit Authority in 1990.

“For me, I can at least say that I got my diploma,” Barbosa said. “The others who were foolish not to get it will feel weird when their grandchildren graduate high school. I can finally say that I got it.”

Barbosa’s high school diploma was made possible through New York’s Operation Recognition program. The program awards high school diplomas to World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans who attended New York schools but were unable to finish high school due to their military service.

Assemblyman David McDonough noted that the program recognizes veterans’ military service and the education “in life experiences” they obtained during their time with the military. “Operation Recognition is a program designed to thank the many veterans who sacrificed their high school education to serve their country,” McDonough said. “Many veterans had to forgo their education, first to defend their country, then to support their families when they returned home. Awarding Gerry this diploma is a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have sacrificed so much for us all."

As a civilian, Barbosa worked for Republic Airport, the Long Island Rail Road, Grumman Aerospace and the Transit Authority. During his tenure at Grumman, he was part of a team that built the Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969.

In 1993, three years after his retirement from the Transit Authority, he and his wife, Marie, moved to the East Meadow Knolls.

Though Barbosa had an impressive civilian career, he still longed to get his high school diploma. His dream finally came true, thanks to Operation Recognition. He learned of the program through the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2736 in East Meadow, where he is a member. With the help of his daughter, Bonnie, Barbosa filled out all the necessary paperwork to obtain his diploma.

On July 17, during the VFW post’s monthly meeting at Christ the King Church, McDonough and fellow Assemblyman Rob Walker (Hicksville) presented Barbosa with his diploma.