A local veteran who gave up his final high school years to serve his country was honored with his degree Wednesday.

Victor Raia was a student at Altoona Catholic High School, now Bishop Guilfoyle, in the late 1930s. He left to serve in the Navy during World War II before he graduated.

“It’s tough going through life when you don't have an education,” Raia said. “I never thought about that.”

He said he always knew how important his education was, but getting his diploma was the last thing he thought about when he returned home.

“It was more important for me to come home to my wife, to start life over...to have a family,” he said.

Raia, now 87, was honored with his diploma in front of his wife, a handful a friends and the entire senior class of 2009.

“How do you like that? Boy, a senior for 62 years,” Raia quipped.

Raia is also the founder of the American Legion post in Altoona.