Editor’s Note: We regret to inform you that an earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the teacher as Craig Thomas. The name is Greg Thomas. We regret the error.
Suppose someone walks up to you and asks you, “Hey! When you think of fall, what comes to mind?” Most people would say how the leaves change color, or the cool breeze. Here at Doherty, it is nothing less. One of the biggest changes here at Doherty is Captain Greg Thomas and his wall of navy plaques.
Captain Greg Thomas said, “The reason I started collecting the plaques is over the summer I went to navy training, there was an instructor, like myself, who was giving away all his shipboard plaques because he had nothing to do with them and his children didn’t want them, so I took one of the plaques, which was a ship that I had landed on before. I went back to my hotel room and went on Ebay to see if other plaques would be out there and I realized there were hundreds of plaques for sale on Ebay that were purchased from a state salesman when service members passed away, so I decided to save naval history by buying as many plaques as I could to put them in a hall of honor here at Doherty High School.”
Many NJROTC cadets at Doherty have heard Captain Thomas saying how much his wife disapproved of him spending so much on plaques. When asked about this, Captain Thomas responded, “My wife does not know I am buying these plaques. This is something I am doing on my own.” When asked about the cost of every plaque from just this month of October he said, “I have spent just over a thousand dollars.”
Not only is making a plaque wall a fantastic way to keep naval heritage alive, but it is also an outstanding way to show and teach cadets and students about different naval vessels.
When asked about the wall junior George Miller said, “I think it is a great thing that Captain is doing this plaque display. They are often sold, or they are lost in basements but it’s very important to remember our naval history and preserve it in such a way that has not been seen before, so I really commend Captain Thomas for his efforts.”
When asked if there was any ship or naval vessel that George Miller wanted to see on the wall, he replied, “Nothing in particular, but as many histories and legacies we can preserve. That is the most important goal with this.” Every day that passes by, Captain Thomas’ wall gets increasingly historical and to some students, it could possibly be inspiring.
We all love our school and our navy, and there is no better way to show that love than by making a wall remembering all ships and vessels that may either still be floating or being admired in a museum.
This “wall of historic preservation” is reserved in the NJROTC hallway near rooms 160 to 166 and is a beautiful sight to see once it has been completed. If the shiny cold paint or beautiful wood and brass plaques interest you in joining the military or NJROTC here at Sparta, thank our amazing Captain Greg Thomas for his stunning historical idea.
