Ever-vigilant, our archivist pursued the lead and discovered that Everett was a 1965 graduate of St. Albans. Wilkerson found his phone number and gave him a call, and they had a long conversation. Soon Upper School history teachers Ben Labaree and Robert Shurmer were exchanging emails with Everett, leading to a two-day visit to St. Albans by David Everett, in which he talked about his experiences at St. Albans and in Vietnam. Everett addressed an Upper School assembly, Lower School chapel, and multiple history classes and shared meals with the headmaster at his lunch table and with honors history students.
Randolph County native became Vietnam prisoner of war (Gail Kerns)
It’s been nearly 45 years since Staff Sgt. Gail M. Kerns kissed the ground when he stepped back on United State soil, after surviving 1,439 days as a prisoner of war. Kerns was shot on the left side of his head when he and his fellow American soldiers were ambushed
