More than 100 people gathered Tuesday at the Denton Senior Center for a Veterans Day program that featured a keynote address by J.W. Hoover, a surviving member of the “Lost Battalion.”

Hoover began with a brief history of the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery and the men who swam ashore from the cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) when it was sunk.

Hoover survived 42 months as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II.

While in captivity, Hoover was among the men used to build the Burma-Siam Railway in the jungles of Burma. The soldiers were doing the work with “a picket shovel, hauling dirt out in baskets,” he said.

Hoover did offer some lighter fare in his memories.

He spoke of tutoring a guard who wanted to learn how to say “good morning” in English. The group of prisoners taught the man a rather profane statement for “good morning” and soon felt the man’s wrath by bamboo stick.

“You had to do things like that to keep going,” Hoover said, with a chuckle.

In the three-and-a-half years of those conditions, a lot of men were lost, he said, returning to seriousness in his story.

“[I] don’t care what comes along, you keep fighting,” Hoover said.

He closed his speech by asking the audience to think about and support all active U.S. troops.

The annual veterans program included a presentation of the colors by the North Texas Patriot Guard motorcycle riders, desserts, and music from the Young at Heart Band.

Pat Cadenhead, a member of the Senior Center advisory council, cited Hoover and his fellow battalion members as an inspiration to Americans.

“We think we have it bad when the washing machine doesn’t start,” she said. “What they went through to get here … to give us the freedom to stand in this room, thank you for being the kind of people to be in the military.”

The Young at Heart Band played several patriotic tunes, including the national anthem, “America the Beautiful” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The band also played a medley of songs from the various armed forces branches.

The veterans rose from their chairs in turn when the music of their particular branch was played.

Cadenhead said later that the men of the battalion teach a great humility and serve as an example to not take anything for granted.

She mentioned the closeness the veterans had when more of them lived in the area and how they would band together if any were ill.

“Such a closeness — they teach you so much of what love is about and what life is about,” she said.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com.