SALEM, N.H. — Almost every sixth-grader at Woodbury Middle School raised their hand yesterday when Adj. Gen. Maj. William Reddel asked how many students were related to a veteran.

Most of the students were born decades after the veterans present had served in wars, but yesterday they joined Gov. John Lynch, local rescue crews, school administrators and parents in honoring them at the school's sixth annual Veterans Day breakfast.

"This event has become a wonderful tradition, not just for Salem, but for the state of New Hampshire," Lynch said.

About 200 veterans and their families were feted at the event yesterday morning. Nearly 200 of the school's 374 sixth-graders paid tribute through music and essays.

Seated front and center at the ceremony was the family of Sgt. Edmond Lo, who was killed in June while trying to deactivate a roadside bomb in Samarra, Iraq.

Rosa Lo, Edmond's mother, said the family felt honored to be invited to the ceremony.

"We feel so grateful and thankful for the people," she said.

Throughout the breakfast, the chorus performed tributes to five different branches of the military and some students read essays they had written about Veterans Day.

Sixth-grader Allie Kisiel thanked the veterans for protecting the country's rights while serving overseas while a slide show of local veterans played on the stage.

"Veterans are real-life heroes," Allie said.

Salem High School's Junior ROTC program paid tribute to prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action with a table set for one that remained empty throughout the hour-long breakfast.

Salem resident and Korean War veteran Leigh Smith said this was his first time at the breakfast, but he was impressed with the students at the ceremony.

Outside the gym, Smith filled a few tables with some of his military collection — uniforms, badges and other military items.

"We thought it would be nice for the kids to see some of it," Smith said.

World War II veteran Herman "Herk" Streitburger of Bedford served as the ceremony's keynote speaker.

Streitburger told his story of flying a B24 bomber from New York to Italy, where he was taken prisoner of war by the Germans for 14 months.

"All I know is that I am proud to be an American, don't ever forget it," Streitburger said.

Another Air Force veteran from Salem, Joe Dallon, said Streitburger's story was similar to his own experience during World War II.

"It brought back a lot of memories," Dallon said.