Bringing peace, one veteran at a time
By BILL DUNCAN Several nights ago I watched a CNN panel discussion on the importance of bringing back to education emphasis on the history of our nation and its government. Thanks to a high school teacher in Roseburg, such lessons in history are already happening. For the past six years, Brian Young, a Social Studies teacher at Roseburg high school has provided his students a unique “living history day” in which he brings veterans from World War II and the Korean conflict into a classroom environment to share their stories first hand. I have participated in that program from its inception as a veteran of both wars. Brian will hold a living history day again this year on Thursday, May 21. Students will have to opportunity to individually interview the veterans and ask questions for a classroom assignment. Written reports on these conversations is part of the assignment. We hear much criticism of public education today failing to teach pride in America and its government. If my experience counts, from the questions asked by the students in this unique face-to-face classroom event, I think we are underestimating our schools. There is a saying that unless we learn from history, we are doomed to make the same mistakes. Young people need to learn first hand about war before we can ever expect peace. “As a history teacher, I am always looking for ways to get students involved in the study of the past,” Brian said. “This year marks the 64th anniversary of the end of World War II. Before long, today’s students will not be able to hear these stories first hand.” Brian is right as World War II veterans are dying off at a rate of 2,000 a day. Those who served in the Korea are also dying off. Veterans themselves are asked to bring with them memorabilia, medals, ration books, photos or any personal items that might be shared with the young students. One old soldier last year came wearing his full uniform. I have a Marine dress blue blouse and a Marine green uniform blouse hanging in my closet, but I could hardly shoulder my way into either 60 plus years later. They each have the chevron of my last military rank, which is of corporal, still attached. In the past I have taken small packets of the gritty, black volcanic sands of Iwo Jima to share. As a result of Brian’s innovative program, one veteran, Leo Kraft of Roseburg, a World War II Marine fighter plane tail gunner tells his story, not only at the high school, but also to a history class at Umpqua Community College. This year, Brian is encouraging the veterans to bring their spouses who can add a new dimension to the story from the home front. This, too, is a story that needs to be told. In the 1970s Red Cross volunteer Wanda McLean started a youth program at the Roseburg Veterans Administration Hospital that involved young people caring for the veteran patients. She ran the program until she died. I was her deputy representing the Red Cross on the VA campus and I have continued the program, which will be up and running when school is out this year. My favorite story is about two young people, a boy and a girl, who wanted to be Hospice volunteers. The VA thought they were too young to be exposed in caring for the dying. I fought to get them trained and in the program. The authorities only agreed if I would monitor them. The three of us drew our first Hospice patient, a veteran who had been a prisoner of war. We were counseled not to discuss war because he became agitated over those memories. We agreed. The first day we met the patient, he said to the young man, “I guess you want to hear about my war experiences.” My monitoring ended that day but I would drop by and see the young man holding his hand and sharing his story. If we ever get peace, it will be from generation learning about war without experiencing it. (Bill Duncan can be reached by writing to P.O. Box 812, Roseburg, OR 97470)
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