Korea and Vietnam War Stories/History

rdncktink

OKay lets put it this way, I can't make myself sit through another John Wayne movie. It's a whole Grandmother issue thing. I do have a Judge who is willing to come and talk to my students about Korea and Vietnam.

PaulS

You should be able to get some help from the local VFW halls. They usually have speakers and any military bases should be able to muster a speaker or two - especially the Airforce. They like to talk about how they won the wars.

Morax

also dont forget, going into the elder care homes and such, some of the residents are pretty much in control of thier mental capabilities, and are able to get out to do school trips and the like. i know the home where my wife works she takes care of 3 guys who were on the beaches for normandy, another guy who drove the landing craft in, and a paratruper who was dropped behind the lines for D-Day.. of course this is a bit further back than Vietnam, or Korea but you never know what you may find

rdncktink

Thanks for the advice. Most of the vets in this area like kids under 6th grade because they ask "better questions". I have a Judge who is willing to come talk to them I just have to set up a date.

WileyWapiti

Another good place to look for some interesting accounts would be some of the sites dedicated to Medal of Honor (honour for our Canadian, Australian and British friends{Vince - you know who you are}) recipients where you can actually read the citation and their brave and selfless acts of valor.

www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm

Obviously, many of these selfless troopers are no longer with us, but their acts of valor should be passed on. I have had the honor of having a couple surviving recipients be guest speakers at different functions - these are good men - but not a single one wants the honor. As a soldier you are built on tradition and esperit de corps - we do so that others may live. My thanks go out to past, present and future veterans everywhere - it isn't an easy job.

tracker

Good call Wiley, well stated

rdncktink

Very well put, that's one of the things that I'm trying to instill in my students. It's through the sacrafice of the brave men and women from out past and present that make sure we have a future.

I think it just sank in for a few of my students since one of their brothers who graduated last year just went to Iraq on Saturday.

Morax

boy tink you like taking on the hard jobs dont you?? i have noticed todays kids being raised with the television as a parent, and the other parents not careing that they have no real sense of honor or morals or even manners for that matter.. you got a real uphill battle for some of them, but i am sure if you can get in touch with one there it will be worth it..

rdncktink

Thanks for the Medal of Honor site. I'm going to us it for an extra credit right now and next time around as a regulare assignment.

WileyWapiti

For a real extra credit, you might have them seek out father/son teams who have won the medal. General Macarthur and his father a one team, Teddy Roosevelt and his son are another team. Roosevelt might not be listed yet, I believe he was awarded this (posthumously of course) by President Clinton??? for his charge up San Juan hill, did not see that campaign listed - but I did not look too hard. I am not sure if there were other father/son duo's or not, just interesting to note the gene pools. Enjoy and good luck with the class. My dad always said the best thing about Vietnam was that he got to see Bob Hope!

SwampFox

OK, here is a site you should see. I know this story very well. I have had dinner with his parents and his partner, the guy who recovered his body. I was at the dedication of the barracks at the PJ school in his memory. My son, a PJ Capt., was the representaive of his old unit, the 38th, at the MOH cerimony at Wright Pat. Pits is the only PJ ever awarded the MOH. What they do on every mission could earn them all the MOH, but it is considered their job.

www.angelfire.com/mo2/...arger.html

When you say "that others may live", you are quoting a part of the PJ oath, the oath of service they take upon graduating from the Pipeline, it ends with these words;

"These things we do, that others may live"
Ed

tracker

WileyWapiti wrote:

My dad always said the best thing about Vietnam was that he got to see Bob Hope!

Bet he wished he checked out NBC back in them days, huh? Very Happy

keetoowah

Tink
Have you checked the archives of the Smithsonian, or the Vietnam archives in Washington DC, or the National
Geographic?

I think if you are going to teach it should not be from Hollywood.
there are Museums that have loads of info on it. check libraries in South Vietnam, Australia and any other allies we had then.

You could check the archives of the Arlington cemetary as well as any links from the Memorial wall of Vietnam.

To ask for personal accounts would be causing them to have to relive it and that's just rude. I have 3 uncles that fought over there, and to ask them would have been tooooo painful to them.

Get the name off We Were Soldiers of the real General who did the advice.
and google his history.

Vince what about the Enoggera archives would that help her out??
check Delta force of Nam also Tink
dont count on hollywood movies to teach our future with. they are tainted

regards
keetoowah

keetoowah

go to the History channel site or the History International channel I would be sure there would be something there.

Vince

tracker wrote:

Good call Wiley, well stated

I'm strongly with tracker....good post Wiley...well said mate.

Cheers, Vince