VETERANS GIVE STUDENTS A HISTORY LESSON

JACKSON -- Students at R.O. Hawkins Junior High experienced history almost first-hand thanks to a group of visiting veterans Thursday.

Veterans of World War II and the Korean War shared their military experiences with ninth-grade American history students Thursday morning. The history lessons will continue this afternoon when veterans return to the school.

"These guys can tell them much more about the war than I ever could," said American history teacher Kyle Mabuce. "We're losing so many World War II veterans to advanced age that we thought it was important to bring them in."

Veterans spoke mostly about being drafted and their travels around the world. Students cringed upon hearing about living in foxholes filled with water, carrying personal possessions in a duffel bag, and how it felt to lose a friend during combat.

"When you see the people that got their bodies all blown apart, it sure takes the cockiness out of you," Korean War veteran Earl Stovall told students.

Stovall has fond memories of his life in the U.S. Navy. He demonstrated his "sea legs" to students and proudly described some of his experiences. He said his naval service was "a wonderful time." Even so, Stovall said he "wouldn't take a million dollars for my experience or give a nickel to go through it again."

Patriotism is important to the continuation of any country, said Stovall. It's also something many students undervalue. He said he foresees the federal government reactivating the peace-time draft in the near future.

"Basically, we're trying to tell them freedom's not cheap: It cost lives and it costs money," said Stovall. "I do hope American youth will come in and join the service. Our freedom is based on a strong military, and we're spread too thin right now."

World War II veteran Clemon Crain doesn't like how today's military is being used. Americans are becoming involved in conflicts that have nothing to do with them, and they're defending people who care nothing for them, he said.

He dislikes the fact Americans had to participate in the Vietnam War and Persian Gulf War, mainly because no full commitment was ever made by the government.

"As far as I'm concerned it stinks," said Crain. "If you're going to do a job, do it. Just don't go halfway."

Crain, an Army paratrooper, was involved in the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, and "got duded up" to serve as a member of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's honor guard.

"Eisenhower was easier to talk to than a second lieutenant, because the second lieutenant would keep you at attention and Eisenhower would tell you 'at ease'," he said. "When we were with him, for the first time in a long time we were in actual buildings."

Crain described to students parachuting into areas booby-trapped with land mines and sharpened poles, and finding loopholes in Army regulations so that cows could be slaughtered for meat.

He also spoke with pride of a memorial to World War II veterans that had been stationed in Holland. He was less enthusiastic about plans for a national World War II memorial to be erected in Washington D.C. His major complaint: That the federal government isn't paying for something that should have been erected 50 years ago.

"The thing of it is, our government throws millions and millions of dollars at countries that are against us, but comes 50 years late and asks us to pay for something that I think they ought to do," Crain said. "I take a very dim view of that."