Gloomy war and financial news fill headlines, but things have been worse.
Clarkston Junior High students learned from those who know all about it, sharing stories and mementos of World War II and the Great Depression.
“There’s a lot of gloom and doom,” said Brian Zezula, ninth-grade U.S. History teacher. “I like bringing these guys up and they talk about when they were teenagers. They were trained by the military and for that they were fortunate ‘and these veterans tell them, hey, we were just like you.?
Sharing their stories, Feb. 25, were Leigh Bonner, former Clarkston teacher of 37 years and World War II pilot; Harry Gooch, Marine who fought in the Pacific; and Frank Willard, air transport command.
Gooch wants students to know they can do things on their own.
‘That’s what I did when I was growing up during the first depression,” he said.
“You start being able to do things on your own without having to be necessarily steered to it or told what to do. So they’re more self-sufficient.?
Bonner enlisted in 1942, learning Morse code and compass directions before being sent to primary flight training at Miami Beach. There wasn’t any room, so they opened up colleges to the military. He was sent to the University of Pittsburgh.
‘All I can say is that I’m old enough that I lived through the worst depression the world has ever known and the worst war that the world has ever known,” Bonner said. “God forbid that I ever have to live through any of them again. But if I did, I would choose the war. Now that may sound funny, but in a war, there’s patriotism and that’s a good thing. In a war, there’s hope and that’s a good thing. In a depression, there’s none of this and that’s a bad thing.?
Gooch shipped out on Sept. 21, 1943, fought in six island invasions, and landed at the Japanese harbor in Nagasaki on Sept. 21, 1945.
‘I enjoyed every bit of that warm weather we had. Nothing like what we got here now. It kind of messed me up because I’ve always wanted to go back,? he said.
‘We’ve had our bad times. We’ve had our good times. I got scared pretty bad a few times. Any time you hear those bullets snapping around your head it’s time to get scared.?
Willard told students about how important it was to secure the island Tarawa, which had a crushed coral air strip. He received his training in the U.S., and he had a lot of experience with motor vehicles. He was sent to Hawaii, and after a few weeks went to Tarawa.
Willard and his men refueled and rearmed 100-150 planes a day on the strategically placed island.
Food was good most of the time, they watched the latest movies every night, and the temperature was at least 100 degrees every day, he said.
‘I look back today or any day and sometimes I have the feeling that I wasn’t doing very much. But when I found out that the second atom bomb, flew by this plane, did the job, I felt like I had really, really accomplished my part of the job,? Willard said.
Learning about World War II brings generations together, and helps students prepare for their future.
‘They are fully confident, the guys I talked to today, all of them, that when our youth, when push comes to shove, are going to be able to do what’s necessary to support themselves and their family too,? Zezula said. “We’re all Americans. Hard work isn’t dead, and there’s hope.?
Bradley Leuenhagen, junior high student, learned about World War II planes, weapons, and training.
‘My favorite would probably have to be when Mr. Gooch told us a lot about the warfare, and also when Mr. Willard told us that he helped deal with the plane that dropped the bomb,? Leuenhagen said.