CC cadets meet living history at Virginia War Memorial

By Community Member | March 28, 2013 11:30 am

Charles City High School JROTC cadets Kelsey Lizama (left) and Colin Jones met Vietnam War veteran and Charles City native Powhatan Owen while attending a program at the Virginia War Memorial.

Charles City County High School JROTC cadets Colin Jones and Kelsey Lizama experienced the rare opportunity to tour the Virginia War Memorial and meet with several veterans from the Vietnam War era.

Keynote speaker for the program was Lee Beltrone, award winning author of the book “Vietnam Graffiti Project.” His book captured life aboard one of the troop ships that transported U.S. soldiers over the Pacific to South Vietnam. Trips usually lasted 12-16 days and soldiers used bed bunk canvas graffiti to express their viewpoints and thoughts on issues of the times.

Utilizing a panel discussion format, veterans who were infantryman, helicopter pilots, and medics took students back in time to see how veterans were treated and what the world thought of the Vietnam War. Students also got to tour the newly built Galanti Education Center which held several Vietnam War era artifacts. Over 60 cadets, students, teachers and historians from surrounding cities and counties attended the once in a lifetime event.

After the presentation, there was a short film produced by the Virginia War Memorial that interviewed several Vietnam War veterans from Virginia.

Cadet Jones said that the highlight of the video was hearing the experiences of Charles City native Powhatan Owen and then having the opportunity to meet him after the film.

Cadet Lizama said, “I gained an entirely new outlook on the lives of not only the veterans in that time period, but also for the ordinary people.”

Lt. Col. Vernon Peters, senior Army instructor for the Charles City County JROTC, said, “This was a rare opportunity for cadets and students to experience living history and not just read about it in the classroom. The sacrifices of our Vietnam era veterans must be passed on and shared with the future leaders of our country.”