Penn Manor High School students had the opportunity to learn about the Vietnam War from a group of veterans who visited the school Monday.
Six members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Lancaster Chapter 1008 presented a brief history of the war and talked about their experiences during an assembly that included about 100 students.
The veterans talked about how they ended up in the military, either through the draft or by enlisting, and what they encountered in Vietnam.
They also discussed the devastating impact of Agent Orange on service members and their families, what it was like to return home in the face of opposition to the war, and their often difficult transitions to civilian life.
The veterans praised the students, saying today’s generation is much more supportive of members of the military than when they served.
After a question-and-answer session, the veterans showed the students some of their war memorabilia, including photographs, maps, medals, military gear, news clippings and books on the Vietnam War.
The veterans who participated were Pat Gibson (U.S. Army), Mike Witmer (Army), Bill Daley (Air Force), Mike Kunitsky (Navy), Mike Pontz (Army) and John Hoober (Army).
We’d like to thank them all for their service and for their willingness to help educate our students about the Vietnam War.
