For over seven years, veterans from local Chapter 20 of Vietnam Veterans of America have been sharing their experiences with juniors at Churchville-Chili High School. Once again, on April 21 and 22, the vets visited the school and made history come alive for a new generation.
Veterans gave seven presentations over the course of the two days. Thursday saw ex-Marines Geno Lenyk and Chuck Macaluso, along with military veterans Jerry McDermott and Joseph Peck, speak with students.
On Friday, U.S. Army veterans Ronald Trovato, Frederick Elliot and Peck joined Kenneth Allocco, a U.S. Air Force vet, in answering questions from students about their military service and the Vietnam War era. Each touched on his own personal experience as an 18- or 19-year old who suddenly found himself alone, on the other side of the world, serving his country during wartime.
Questions from students were respectful and often remarkably gentle. “What was your darkest moment in Nam?” one student inquired, adding, “I understand if you aren’t comfortable answering that.” The panel of veterans responded to all queries, which covered topics from training for combat (“There’s really no training for going to war,” said Trovato.) to coping with death and PTSD (Elliot said, “We had a phrase – ‘Don’t mean nothin’’. We just couldn’t deal with forming relationships or losing people.”).
The long-lasting connection with the veterans of Chapter 20 was made with a simple invitation from Churchville-Chili U.S. History teacher Elizabeth Hoelperl. “History is more powerful when it comes first-hand from people who lived it,” she said. “Our students learn more from them about society at that time: the politics, the war, the draft, the international situation. Our veterans do us a great honor to take their time to make a difference for our young people.”
For more information on Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20 in Rochester, visit www.vva20.org/.
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