WWII vets share past with Airmen, students

Published May 15, 2007
By Airman Samantha S. DeVries
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (ACCNS) -- The middle-school students move closer to George Eldridge, a World War II veteran, to better hear him recount his time in the war. When Mr. Eldridge shares his exploits, his modesty prevents him from telling about the time German forces put a price on his head.

As a former Army Air Corps soldier working with the Norden bombsight during the war, George Eldridge was one of the few who could fully operate and understand the advanced pieces of technology of that time, making him extremely valuable to the allied forces and their victory.

Because of this, the Germans had a price on his head.

"They said I put too many bombs on target," he simply said.

Mr. Eldridge was one of the eight WWII veterans who joined the Warhawk Air Museum staff in Nampa, Idaho, May 11 to teach over 100 Eagle Middle School seventh-graders about life during the Second World War.

Volunteers from the base's Airmen Committed to Excellence, or A.C.E., committee sat with the veterans to gain a better understanding of what the former troops went through while letting the young teens compare the past and present military.

Starting in December 2001, the museum teamed up with WWII veterans in the area to give students first-hand knowledge of how wartime life was for them. Each year, six to eight groups come out to learn from the veterans, said Kellie Dean, director of education.

The museum started with more than 50 veterans volunteering their time and memories, but now only 33 of these former troops remain to share their stories. About 15 of these former soldiers and aviators attend each event.

"The veterans love it; it keeps them young," said Ms. Dean.

The museum includes exhibits donated mostly by families and veterans along with six planes, five of which still fly. The exhibits provide students with a visual of what life was like while the veterans give a first-hand look into the past in ways textbooks can't show.

"It gives students an opportunity to speak to those who served in the war while bringing these generations together," said Ms. Dean. "In addition, there's no text book that can describe what these guys went through."

Teachers like Marcy Pishl, who has participated in the program seven times in recent years, continually visit the museum to help students understand the sacrifices veterans made to preserve freedoms we enjoy today.

"I can sit and teach WWII forever, but I wasn't there," said Jennifer Levanger, another teacher with the group. "This gives them a chance to hear the stories from them instead of me."

Airmen were also invited out for the fourth time to learn from the veterans.

After hearing about the opportunity, Senior Airman Butch Meister, A.C.E. vice president here, volunteered to organize the event. It sounded like a great volunteer opportunity for the A.C.E., and more than twenty Airmen took advantage of the trip, he said.

The primary purpose of the A.C.E. is to promote and improve professional development, morale, espirit de corps, and unity amongst the Airmen here, said Airman Meister.