P51

4th grade social studies class received a jolt of life today.

We are currently in a unit discussing wars the United States has participated in. Today's topic included the Korean and Vietnam wars (lumped these 2 into one class because of their relative physical distance from one another).

**Side note: I am still pretty uncomfortable using textbooks that talk about "we" and "us" referring to the United States and its citizens. I'm sure these kids get a healthy dose of their ancestor's history at their respective Korean schools, but it still is a little bizarre.**

I was explaining to them briefly the reasoning behind the Korean war (I'm sure they already knew from Korean classes, but either played dumb for my benefit or wanted to hear the English tale). I was talking about how the Soviet Union supported the communist North Korea and how the United States supported the democratic South. This brought cheers from the classroom and praise for the United States.

Unplanned, I then remembered my very own grandfather was involved in the Korean War. I told the class about his participation in the war. With surprised little faces they seem to all simultaneously ask "Your grandpa fought for South Korea?!?!"

With a great sense of pride and a puffed out chest I told them, "well, yes he did support them". The joy that flashed across all of their faces was incredibly contagious. I told them (hopefully accurately...it has been a few years since I heard the story first hand) about his job to fly his plane down close to the ground so he could take pictures.

The job was quite dangerous for him because of the short proximity to the ground he needed to achieve in order to take quality pictures. During this particular mission he was flying through a narrow valley. On his final pass through he was able to get the pictures he needed and ready to head back to the base when he spotted something out of the ordinary approaching fast.

The enemy had strung cables across his flight path and he was now too close to avoid them. With no options he reluctantly plowed ahead as the cables stripped all antennas and external devices vital to communications from the plane. Realizing the plane was still mobile he quickly retreated into the clouds to test the plane's instruments. Deeming the aircraft fit he began navigating back.

The base was surely a welcome sight, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. He had no way to communicate with the tower and vice versa. He circled the area a few times silently communicating to the tower there was an issue. Wisely, ground control cleared the runway granting him access to bring the plane to the ground. Safely, he did.

I'm not sure if I have ever seen the kids so quiet. They stared blankly at me with gaping mouths. I asked if they wanted to see a picture and before I could even pull it up I had twelve kids jammed around my computer monitor smothering me against the keyboard.

I pulled up the known address where I could find the picture I was looking for.

They told me to pass along a message to you Grandpa - Thank you.

Thank you for giving some great social studies material, but more importantly thank you for your service.

If I butchered your story in any way I am so very sorry and please inform me so I can make the appropriate changes.