medal of honor character development program · 2019-12-30 · medal of honor character development...

M I D D L E A N D H I G H S C H O O L R E S O U R C E

Medal of Honor Character Development Program

MedalofHonorRecipientswillattesttothis: everyindividualpossessesthecapabilitytogoaboveandbeyond.Onandoffthebattlefield,crisesformthestageonwhichvalorousactionstakeplace. Butextraordinaryactsarepossibleonlyifindividualsrisetothechallengeofthemomentandifsocietyvaluessacrifice.Extraordinaryeventsmotivateordinarypeople,civilianandmilitary,todoextraordinarythings. Lincolnisquotedasassertingthat“anynationthatdoesnothonoritsheroeswillnotlongendure.”WhatisimportantisnottoextoltheactsofanhonorablefewbuttoimbueAmericanswiththeunderstandingthat,ifourobjectiveistoprotectfreedomandourwayoflife,eachofushasanobligationtothecommunity. TheMedalofHonorCharacterDevelopmentProgramdemonstrateswithcrystalclaritythatouryoungcitizens,thosewhowillcarryourdemocracyintothefuture,canbetaughttheimportanceofservicetothecommunityandthecorevaluesthatmakethisnationgreat. CharlesC.HagemeisterRecipient of the Medal of HonorCongressionalMedalofHonorSocietyChairman,OutreachCommittee

Register

Register free of charge at www.themedalofhonor.comforlessonupdatesandnewmaterials.

Upon registering at the site, you will find:• Lessons-ElementaryandSecondary• PortraitofValorProfiles• Citations,theofficialwrittenpresidentialdeclarationaboutactionoftheMedalofHonorRecipient• ShortvideosthatfeaturethestoriesofMedalofHonorRecipientsandCitizenHeroes• Variousintroductoryandoverviewvideos• Opportunitiestosubmitlessons,providecomments,andcompleteonlinesurveystogivebothteacherand studentfeedback

Thank you for helping us teach the values of Courage, Sacrifice, Patriotism, Citizenship, Integrity, and Commitment to the youth of America.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundationis pleased to present the Character Development Program,aresourcewhichoffersyourstudentstheopportunitytoexplorecoreAmericanvaluesexemplifiedbytrueAmericanheroes.Inthisbook,youwillfindlessonswhichintroduceyour students to the Medal of Honor and itsRecipients as well as Citizen Service BeforeSelfHonors and its awardees. The first sectionof Introductory Lessons provides backgroundinformation and is a great place to start.Some

oftheselessonscoverthehistoryoftheMedalofHonorandthenatureofheroism.OthersallowyoutoexploreanyofthesixMedalofHonorcharactervalues and perhaps even other values yourschoolmay embrace. As you delve further intotheresource,youwillseelessonsthatarebasedonthesixcorevaluesof theprogram:Courage,Integrity,Sacrifice,Commitment,Citizenship,andPatriotism.Wehopethatyouwillusethelessonsinwhateverwayisbestforyourstudents.

Table Of Contents

SECTION A: INTRODUCTORY LESSONSLESSON A1 Selfless Service...............................................7LESSON A2 ExploringtheSixCoreValues.......................9LESSON A3 MedalofHonor:WhatDoesItMean?.......11LESSON A4 CitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors:

WhatDoesItMean?.....................................15LESSON A5 DataAnalysisandtheMedalofHonor.....19LESSON A6 GeographyandtheMedalofHonor..........23LESSON A7 SymbolismandtheMedalofHonor.........27LESSON A8 Citation Investigation:

AnalyzingNarrative......................................29LESSON A9 ATaleToldTwoWays:WrittenCitation

vs.LivingHistoryVideo...............................33LESSON A10 MyChallengetoYou....................................37LESSON A11 The Color of Character.................................39

SECTION B: COURAGE AND INTEGRITY LESSONSQuotes About Courage and IntegrityLESSON B1 PortraitofaServiceMember......................43LESSON B2 ReflectingonCourage.................................45LESSON B3 IntegrityinDecisionMaking.......................49LESSON B4 WhatisCourage?..........................................51LESSON B5 ALessoninIrony...........................................53LESSON B6 CouragetoMakeaDifference....................57LESSON B7 AnUnlikelyHero............................................61LESSON B8 IntegrityandthePowerofWords..............65LESSON B9 AStudentofMine.........................................69LESSON B10 WhatWouldYouDo?....................................73LESSON B11 BeTruetoYourself.......................................75LESSON B12 “YouandMe,God”........................................79LESSON B13 SurvivalMath.................................................81

SECTION C: SACRIFICE AND COMMITMENT LESSONSQuotes About Sacrifice and CommitmentLESSON C1 TheSacrificesWeMake..............................87LESSON C2 The“Burden”ofLeadership........................89LESSON C3 WhatCanIDo?..............................................93LESSON C4 FeatureWriting..............................................95LESSON C5 VisualizingHistory........................................99LESSON C6 ExplorationofCommitment.................... 101LESSON C7 OvercomingObstacles.............................. 103LESSON C8 IndividualLeadership................................ 107LESSON C9 SacrificeForward....................................... 109LESSON C10 SacrificeWithoutBorders........................ 111LESSON C11 SaveALife,SaveANation....................... 113LESSON C12 WeStandontheShouldersofGiants.... 115

SECTION D: CITIZENSHIP AND PATRIOTISM LESSONSQuotes About Citizenship and PatriotismLESSON D1 WhatIsPatriotism?................................... 121LESSON D2 DefiningCitizenship................................... 123LESSON D3 HonoringCitizenHeroes.......................... 127LESSON D4 Herovs.Idol................................................ 129LESSON D5 AcrosticPoetry........................................... 131LESSON D6 Music’sRoleDuringWar.......................... 133LESSON D7 WarinSocialContext................................ 135LESSON D8 ABelatedHonor......................................... 137LESSON D9 Dr.MaryWalker:CitizenwithHonor....... 141LESSON D10 MakeYourSensesWork........................... 145LESSON D11 CulturalBackgroundand

OurPerception............................................ 147LESSON D12 Distracted Driving...................................... 155LESSON D13 YouCanQuoteMe..................................... 157LESSON D14 TheSymbolofMyResponsibilities........ 161LESSON D15 IfYouWanttoChangetheWorld............ 165

APPENDIXI MEDALOFHONORLIVINGHISTORYGUIDE................. 170

II. SUGGESTEDFURTHERREADING.................................... 174

III. INDEX...................................................................................... 176

S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 E D I T I O N

I N T R O D U C T O R Y L E S S O N S

“You’ll never truly lead until you learn to serve. You’ll never truly learn to serve until you realize there’s something more important

than yourself.”

- G A R Y B E I K I R C H

Selfless Service

OBJECTIVES Students will: •identifyindividualswhoselflesslyserveothers•analyzetheimpactthosepeoplehaveontheircommunities•reflectonhowtheycanembodytheadmirablequalitiestheyrecognizeinothers

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstowriteashortparagraphdescribingindividualswhotheyknowwhohavededicatedthemselvestoservingothers.Studentsshouldanswerthesequestionsintheirparagraphs:• Whoisapersonthatyouknowwhohasdedicatedhimself/herselftoservingothers?• Inwhatwaysdoesthispersonserveothers?• Whydoesthispersonstandouttoyou?• Howdoyouthinkthispersonwouldwanthis/herservicetoberemembered?• Whataresomeadjectivesyouwouldusetodescribethisperson?

Small Group Activity:Studentswillworkinpartnergroupstodiscussthepeopletheywroteabout.Studentsareencouragedtoshareonlywhattheyarecomfortablediscussing.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillleadagroupdiscussionbyaskingforvolunteerstoshareaboutthepeopletheywroteabout.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillworkinpartnergroupstodiscusscommonthemesthattheyheardastheirpeerssharedouttheirresponses.Studentsshoulddiscuss:• typesofindividualswhowererecognized• howtheseindividualswouldliketheirservicetoberemembered• adjectivesusedtodescribetheseindividuals

Concluding Activity:Studentswillbeaskedtowriteashortreflectionabouthowtheyperceivetheircurrentservicetoothers,howtheycanimprovetheirownservicetoothers,andhowtheywouldliketoberememberedbyothers.Theclasswillbeaskedtodiscussthevaluesandhowthevaluesrelatetotheirlives.Individually,studentswillwriteaboutsomeonewhodisplaysoneofthevaluesandhowhe/shedisplaysthatvalue.Studentswillalsowriteabouthowtheycanincorporatethesevaluesintotheirdailylives.

Assessment: Initialwriting,discussion,andfinalreflection

Resources: Worksheet

L E S S O N T I M E : One Class Session

L E S S O N A 1

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOUNDATION

7


8

L E S S O N A 1 W O R K S H E E T

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Selfless Service

Write a short paragraph that answers the questions below.

•Whoisapersonthatyouknowwhohasdedicatedhimself/herselftoservingothers?•Inwhatwaysdoesthispersonserveothers?•Whydoesthispersonstandouttoyou?•Howdoyouthinkthispersonwouldwanthis/herservicetoberemembered?•Whataresomeadjectivesthatyouwouldusetodescribethisperson?

Takenotesoncommonthemesyouarehearingasyourpartnerandyourclassmatesshareouttheiranswers.Listenforcommonalitiesinthecategoriesbelow.•typesofindividualsthatwererecognized•howtheseindividualswouldliketheirservicetoberemembered•adjectivesusedtodescribetheseindividuals

Common Themes

PersonalReflection:Writeashortparagraphaboutyourownservicetoothers.Inwhatwaysdoyouserveotherswithoutexpectinganythinginreturn?Howcanyouimproveyourselflessservice?Howwouldyouliketoberememberedbyothers?

Exploring the Six Core Values

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •research,defineandinterpretthesixcorevalues •usethesedefinitionsandinterpretationsinaninformationalessay

Introductory Activity (Optional):Writeorprojectthesixcorevaluesoftheprogramontheclassroomboard:courage,integrity,patriotism,citizenship,commitment,andsacrifice.Instructstudentstowriteajournalentryaboutwhattheyfeelthesewordshaveincommonandwhytheywouldhavebeenplacedontheboard.Discussresponses.

Small Group Activity:Dividestudentsintogroupsoftwotofour.Assigneachgrouponeofthesixcorevalues.Givestudentscopiesofthewordmaporposterpaperandtheseinstructionsforstudentstocomplete:

TASK1:WritethecorevaluethatyourgrouphasbeenassignedinthecenterboxTASK2:Asagroup,definethecorevalueinyourownwordsTASK3:Identifyaminimumof3synonymsforyourgroup’scorevalueTASK4:Identifyaminimumof3antonymsforyourgroup’scorevalueTASK5:Leavethe“Examples”boxonthewordmapblank

Whole Group Activity:Asaclass,watchthelivinghistoryofanyMedalofHonorRecipientorCitizenHonorsawardee.Havethestudentslookforexamplesoftheirgroup’scorevalueastheywatch.

Small Group Activity:Afterthevideoends,reconvenethegroupsandhavestudentswriteexamplesoftheircorevaluefromthevideointhefinalspaceonthewordmap.Additionally,theycangobackandupdatetheirdefinition,synonyms,andantonyms,notinganyeditswithanasterisk.

Whole Group Activity:Haveindividualgroupspresenttheircorevaluedefinition,synonyms,antonyms,andexamplestotheclass.Askclassmemberstocompareandcontrastthewordsandidentifywhattheyhaveincommon.Discusshowthevaluesarerelatedtooneanother.

Concluding Activity:Leadadiscussiononthevaluesandhowtheyrelatetothestudents’lives.Havestudentswriteanessayaboutsomeonewhodisplaysoneofthevaluesandhowhe/shedisplaysthatvalue.Intheirconclusionorasaseparateassignment,havestudentswriteabouthowtheycanincorporatethesevaluesintotheirdailylives.

Assessment:Discussion,poster,essay,presentations,andconnectionstoreal-lifeexamples

Resources:CoreValuesWordMapTemplate,videoofMedalofHonorRecipientorCitizenHonorsawardee

Extended Activity:Aftercompletingthisintroductorylesson,studentscanredothelessonusingthestoryofadifferentMedalofHonorRecipientorCitizenHonorsawardeeorapersonallyidentifiedreallifeexampleofthecorevalue.


L E S S O N A 2


9


Definition:

Examples:

Core Value:

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Core Value Exploration


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Medal of Honor: What Does It Mean?

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •learnthehistoryandmeaningoftheMedalofHonor•explorethestoryofaMedalofHonorRecipient•presentfindingstotheclass

Introductory Activity:StudentswillusetheworksheettoratetheirknowledgeoftheMedalofHonor.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwilltakeasurveytoseehowtheclassratescollectivelyontheirknowledgeandwillleadadiscussiononanyfactsthatindividualstudentsknow.Studentswillpreviewthequestionsfortheintroductoryvideo“MedalofHonor:InTheirOwnWords”andwillbeinstructedtolistenfortheanswersastheywatch.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Afterviewing“MedalofHonor:InTheirOwnWords,”studentswillworkindividuallyorinpartnergroupstocompletetheanswerstothequestionsontheworksheet.Theteacherwilldirectstudentstousethefollowingresourcestowatchthevideoagainandtofindmorein-depthinformation:•www.themedalofhonor.com•www.cmohs.org

Small Group Activity:IngroupsoftwotofourstudentswillchooseaMedalofHonorRecipienttoresearch.Theywillthenpresenttheirfindingstotheirclassmatesinanengagingway:presentationboard,PowerPointpresentation,videopresentation,webresource,orotherfinalproduct.StudentswillusetheoutlineworksheettofindtherequiredinformationforeachRecipient.

Whole Group Activity:Studentswillpresenttheirfinalproducttotheclass.

Concluding Activity:Theteacherwillconductaninformaldiscussionofeachproject.

Assessment:Presentation

Resources:“MedalofHonor:InTheirOwnWords”video,computers,Internetaccess,worksheet

L E S S O N T I M E : Two to Three Class Sessions


11

L E S S O N A 3

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

VIDEO: “Medal of Honor: In Their Own Words”

BEFORE WATCHINGBefore watching the video, rate yourself on how much you already know about the Medal of Honor.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 I know nothing I am an expert

What facts do your classmates know about the Medal of Honor?

WHILE WATCHINGListen for answers to these questions as you watch the video.1.WhatistheMedalofHonor?2.WhenwastheMedalofHonorfirstestablished?3.Isthisacommonaward?4.WhatdoestheMedalofHonormeantothosewhowearit?

AFTER WATCHINGUsing what you learned in the video as well as on the internet, answer the following questions.WhatistheMedalofHonor?

WhyaretherethreedifferentdesignsoftheMedalofHonor?

WhenwastheMedalofHonorfirstestablished?

Isthisacommonaward?HowmanypeoplehavebeenawardedtheMedalofHonor?

WhatdoestheMedalofHonormeantothosewhowearit?


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Name ___________________________________________________________________________________ Period ___________

Directions – Select a Medal of Honor Recipient to research, and use these sources to complete this worksheet:

•Livinghistoryvideo,citation,and/orPortraitofValorforyourselectedRecipient -www.themedalofhonor.com•WebsitesformoreinformationontheMedalofHonoranditsRecipients -www.history.army.mil/moh/ -www.cmohs.org

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT: _______________________________________________________________________________

Militarybranch: Militaryrank:

WarandbattleinwhichtheRecipientfought: DateofMedalofHonoractions:

SummaryofRecipient’sbackground(family,school,etc.):

SummaryofMedalofHonoractions:

Charactertraitsdemonstrated(giveexamples):

Otherimportant/memorabledetailsofthisRecipient’sstory:

Brainstormhowtopresentthisinformationinaninformativeandinterestingfashion(presentationboard,PowerPoint,etc.).

13CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOUNDATION


“It’s in our blood. Selfless service.

We want to keep giving more.” - L E R O Y P E T R Y

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •learnthehistoryandmeaningoftheCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonorsaward•explorethestoryofaCitizenHonorsawardee•presentfindingstotheclass

Introductory Activity:StudentswillusetheworksheettoratetheirknowledgeoftheCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors(alsocalledCitizenHonors)award.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwilltakeasurveytoseehowtheclassratescollectivelyontheirknowledgeandwillleadadiscussiononanyfactsthatindividualstudentsknow.Studentswillpreviewthequestionsfortheintroductoryvideo“IntroducingtheCitizenHonors”andwillbeinstructedtolistenfortheanswersastheywatch.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Afterviewing“IntroducingtheCitizenHonors,”studentswillworkindividuallyorinpartnergroupstocompletetheanswerstothequestionsontheworksheet.Theteacherwilldirectstudentstousethefollowingresourcetowatchthevideoagainandtofindmorein-depthinformation:•www.themedalofhonor.com

Small Group Activity:Ingroupsoftwotofour,studentswillchooseaCitizenHonorsawardeetoresearch.Theywillthenpresenttheirfindingstotheirclassmatesinanengagingway:presentationboard,PowerPointpresentation,videopresentation,webresource,orotherfinalproduct.Studentswillusetheoutlineworksheettofindtherequiredinformationforeachawardee.

Whole Group Activity:Studentswillpresenttheirfinalproducttotheclass.

Concluding Activity:Theteacherwillconductaninformaldiscussionofeachproject.

Assessment:Presentation

Resources:“IntroducingtheCitizenHonors”video,worksheet,computers

15

L E S S O N T I M E : Two to Three Class Sessions

Citizen Service Before Self Honors: What Does It Mean?

L E S S O N A 4


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

VIDEO: “Introducing the Citizen Honors”

BEFORE WATCHINGBefore watching the video, rate yourself on how much you already know about the Citizen Honors award.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 I know nothing I am an expert

WHILE WATCHINGListen for answers to these questions as you watch the video.1.WhatistheCitizenHonorsaward?2.Whattypesofpeoplearehonoredwiththisaward?3.Isthisacommonaward?4.WhatdoestheCitizenHonorsmedalmeantothosewhowearit?

AFTER WATCHINGUsing what you learned in the video as well as the internet, answer the following questions.

WhatistheCitizenHonorsaward?

Whattypesofpeoplearehonoredwiththisaward?

Isthisacommonaward?HowmanypeoplehavebeenpresentedtheCitizenHonorsaward?

WhatdoestheCitizenHonorsmedalmeantothosewhowearit?

Whatotherhigh-levelcivilianawardsarethereintheUnitedStates?


16


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Directions – Select a Citizen Honors awardee to research, and use these sources to complete this worksheet:•www.themedalofhonor.com•https://news.google.com/

CITIZEN HONORS AWARDEE: _____________________________________________________________________________

Location of the action: Nature of the action: qOnetimeactq Ongoingacts

Summary of awardee’s actions:

Character traits demonstrated (give examples):

Other important/memorable details of this awardee’s story:

Brainstorm how to present this information in an informative and interesting fashion (presentation board, PowerPoint, other).



“Every young person has the

potential to change the world.” - PA U L B U C H A

Data Analysis and the Medal of Honor

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •usedataanalysistermssuchaspercentage,mean,median,andmode

For the Teacher:AfterstudentshaveanunderstandingoftheMedalofHonorandwhatitrepresents,teachersmayusethislessonformathematics.

Introductory Activity:Reviewdefinitionsofpercentage,mean,median,andmode.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Allowstudentstoexaminethedataontheworksheet.Askstudentstowritedownthreethingsthatstoodoutaboutthedata.

Whole Group Activity:Sharethethreethingsthatstoodout.Discussthedata.ExplaintheMedalofHonorworksheetandallowstudentstimetocompleteitusingthedatasheet.

Concluding Activity:Theclasswillreviewtheanswersanddiscuss.Studentswillexaminehowtheirfirstimpressionsmayhavechanged.

Assessment:Worksheet,discussion

Resources:Worksheet

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L E S S O N A 5


Medal of Honor Data Conflict Totals Army Navy Marines Air Force Coast Guard Posthumous CivilWar 1523 1199 307 17 0 0 30Indian Campaigns 426 426 0 0 0 0 12Korea 1871 15 0 9 6 0 0 0Spanish American 110 31 64 15 0 0 1Samoa 4 0 1 3 0 0 0PhilippineInsurrection 80 69 5 6 0 0 4PhilippineOutlaws 6 1 5 0 0 0 0BoxerRebellion 59 4 22 33 0 0 1MexicanCampaign 56 1 46 9 0 0 0Haiti 6 0 0 6 0 0 0DominicanRepublic 3 0 0 3 0 0 0WorldWarI 126 97 21 8 0 0 35Haiti 1919-1920 2 0 0 2 0 0 0NicaraguanCampaign 2 0 0 2 0 0 0WorldWarII 471 331 57 82 0 1 273KoreanWar 145 92 7 42 4 0 107Vietnam 261 174 16 57 14 0 162Somalia 2 2 0 0 0 0 2WarinIraq 4 2 1 1 0 0 4WarinAfghanistan 14 10 2 2 0 0 3Non-Combat 193 3 185 5 0 0 5Unknown 9 9 0 0 0 0 9

GRAND TOTALS 3517 2451 748 299 18 1 648

Total Medals of Honor awarded:3,517 Total Medal of Honor Recipients:3,498Double Recipients: 19 Living Recipients: 71This chart is known to be accurate as of April 15, 2018.

L E S S O N A 5 H A N D O U T


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Medals of Honor by the Numbers:

TotalNumberofMedalsofHonorawarded:___________TotalNumberofMedalofHonorRecipients:___________TotalNumberofdoubleRecipients:___________TotalNumberoflivingRecipients:___________

Usingthedatagiventoyou,calculatethefollowingacrossallconflictsforeachbranch.

OfallMedalsofHonorthathavebeenawarded,whatisthepercentageawardedduringeachofthesewars?

CivilWar:____________________________________WWI:________________________________________WWII:________________________________________

KoreanWar:____________________________________VietnamWar:___________________________________WarinAfghanistan:_____________________________

WhatpercentageofMedalofHonorRecipientsaredoubleRecipients?__________WhatpercentageofMedalsofHonorhavebeenawardedposthumously?__________WhatpercentageofMedalofHonorRecipientsarestillliving?__________


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Medal of Honor Data Analysis

Essential Vocabulary:

Term Definition Example

Percentage

Mean

Median

Mode

Posthumous

Total number ofMedals of HonorBranch Mean Median Mode

Air Force

Army

Coast Guard

Marines

Navy


“It’s amazing how much you can accomplish if you don’t care who

gets the credit.” - J A C K J A C O B S

Geography and the Medal of Honor

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •examinethegeographicallocationsofmilitaryconflictsforwhichindividualshavebeenawardedthe

Medal of Honor•labelamapidentifyingcontinentsandcountries

Introductory Activity:GivestudentsabriefbackgroundonthenumberofMedalsofHonorthathavebeenawardedinvariouslocationsaroundtheworld.UsethedatasheetfromLessonA5forreferenceifneeded.

Small Group Activity:HavestudentspairupandusetheworksheetandaprintedmapalongwithanatlasortheinternettolocateandlabelcountrieswhereMedalofHonorRecipients’actionstookplace.Basedonthemappinpoints,studentsshouldanswerthequestionsatthebottomoftheworksheet.Iftimeallows,haveeachpairselectonecountryorareatoresearchfurther,andhavethepairsbrieflypresentaboutthegeographyoftheirchosenorassignedcountry/area.

Whole Group Activity:Discusstheimplicationsofthegeographicalfindings:Inwhatkindofterrainarewarslikelytobestaged?Whattopographymakesacountrymoreorlesssusceptibletoinvasion?Whatrolemightgeographyhaveplayedincountries’decisionstoinvadeothers?

Optionalclassdiscussion: LookbackattheDataAnalysisinLessonA5.CanyoumakeanycorrelationsbetweenthenumbersofMedalsawardedandthegeographyoftheareasinwhichthoseactionsoccurred?

Concluding Activity:AskstudentshowtheMedalofHonorvaluesconnecttotheexperiencesoftheseservicemembers.Whatmightithavebeenliketofightinaplaceyouhadneverheardof?IfyouleftafarminAlabamaattheageof18andwenttofightinthesnowinKorea,howwouldyouhavefelt?Whatvalueswouldyouhaveneededtokeepfighting?

Assessment:Thelabeledmapandaccompanyingworksheet,classdiscussion

Resources:Worksheet,Worldmaps,coloredmarkers/pens


L E S S O N A 6


Extended Activities:1. ResearchthegeographyinwhichaMedalofHonoractiontookplace.Usenewspaperarticlesandinternet

sourcestoresearchtheterrain,climate,andseason,andmakeapresentationbasedonthefindings.2. Insteadofusingtheworksheets,havethestudentsdivideupintopairsandthendividethenamesand

profilesofMedalofHonorRecipientsamongthegroups.EachgroupwillreportabouttheareawheretheRecipients’actionstookplace.

3. Createaclassroomwall-sizedmapoftheworld.PlaceapinineachcountrywheretheMedalofHonor wasearned.

4. Definetheword“allies”anddiscussthevariousplaceswheretheUnitedStateshasmadeallies.5. ChooseaMedalofHonorRecipient,andcontrastthegeographyofhisorherhometownwiththegeography

oftheareawhereheorsheearnedtheMedal.Whatrolemaygeographyhaveplayedinthefighting,thecircumstancesoftheMedalaction,andthehardshipsandobstaclesthetroopsfaced?Writeanessayorreporttopresentyourfindings.


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L E S S O N A 6

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Medal of Honor Geography Activity

ThelistbelowincludesalllocationswhereMedalofHonoractionshavetakenplace.MarkwithastareachcountrywhereanAmericanservicememberhasearnedtheMedalofHonor.

Step 1: Label “Medal of Honor Locations” using the list below.1. CivilWar:UnitedStates2. IndianWars:UnitedStates3. KoreanCampaign1871:NorthKorea,SouthKorea4. SpanishAmericanWar:Cuba5. PhilippineInsurrection:PhilippineIslands6. BoxerRebellion:China7. MexicanCampaign1915:Mexico8. HaitiCampaign1915:Haiti9. DominicanCampaign:DominicanRepublic10. WorldWarI:France11. SecondNicaraguanCampaign:Nicaragua12. WorldWarII:France,Japan,MarshallIslands,Italy,Netherlands,SolomonIslands,Romania,MarianasIslands,

Germany,UnitedStates,Belgium,Holland,Tunisia,NewGuinea,GreatBritain,Canada13. KoreanWar:NorthKorea,SouthKorea14. VietnamWar:Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos15. SomaliConflict:Somalia16. MiddleEastConflict:Iraq,Afghanistan

Step 2: Answer the following questions.1. OnhowmanydifferentcontinentshaveAmericanservicemembersearnedtheMedalofHonor?2. InhowmanydifferentcountrieshaveAmericanservicemembersearnedtheMedalofHonor?



“We call ourselves recipients, and people call us winners, but we’re not winners because we weren’t in a competition for trying

to win anything.”

- W A LT E R E H L E R S

Symbolism and the Medal of Honor

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •definesymbolismandidentifyhowitisusedintheactualdesignofthethreedifferentMedalsofHonor•researchthechangesintheMedalsandtheirribbonsovertime

For the Teacher:AfterstudentshaveanunderstandingoftheMedalofHonorandwhatitrepresents,teachersmayincorporatethislessonintovariousareasofthecurriculum.

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillreviewtheintroductoryvideo“MedalofHonor:InTheirOwnWords”withtheclass.Theteacherwillleadabriefdiscussionofthekeypointsofthevideo.Ifmoretimeisavailable,theteachermayuseMedal of Honor: The History,a50-minutedocumentaryfilm.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillresearchthedesignandcreationoftheMedalandhowithaschangedovertime.TeacherswillalsohelpstudentsexplorethesymbolismusedinthecreationoftheMedal.

Small Group/Individual Activity:StudentswillchooseaMedal(Navy/MarineCorps/CoastGuard,Army,orAirForce)andre-createitusingavailablemediaandsupplies.

Whole Group Activity:Thestudents’workwillbedisplayedaroundtheroom.Thestudentswillcompleteagallerywalkduringwhichtheywillviewandcritiqueallthework.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillwriteareflection(twoparagraphsminimum)ontheirwork.Studentswillalsowriteajournalentrybasedontheirreviewofthesymbolisminthemedals.

Assessment:Artwork,critique,self-reflection

Resources:“MedalofHonor:InTheirOwnWords”video,Medal of Honor: The History Documentary,artsupplies

Extended Activity:Thestudentscancreateamedaloftheirowndesigntohonorservicemembers,otherpublicservants,orfellowstudents.Studentscanpresentthesemedalsinaceremonyattheschool.


L E S S O N A 7


“Remember, nothing is ever as

bad as you think it might be.”

- D R E W D I X

Citation Investigation: Analyzing Narrative

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •readandanalyzeaMedalofHonorcitation•organizepartsofthecitationintothecorrectorder•identifytheactofheroismforwhichtheMedalofHonorwasreceived•definekeyvocabularyinaRecipient’scitation•evaluatethenarrativeforaudience,purpose,andstyle

Medal of Honor Focus: Gary Beikirch, U.S. Army, Vietnam War. Any Recipient can be substituted for this lesson, but the teacher will need to adapt the worksheet accordingly. Note that this lesson is also appropriate for Recipients for whom there is no living history video, including those who were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

For the Teacher: FindanappropriateRecipientcitationandspacethetextsothatthecitationcaneasilybecutinto4to6sections;printoutseveralcopies.(GaryBeikirch’scitationisincludedhere;thoseofotherRecipientscanbefoundonthemedalofhonor.com.)Thecitationpiecesshouldbeshuffledandplacedinanenvelope.

Introductory Activity: IntroducestudentstoaMedalofHonorcitation.Itmaybedescribedasabirthcertificate,whichisspecifictooneperson.TheMedalofHonorcitationistheofficialgovernmentdocumentthatdescribestheactionsforwhichtheRecipientwasawardedthemedal.Thedocumentwilluselanguageandterminologyspecifictothemilitary.

Small Group Activity: Placethestudentsintogroupsandhandouttheenvelopes.Eachgroupwillremoveallthesectionsfromtheenvelope.Studentswillthenworktogethertoplacethesectionsinthecorrectorderoftheofficialgovernmentcitation.Itissuggestedthatteacherstimethisactivity(inagame-likeformat).

Whole Group Activity: Whenallstudentshavecompletedorganizingtheircitations,theteacherwillaskthestudentswhatstrategiestheyusedtoplacethesectionsinthecorrectorder.Possibleanswersincludelookingforbeginning,middle,andendwords,ortransitionwordslike“first,”“second,”etc.Theteacherwillrevealtheactualorderofthecitation,onesectionatatime,notingwhengroupsarenolongerincontentionforthecorrectlycompletedcitation.

Small Group Activity: GivestudentsapapercopyoftheRecipient’scitationandtheText-DependentQuestionsWorksheetaboutthecitation.Thestudentswillworkingroupstocompletetheworksheet,beingsuretoselectdirectquotationsfromthecitationtosupporttheirresponses.


L E S S O N A 8


Concluding Activity: Theteacherwilldiscussthestudents’answersfortheworksheetanddiscusstheactionforwhichtheMedalofHonorwasawarded.Eachstudentwillwriteasummaryoftheactofheroismusingkeywordsandphrasesfromthecitation.

Assessment: Worksheet,studentsummary

Resources: Recipientcitation,worksheet

Extended Activities:Askstudentstorewritethecitationusingadifferentvoice,medium,oraudience.CompletethesameactivityforadifferentMedalofHonorRecipient.


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L E S S O N A 8

Gary Beikirch’s Medal of Honor Citation

Forconspicuousgallantryandintrepidityinactionattheriskofhislifeaboveandbeyondthecallofduty.Sgt.Beikirch,medicalaidman,DetachmentB-24,CompanyB,distinguishedhimselfduringthedefenseofCampDakSeang.Theallieddefenderssufferedanumberofcasualtiesasaresultofanintense,devastatingattacklaunchedbytheenemyfromwell-concealedpositionssurroundingthecamp.

Sgt.Beikirch,withcompletedisregardforhispersonalsafety,movedunhesitatinglythroughthewitheringenemyfiretohisfallencomrades,appliedfirstaidtotheirwoundsandassistedthemtothemedical-aidstation.WheninformedthataseriouslyinjuredAmericanofficerwaslyinginanexposedposition,Sgt.Beikirchranimmediatelythroughthehailoffire.Althoughhewaswoundedseriouslybyfragmentsfromanexplodingenemymortarshell,Sgt.Beikirchcarriedtheofficertoamedicalaidstation.

Ignoringhisownseriousinjuries,Sgt.Beikirchlefttherelativesafetyofthemedicalbunkertosearchforandevacuateothermenwhohadbeeninjured.HewasagainwoundedashedraggedacriticallyinjuredVietnamesesoldiertothemedicalbunkerwhilesimultaneouslyapplyingmouth-to-mouthresuscitationtosustainhislife.

Sgt.Beikirchagainrefusedtreatmentandcontinuedhissearchforothercasualtiesuntilhecollapsed.Onlythendidhepermithimselftobetreated.Sgt.Beikirch’scompletedevotiontothewelfareofhiscomrades,attheriskofhislife,areinkeepingwiththehighesttraditionsofthemilitaryserviceandreflectgreatcreditonhim,hisunit,andtheU.S.Army.


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Text-Dependent Questions: Gary Beikirch’s Medal of Honor Citation

Question Student Answer / Citing Evidence from the Text

Forwhataudienceoraudienceswasthiswritten?Supportyourclaimwithatleastonequotationfromthetext.

Whatistheauthor’spurpose?Supportyourpositionwithatleastonequotationfromthetext.

Theauthorexplains,“Sgt.Beikirch,withcompletedisregardforhispersonalsafety,movedunhesitatinglythroughthewitheringenemyfiretohisfallencomrades.”Whatisthemeaningof“withering”?Provideevidencetosupportyourresponse.

Theauthorstates,“Sgt.Beikirch’scompletedevotiontothewelfareofhiscomrades,attheriskofhislife,areinkeepingwiththehighesttraditionsofthemilitaryservice….”ProvideevidencethatexplainshowSgt.Beikirchshowedcompletedevotiontothewelfareofhiscomrades.


32


L E S S O N A 9

A Tale Told Two Ways: Written Citation vs. Living History Video

OBJECTIVES

Students will:•readandanalyzeaMedalofHonorcitation•predictwhatwillhappennextbasedonforeshadowingfromthevideo•organizethepartsofacitationintothecorrectorder•identifystrategiesusedforputtingthecitationtogether•definekeyvocabularywithinthecitation•identifytheactionsforwhichtheindividualreceivedthemedal

Medal of Honor Focus: Salvatore Giunta, U.S. Army, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

For the Teacher: PrepareseveralcopiesoftheMedalofHonorcitationforSalvatoreGiuntaincludedwiththelesson.Mixupthecitation,andputthepiecesintoanenvelope.Oneenvelopewillbepreparedforeachgroupofstudentstoreconstruct.Also,previewthevideoandbepreparedtopauseat5:30.

Introductory Activity: IntroducestudentstoaMedalofHonorcitation.Itmaybedescribedasabirthcertificate,whichisspecifictooneperson.TheMedalofHonorcitationistheofficialgovernmentdocumentthatdescribestheactionsforwhichtheRecipientreceivedthemedal.Thedocumentwilluselanguageandterminologyspecifictothemilitary.PlaythevideoofSalvatoreGiunta.Forthislesson,thestudentsareshownonlypartofthevideowhichleadsthemuptotheactionsoftheambush(5:30).Atthatpoint,stopthevideoandaskthestudentstopredictwhatwillhappennextbasedonforeshadowingfromthevideo.

Small Group Activity:Havestudentsworkinsmallgroupstoreconstructthecitation.Eachgroupwillremoveallsectionsfromtheenvelopeandworktogethertoplacethesectionsinthecorrectorder.Studentsshoulddiscussthestrategiestheyusetoputthecitationinorderandreadthroughthecitationoncetheyhaveeachpieceplaced.




34

Whole Group Activity: Whenallgroupshavetheirpiecesorganized,revealthepartsofthecitationonepieceatatimeforgroupstoself-correct.Discusswithstudentswhichstrategiestheyusedforputtingtheircitationstogether,suchasopeningandclosingparagraphs;transitionwords;beginning,middle,andend;orfindingtheclimaxoftheevent.Discusstheportionofthevideothattheyhaveseensofarandaskiftheywereabletosuccessfullypredicttheeventswithinthecitation.Providecopiesoftheofficialcitationforstudentstorereadindividually.Discussvocabularythatisunfamiliarandprovidemeaningforterms.AskstudentstoidentifytheactionforwhichSalvatoreGiuntawasawardedtheMedalofHonor.Also,discusswhomightbetheintendedaudienceforthecitation.Followingtheworkwiththewrittencitation,playtheremainderofthevideo.Whilewatching,studentsshouldlookfordetailsthatfurtherenhancetheirunderstandingoftheRecipient’saction.Afterwatching,discussdetailsrevealedinthevideothatarenotinthecitation.Askstudentstocomparetheirreaction to the citation as opposed to the video: •Inwhatwaysdoesthefirst-personnarratorchangetheaudience’sengagementwiththeRecipient?•Howdoesseeingandhearingthenarratoraffecttheaudience’semotionalresponsetotheevents?•Whateffectsdoestheinclusionofactualwarfootagehaveontheoverallnarrative?•Whatistheargumentforpresentingthestorybothways?

Concluding Activity: Studentswillwriteapersonalreflectionoraformalessayabouthowthevideoisdifferentfromtheofficialcitation,supportingtheirobservationwithdetailsrevealedinthevideobutnotinthecitation.•Samplereflectionprompt:WhichformatmoreclearlyexplainstoyouwhySalvatoreGiuntawasawardedtheMedalofHonor?Supportyouranswerwithexamplesfromthevideoorcitation.

•Sampleessayprompt:WhichformatismosteffectiveforrecountingthestoryofaMedalofHonoraction?Whydidyouchoosethatformat?Considerboththevoiceofthenarratorandtheintendedaudience.Providedetailsfromthecitationorvideotosupportyourchoice.

Assessment: Reflectionoressay

Resources: SalvatoreGiuntaCitation,SalvatoreGiuntaLivingHistoryvideo

L E S S O N A 9

Salvatore A. Giunta’s Medal of Honor Citation

SpecialistSalvatoreA.GiuntadistinguishedhimselfconspicuouslybygallantryandintrepidityattheriskofhislifeaboveandbeyondthecallofdutyinactionwithanarmedenemyintheKorengalValley,Afghanistan,onOctober25,2007.WhileconductingapatrolasteamleaderwithCompanyB,2dBattalion(Airborne),503dInfantryRegiment,SpecialistGiuntaandhisteamwerenavigatingthroughharshterrainwhentheywereambushedbyawell-armedandwell-coordinatedinsurgentforce.

Whileunderheavyenemyfire,SpecialistGiuntaimmediatelysprintedtowardscoverandengagedtheenemy.Seeingthathissquadleaderhadfallenandbelievingthathehadbeeninjured,SpecialistGiuntaexposedhimselftowitheringenemyfireandracedtowardshissquadleader,helpedhimtocover,andadministeredmedicalaid.

Whileadministeringfirstaid,enemyfirestruckSpecialistGiunta’sbodyarmorandhissecondaryweapon.Withoutregardtotheongoingfire,SpecialistGiuntaengagedtheenemybeforepreppingandthrowinggrenades,usingtheexplosionsforcoverinordertoconcealhisposition.Attemptingtoreachadditionalwoundedfellowsoldierswhowereseparatedfromthesquad,SpecialistGiuntaandhisteamencounteredabarrageofenemyfirethatforcedthemtotheground.

Theteamcontinuedforwardanduponreachingthewoundedsoldiers,SpecialistGiuntarealizedthatanothersoldierwasstillseparatedfromtheelement.SpecialistGiuntathenadvancedforwardonhisowninitiative.Ashecrestedthetopofahill,heobservedtwoinsurgentscarryingawayanAmericansoldier.Heimmediatelyengagedtheenemy,killingoneandwoundingtheother.

Uponreachingthewoundedsoldier,hebegantoprovidemedicalaid,ashissquadcaughtupandprovidedsecurity.SpecialistGiunta’sunwaveringcourage,selflessness,anddecisiveleadershipwhileunderextremeenemyfirewereintegraltohisplatoon’sabilitytodefeatanenemyambushandrecoverafellowAmericansoldierfromtheenemy.

SpecialistSalvatoreA.Giunta’sextraordinaryheroismandselflessnessaboveandbeyondthecallofdutyareinkeepingwiththehighesttraditionsofmilitaryserviceandreflectgreatcredituponhimself,CompanyB,2dBattalion(Airborne),503dInfantryRegiment,andtheUnitedStatesArmy.


“Life does not become significant until you start to live outside your

comfort zone.” - G A R Y B E I K I R C H

My Challenge to You

OBJECTIVES

Students will:•explainthehistoryandpurposeofachallengecoin•identifythesymbolismonvariouscoins•createtheirowncointhatrepresentswhotheyareandwhattheybelieve

Medal of Honor Focus: Any Recipient with a challenge coin (Internet Search)

Sample images available on internet:JohnBaca: MilitarySymbols/Scripture LeroyPetry: MilitarySymbols/MottosBruceCrandall: MilitarySymbols/PersonalCallSignJimFleming: MilitarySymbols/AirForceMedal/MottoDesmondDoss: MilitarySymbols/Scripture/Motto

Note to Teacher: Manyunitsanddepartmentsofthemilitary,police,fire,andfirstrespondercommunitymakepersonalandunitchallengecoinstopresenttopeopleastheytravelandinteractwiththepublic.Acoingiventoanindividualisusuallyasignofrespect,inappreciationforservice,apersonalchallenge(charge)fromthegivertothereceiver,oratokentorememberthosewhohaveserved.(Notethatasstudentsaresearchingthehistoryofchallengecoins,theymaydiscoverareferencetothesecoinsbeingusedinanadultbeverageactivity.Thisusecameaboutintheearly1990sbutwasnottheintendedpurposeofthecoins.)

Introductory Activity: Teacherwillhavestudentssearchthehistoryofchallengecoinsasaclassorindividually.StudentsshouldsearchchallengecoinsofanykindfromservicebranchesandfromMedalofHonorRecipients.Astheysearch,theyshouldwritedownthenamesofcertaingroupsorindividualstheyfoundandwhatsymbols,sayings,orotherinformationtheydiscovered.ThecoinsoftheindividualsnamedaboveareuniqueandeasilyavailableviaGoogleimages.

Whole Group Activity:Aftercompletingtheirsearch,studentswillsendtheteacherlinksofinterestingcoinstheyfound.Discussasaclasswhattheythoughtwasinterestingandwhattheythinkthesymbolsmean.Besuretoaddresswhycertainmottos,symbols,orsayingsmayhavebeenimportanttothatpersonorwhyhedecidedtoputthemonhiscoin.

L E S S O N A 1 0L E S S O N T I M E : One Class Session


Individual Activity:Havestudentscreatetheirownchallengecoinonan8”-10”diameterpieceofcardstock.Havethemdesignthefrontandback.Itisagoodideatohavethemsketchtheirdesignonapieceofpaperbeforetheybeginworkingonthecardstock.Remindthemthatthiscoinrepresentsthemandwhattheybelieveorrepresent.Theycantakeintoaccountpersonalbeliefs,mottos,athletics,familyhistory,experiences,religion,academics,hobbies,schoolspirit,nationality,language,quotes,futuregoals,andsoon.

Concluding Activity: Studentswillbeaskedtosharetheircoins.Theteachercandecidewhethertheyshareinsmallgroups,agallerywalk,orawholeclasspresentation.Coinscanbedisplayedaroundtheroomorothervenues.

Assessment: Challenge coin presentation

Resources:Internetimagesofchallengecoins,artsupplies,MedalofHonorRecipientLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activity: AskstudentstowatchtheLivingHistoryvideofortheMedalofHonorRecipientwhosechallengecointheyresearchedandmakeconnectionsbetweenthecoinandtheRecipient’sstory.

L E S S O N A 1 0


38


The Color of Character

OBJECTIVES

Students will:•identifythecharactertraitswithinRecipients,themselves,andlocalheroes•discusssymbolismandidentifywhatcolorstheyconnectwitheachcharactertrait

Medal of Honor Focus: Any Medal of Honor Recipient or Citizen Honors awardee

Introductory Activity:Havestudentsdoaquickwriteabouttheirpersonalheroandwhatcharactervaluestheyseeinthatperson.Thenhavestudentswritethevaluestheyseewithinthemselves.Havestudentssharewithapartnerorsmallgroup;thenaskforvolunteerstosharewiththeclass.

Whole Group Activity:Discussthesymbolismofdifferentcolors,andhavestudentsdecideasaclasswhatcolorswillrepresenteachcharactertrait.Ex:Red-Courage,Orange-Commitment,Yellow-Citizenship,Green-Integrity,Blue-Patriotism,Purple-SacrificeWatchaLivingHistoryvideo(CitizenHonorsorMedalofHonorRecipient).Whilestudentswatch,havethemtakenotesonthecharactertraitstheyseeintheRecipient.Afterwatching,discussasagroupwherestudentssawthedifferentcharactertraitsrevealed.

Small Group/Individual Activity:HavestudentscreateaportraitoftheRecipientusingthecolorswhichtheclassselectedtorepresenteachtrait.Theirportraitsshouldreflectthestorytheyheardinthevideo.Forinstance,ifthepersonshowedmorecourage,theportraitmaybemorered,andifthepersonshowedmorecommitment,theportraitswouldbeprimarilyorange.Afterstudentscompletetheirportraits,havethemsharehowtheymadetheirdecisionsaboutthecolors.

Concluding Activity:Havestudentsdoaself-portraitthatportrayswhatcharactertraitstheyseeinthemselvesorwanttoseeinthemselves.Thenhavestudentswriteoutwhattraitstheyseeinthemselvesorwanttoseeinthemselvesandhowtheirpictureportraysthosetraits.

Assessment:Self-portrait,write-up,andpresentation

Resources:RecipientorCitizenHonorsLivingHistoryvideo,artsupplies

Extended Activity:Havestudentsdothesameactivity,substitutingalocalherofortheMedalofHonorRecipientorCitizenHonorsawardee.

Potential Adaptations:ForFineArtsteachers,adaptbaseduponwhatartformyouarecurrentlyteaching(i.e.Realism, Expressionism,etc.)

L E S S O N T I M E : Two (or more) Class Sessions

L E S S O N A 1 1

C O U R A G E A N D I N T E G R I T Y L E S S O N S

Q U O T E S A B O U T

C O U R A G E & I N T E G R I T Y

“In combat, acts of valor come from aiding and defending comrades.”

–WILLI

AMR. CHAR

ETTE, N

AVY-KO

REANW

AR

“The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the

freedom we enjoy as Americans.”

–LUCIAN

ADAMS,A

RMY-WORL

DWARI

I

“Have the courage to defend it with honor, integrity, and your life if necessary.”

–JOE. M

. JACKS

ON,AIR

FORCE-

VIETNAM

WAR

“Moral Courage – doing what has to be done, because it is the right thing to do –

is the mark of a true hero.”

–THOMASG

. KELLE

Y, NAVY

-VIETNA

MWAR

“Mediocrity and failure result from choice, not chance. Success is born of courage alone

and God has made this marvelous gift infinitely available to all who ask for it.”

–PATRIC

KH.BRA

DY, ARM

Y-VIETN

AMWAR

“I’m in awe of our nation’s heroes and seek to understand where they found their courage

in battle.”

–JAMESM

.SPRAY

BERRY,

ARMY-V

IETNAMWAR

“Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; strengthen the faint

hearted; support the weak; help the suffering; honor all people.”

–CARLL

. SITTER

, MARINECO

RPS-KO

REANW

AR

“A man’s integrity is his greatest asset. Without it, he has nothing.”

–LOUIS

R. ROCC

O, ARMY-V

IETNAMWAR

“The most important possession you have is your name – never dishonor it.”

–DAVID

H. MCNE

RNEY, A

RMY-VIETN

AMWAR

“One must have good character, solid principles, and high ethical standards to inspire

others to follow.”

–WESL

EYL. FO

X, MARIN

ECORPS

-VIETNA

MWAR

“No matter how difficult it seems at the time, it’s easier to do the right thing than spend a

lifetime regretting that you didn’t.”

–ROBER

TO’MALL

EY, MARIN

ECORPS

-VIETNA

MWAR

“My Medal of Honor should be shared with all my shipmates.”

–RICHA

RDM.MCCO

OL, NAV

Y-WORL

DWARI

I

“Life on this earth is short but precious. Strive to do good for others and enjoy doing it.”

–JOSE

PHC. RO

DRIGUEZ

, ARMY-K

OREANW

AR

“Every Medal of Honor Recipient has met in his life, someone who inspired him to become who he is. That’s our goal. That’s all we have left. Time for us to get out and give what we have learned in our lifetime to these kids.”

- PAT R I C K B R A D Y

Portrait of a Service Member

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, Journalism

OBJECTIVESStudents will:• developinsightfulquestionsthatcannotbeeasilyresearchedthroughonlineresourcestoaskaservicemember• conductinterviews• analyzethechallengesofaservicemember

Medal of Honor Focus: Jay Vargas, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War. Any Medal of Honor Recipient may be used for this lesson. Suggestions include Melvin Morris, Leroy Petry, Gary Littrell, or Clinton Romesha.

Teacher Preparation:Makecontactwithalocalmilitarybranch,VFW,orAmericanLegiontofindaveteranoractivedutyservicememberwhoiswillingtovisittheclassroom.

DAY 1Introductory Activity:StudentswillreadtheRecipient’sPortraitofValorandviewthevideobasedonhisstory.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillworkwithapartnertosummarizetheaction(s)forwhichtheRecipientreceivedtheMedalofHonor.Studentsshouldidentifyanywordsorphrasestheyarenotfamiliarwithandaskforclarificationtobetterunderstandthecitation.

Whole Group Activity:DiscussasaclasstheMedalofHonorRecipient’sactionsandhowdifficultitmighthavebeenforhimtosharehisstory.Explaintostudentsthataveteranorservicememberwillbecomingtovisittheclassandthatthestudentswillbepreparingquestionstoaskduringthevisit.Challengestudentstowriteopen-endedquestionswhicharealsosensitivetotheservicememberorveteran’sexperience.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillworkwithapartnertocreatewho,what,when,where,andwhyquestionstoaskaveteranorservicemember.Theywillwriteinsightfulquestionstohelpthemlearnmoreaboutlifeinatimeofwar/conflict.

L E S S O N T I M E : Several Class Sessions

L E S S O N B 1


Whole Group Activity:Studentswillshareouttheirquestionswhiletheteacherrecordsthemfortheclass.Studentswilldecideasagroupthetopquestionstouseduringtheclassinterviewprocess.Studentswilldecidewhichquestionsarethemostthoughtfulorthought-provokingaswellasappropriate.Theteacherwillprovidethestudentswithalistoftheirquestions,andstudentswilldecidecollectivelyhowtodivideupthequestions.Ifpossible,thelistofquestionsshouldbeprovidedtotheservicememberaheadoftimesothatheorshemaybebetterpreparedabouttheinterestsofthestudents.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillbepreparedwiththequestionthattheywillasktheservicemember.

DAY 2Whole Group Activity:Aveteranorservicememberwillcometospeakwiththeclass.Studentswilllistentotheveteranorservicemembertellhisorherstorybasedonmilitaryduties.ThestudentswillaskthequestionstheypreparedonDay1andactivelylistensothattheydonotaskaquestionthattheservicememberalreadyanswered.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillwriteareflectionontheveteranorservicemember’svisit.Thereflectionshouldhighlightanareaorareaswithinthepresentationthatwereparticularlyinteresting,inspirational,orpreviouslyunknowntothestudent.

DAY 3Whole Group Activity:Afterdiscussingthevisit,theclasswilldiscusssimilaritiesandconnectionsbetweentheMedalofHonorRecipientandtheguestspeaker.

Concluding Activity:Thestudentswillwriteathankyoucardtotheveteranorservicemember.

Assessment:Preparedquestions,writtenreflection

Resources:PortraitofValorforchosenRecipient,LivingHistoryvideoforchosenRecipient


44

L E S S O N B 1

Reflecting on Courage

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Leadership, Guidance/Career Counseling

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •identifycareersthatrequireactsofcourage•developawarenessofuniversalactsofcourage

Medal of Honor Focus: Robert Howard, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Studentswillbrainstormandmakealistofjobsorprofessionssuchasfirefighter,policeofficer,doctor,ornursewhichrequirecourage.Surveytheclasstoseehowthemajorityofthestudentsresponded.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Separatetheclassintoseveralsmallgroups.ProvideeachgroupaprintedcopyofRobertHoward’sPortraitofValortoreadtogether.Askeachgrouptodescribefiveactionsthatexemplifyhiscourage.Letthegroupsdiscusseachquestion.Askstudentstodescribeatleastthreeactionsthatstoodoutoverall.

Whole Group Activity:DiscussRobertHoward’sactsofcourage.

Small Group Activity:Assigneachgroupaseparateprofessionfromthelistsofjobsintheintroductoryactivity.Askeachgrouptodescribefiveactionsthatareexamplesofcourageforthatjoborcareer.Letthegroupsdiscusstheirresponses.

Whole Group Activity:Eachgroupwillreporttheirfindingsontheactsofcouragethatexemplifyeachcareeridentified.Recordfindingsonaclassroomchart.

Concluding Activity:Individually,studentswillwriteareflectionaboutcourageandhowthisvaluerelatestomilitaryorcivilianprofessions.

Assessment:Lists,discussion,chartcontribution,reflection

Resources:RobertHowardPortraitofValor

45

L E S S O N T I M E : Two Class Sessions

L E S S O N B 2


UNSTOPPABLE FORCE - SOUTH VIETNAM, 1968

Robert Howard was seventeen years old when he joined the Army in 1956. His father and four uncles had been paratroopers in World War II, and he followed in their footsteps, joining the 101st Airborne. In 1965, during the first of his five tours of duty in Vietnam, he was wounded when a ricocheting bullet hit him in the face. While recuperating in a field hospital, he met a patient who was in the Special Forces. When the man’s commanding officer visited, he sized Howard up, then talked him into transferring to the Special Forces.

In 1966, after six months of training in the States, Howard returned to Vietnam as part of the 5th Special Forces Group. By late 1968, he had already been recommended for the Medal of Honor on two separate occasions when, on the afternoon of December 28, his unit was ordered to rescue a wounded Green Beret. As the choppers carrying his platoon of American and Vietnamese Special Forces tried to land, the enemy opened fire. It took two hours for Howard and his men to clear the landing zone and get all the troops in. By dusk, as they were moving forward to a hill where they thought the wounded Green Beret might be hiding, a force of about 250 North Vietnamese suddenly attacked.

Howard and his lieutenant were at the head of the platoon when a claymore mine went off nearby. Howard was knocked unconscious; when he came to, he thought he was blind, until he realized that the blood from wounds on his face had gotten into his eyes. His hands were mangled by shrapnel, which had also destroyed his weapon. He could hear his lieutenant groaning in pain a few yards away, and he was almost overcome by a sickening odor: An enemy soldier with a Soviet flamethrower was burning the bodies of Howard’s comrades killed in the attack.

Deciding to blow himself up rather than be incinerated, too, Howard struggled to get a grenade off his web belt, then fumbled with the pin. The soldier with the flamethrower watched him for a moment, then walked away. Howard threw the grenade after him, then crawled to his lieutenant and tried to pull him down the hill into a ravine where the surviving Americans and South Vietnamese had taken refuge. When he got the officer down to a large tree root, where another GI had taken shelter, he screamed at the soldier to hand over his weapon. The soldier tossed him his .45 pistol, then opened fire himself with his rifle, killing three enemy soldiers who were trying to capture Howard and his lieutenant.

Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces

BORN: July 11, 1939 Opelika, Alabama

ENTERED SERVICE: Montgomery, Alabama

BRANCH: U.S. Army

DUTY: Vietnam War

DIED: December 23, 2009 San Antonio, Texas

ROBERT L. HOWARD

At that moment an NVA round struck Howard’s ammunition pouch, blowing him several feet down the hill. Still clutching the .45, he crawled back to the lieutenant, shooting several North Vietnamese along the way, and finally dragged him down to the ravine. Howard took charge of the remaining Special Forces troops, then called in U.S. air strikes. For the next two days the North Vietnamese probed his position. On the morning of December 31, U.S. helicopters were finally able to stage an evacuation.

Two years later, in February 1971, Howard was a captain in charge of a Special Forces company under assault by the enemy when he got a call on a field telephone from General William Westmoreland. “We’re in pretty bad shape here,” Howard said, thinking the general had called to find out his situation. “Yeah, I know,” Westmoreland replied, “but we’re going to bring you out and give you the Medal of Honor.”

Robert Howard received the medal from President Richard Nixon on March 2, 1971. He retired at the rank of colonel in 1992.

“I didn’t care what happened to me, but I wanted to protect my

men, under any circumstance.”

- C H A R L E S C O O L I D G E

Integrity in Decision Making

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •determinehowadecisionmadeatacriticaljunctureinlifeimpactsthelivesofothers•recognizetheimportanceofpracticingempathyandmakingethicaldecisions

Medal of Honor Focus: James P. Fleming, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Decisionsarenotmadeinavacuumandareoftenmotivatedbyaperson’ssenseofrightandwrong.Decisionsmadeatcriticaljuncturesoftenaffectthelivesofthosearoundus.Askstudentstothinkofatimewhentheymadeadecisionthataffectedthosearoundthem.Havethemdescribethisdecisionandexplainwhatwouldhavehappenedhadtheychosentoactdifferently.Perhapsstudentschosetodistancethemselvesfromagroupoffriendsbecausetheyweremakingbadchoicesandcausingunrestintheirfamily;perhapstheychosetobefriendastudentinschoolwhowasnotacceptedbyothers;perhapstheygaveoftheirtimetodocommunityservicewhentheyreallywantedtostayhomeandrest;perhapstheychosenottogossipaboutsomeonebecausetheyknewthatuntruthswerebeingspread.Thesemayseemlikeinsignificantexamples,yetalloftheiractionshaveanimpactandhelptodefinethemasaperson.

Small Group Activity:Dividetheclassintogroupsandhavethemread“TheRoadNotTaken”byRobertFrost.Afterreadingthepoem,students(insmallgroups)willsummarizethemessageofthepoem,explainhowitrelatestodecision-making,andexplainhowthedecisionmadecouldimpactthelivesofothers.

Whole Group Activity:Groupswillreporttheirfindingstotheclass.Discusshowdecision-makingreflectsone’sintegrity.

Whole Group Activity:ViewtheLivingHistoryvideoofJamesFleming,anddiscussthedecisionshemade.Askstudentstodrawconnectionsto“TheRoadNotTaken.”

Concluding Activity:Studentswillbeaskedtowriteashortessayentitled“TheMostDifficultDecisionIHaveMade.”

Assessment:Studentparticipation,summaries,essays

Resources:“TheRoadNotTaken”byRobertFrost,JamesFlemingLivingHistoryvideo

49

L E S S O N T I M E : One to Two Class Sessions

L E S S O N B 3


T H E R O A D N O T TA K E N BY ROBERT FROST

Tworoadsdivergedinayellowwood,AndsorryIcouldnottravelbothAndbeonetraveler,longIstood

AndlookeddownoneasfarasIcouldTowhereitbentintheundergrowth;

Thentooktheother,asjustasfair,Andhavingperhapsthebetterclaim,

BecauseitwasgrassyandwantedwearThoughasforthatthepassingthereHadwornthemreallyaboutthesame,

AndboththatmorningequallylayInleavesnostephadtroddenblack.Oh,Ikeptthefirstforanotherday!

Yetknowinghowwayleadsontoway,IdoubtedifIshouldevercomeback.

IshallbetellingthiswithasighSomewhere ages and ages hence:

Tworoadsdivergedinawood,andI—Itooktheonelesstraveledby,

Andthathasmadeallthedifference.

What is Courage?

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Vietnam War, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

OBJECTIVES Students will: •definecourageandgiveexamplesofcourageinvariedcircumstances

Medal of Honor Focus: Jack Jacobs, U.S. Army, Vietnam War; or Clinton Romesha, U.S. Army, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstowritefivetosevenlinesdefiningcourageanddescribinganactionthatdemonstratestruecourage.Studentswillshareanddiscusstheirresponseswithapartner.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillcopythegraphicorganizerontheboard,workingfromtheinnercircletotheoutercircleasthelessonproceeds(canbedoneasathree-columnchartifdesired).Thestudentswillalsocopythegraphicorganizer.Theteacherwillaskstudentsforwordsorphrasesthataresynonymsforcourageandtellstudentstowritetheirresponsesintheinnercircleofthegraphicorganizer.Theclasswillthengiveexamplesofcourage,writingtheminthesecondcircle.ThestudentswillviewthevideoofJackJacobsorClintonRomesha.Whileviewing,thestudentswillwriteexamplesofcouragefromthevideointheoutercircleofthegraphicorganizer.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Thestudentswillsharetheirowngraphicorganizerwithapartnerandcompareexamplesofcourage fromthevideo.

Whole Group Activity:TheteacherwillasktheclassforexamplesfromJackJacobs’svideoorClintonRomesha’svideoandwritethemintothegraphicorganizerontheboard.

Concluding Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstodefinecourageintheirownwordsanddiscussdifferencesbetweentheirinitialimpressionandtheirreflectionaftercompletingthisactivity.

Assessment:Writtendefinition,reflection,graphicorganizer,discussion

Resources:LivingHistoryvideoforJackJacobsorClintonRomesha,graphicorganizer

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Examples of Courage

Examples from Video

Courage

L E S S O N B 4 W O R K S H E E T


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Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

A Lesson in Irony

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, World War II

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •definetheliteraryterm“irony”andidentifyexamples•describeironyincomicstripsormemes•interpretandexplainCrawford’sactions•evaluatetheword“unassuming”intwodifferentcontexts

Medal of Honor Focus: William Crawford, U.S. Army, World War II (Europe)

For the Teacher:Review the following with students if necessary.Ironyisdefinedasthedifferencebetweenwhatissaidandwhatismeant,betweenwhatissaidandwhatactuallyoccurs,orbetweenthemeaningandwhatisunderstood.Ironyisusedinfiction,theater,andrhetoric.Ironymaybeintentionalorunintentional;however,theincongruitybetweenwordsandmeaningoractionsandmeaningisthekeytounderstandingironyinbothwritingandspeech.Fundamentally,ironyisalwaysabreakbetweenwhatissaidordoneandwhatismeantorintended.

DramaticIrony:Asituationinwhichtheaudienceknowssomethingaboutpresentorfuturecircumstancesthatthecharacterdoesnotknow.

Example:InOedipusRex,bySophocles,OedipussearchestofindthemurdereroftheformerkingofThebes,onlytodiscoverthatheisthekiller.Theaudienceknowsthisallalong.

VerbalIrony:Acontradictionofexpectationbetweenwhatissaidandwhatismeant.

Example:InJuliusCaesar,byWilliamShakespeare,MarcAntonysaysthefollowingevenwhenheknowsthatBrutuskilledJuliusCaesar:“YetBrutussayshewasambitious;AndBrutusisanhonourableman.”

SituationalIrony:Acontradictionofexpectationbetweenwhatmightbeexpectedandwhatactuallyoccurs,Literaryexamplefrom“TheRimeoftheAncientMariner”bySamuelColeridge:“Water,water,everywhere,Andalltheboardsdidshrink;Water,water,everywhere,Noranydroptodrink”

RealLifeExample:Whenyoustayedupallnightcrammingforatestthenextday,andthetestispostponeduntilthenextweek.Lookforotherexamplesofsituationalirony.Thisisthemostmodernuseofatermthathasbeenrelevantforaverylongtime.Situationalironymayrefertoanunusualcoincidenceorunexpectedhappeningthatresultsinasurpriseforthosepresentorinvolved.Whilebothverbalanddramaticironyareintentional,situationalironyisnot.

Introductory Activity:Afteranexplanationoftheliterarytermirony,discussexamplesdependingonthegradelevel.Encouragetheclasstothinkofmoreexamplestostrengthentheunderstandingofirony.

Whole Group Activity:Lookatexamplesofironyinacomicstripormeme.Discussironyandgiveinstructionsonhowtoidentifyexamplesofirony. 53


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Small Group/Individual Activity:Locatethreecomicstripsormemesthatdemonstrateirony.Identifytheexampleofirony,explainhowitisironic,andthenpostthefindingsfortheclasstosee.

Whole Group Activity:TheclasswillwatchWilliamCrawford’svideo.Studentswilllookforexamplesofironyinthevideo.

Concluding Activity:CompleteviewingguideonWilliamCrawford.

Assessment:Completedviewingguidewithessay,ironyactivity

Resources:Newspapers,Internet,WilliamCrawfordLivingHistoryvideo,ViewingGuideworksheet


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Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Viewing Guide

William J. Crawford—Medal of Honor Recipient

Directions: Read each question before viewing the video. Answer each question as you watch. Watch the video again if you need to go back and answer certain questions. 1.WhydidWilliamCrawfordwanttobedrafted?2.WhatwasitthatCrawfordlikedabouthuntingjackrabbits?3.OnthemorningofSeptember13,1943,the36thInfantryattackedtheGermansinAltavilla. InwhatcountryisAltavilla?

4.Usingscreenimagesandpriorknowledge,explainwhatabayonetis.5.WhathappenedtoCrawford’ssergeantthatpromptedhimto“withoutordersandonhisowninitiative,”takeoff intothewoods?6.Whatwashelookingforinthewoods?7.Howdeepwastheditchwherehewastakingcover?8.Whileinthewoods,CrawforddiscoveredthreeGermanmachinegunemplacementshiddennearhim.Crawford knewthesurvivalofthecompanydependedonendingthemachinegunfire.HowdidCrawforddestroyallthree nestsofGermansoldiers?

First nest:

Second nest:

Third nest:

9.ExplainCrawford’sactionsasthefewGermanswhowereleftfledthescene.

10.Whydoyouthinkhetooktheseactions?

11.Fillintheblanks.His_______________facilitatedtheadvanceandensuredthe_________________ofthecompany.12.TheGermans,however,counterattacked.WhathappenedtoCrawford?13.WhoacceptedtheMedalforhim?14.SummarizeinatleasttwosentenceswhatCrawforddidtodeservetheMedalofHonor.

15.Inwhatyear,andbywhichPresident,wasCrawfordfinallybestowedthemedal?

Open-Ended ItemThinkaboutthenarrator’squotationinreferencetoWilliamCrawford,“…afinaltributetoanunassumingall-Americanhero.”Howisthisironic?Writeaboutatimeinyourlifethatyouexperiencedorobservedirony.



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“You know, whether it’s in the military and you have a military commitment, or whether it’s in the private sector or in school, you don’t let your buddies on the left and the right down. You just do what’s right and they’ll do if for you, and that’s what makes this

country so great.” - D R E W D I X

Courage to Make a Difference

Suggested Application: Language Arts, World War II

OBJECTIVES Students will:• compare and contrast the characteristics of two different Medal of Honor Recipients •debatewhetheraperson’ssizeorintellectmakesadifferenceinhis/hercontributiontosociety•standupforpeoplewhoarenotabletostandupforthemselves•recognizewhatbullyingisandisnot

Medal of Honor Focus: Arthur J. Jackson, U.S. Marine Corps, World War II (Pacific) and Nicholas Oresko, U.S. Army, World War II (Europe). Other Recipients may be used to compare and contrast.

Introductory Activity:Startaclassdiscussionbyaskingtheclassafewquestions:•Dotheyknowotherstudentswhohavebeenbulliedbasedonsizeand/orothercharacteristics?•Whatwoulditbelikeforthosestudentstobestarathletes,orpartofthe“coolkids”?•Whatifthepopularstudentsweresuddenlyoutcasts?Clarifybullyingandwhatitlookslike.Definition:Bullyingisunwanted,aggressivebehavioramongschool-agedchildrenthatinvolvesarealorperceivedpowerimbalance.Thebehaviorisrepeated,orhasthepotentialtoberepeated,overtime.Bullyingincludesactionssuchasmakingthreats,spreadingrumors,attackingsomeonephysicallyorverbally,andexcludingsomeonefromagrouponpurpose.Therearemanyrolesthatkidscanplay.Kidscanbullyothers,theycanbebullied,ortheymaywitnessbullying.Whenkidsareinvolvedinbullying,theyoftenplaymorethanonerole.Itisimportanttounderstandthemultipleroleskidsplayinordertoeffectivelypreventandrespondtobullying.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Studentswillwriteashortreflectioninresponsetothesequestions:•Whatdoyouthinkbullyingis?•Haveyoubeenbullied,ordoyouknowsomeonewhohasbeenbullied?•Whatwere(are)thecircumstances?•Whatcouldyouhavedoneorwhatcanyoudotohelpthepersonbeingbullied?

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Whole Group Activity:Usemaskingtapetoplacealinedownthemiddleoftheclassroom.Onesideisforstudentswhobelongtoclubs,sports,enjoyschool,andhavewhattheybelievearelotsoffriends.Theothersideisforstudentswhomaynotbelongtoanyschoolclubsoractivities,tendtocausemischief,orwhothinkofthemselvesasoutcastsordifferent.Theteacherwillusequotationsfromthetwovideosshownlaterduringthewholegroupactivitybelow.ThequotationsneedtobefrombothRecipients.Studentswillchooseasidebasedonthequotationswithwhichtheypersonallyidentify(Naughty,Notmuchintoschool,etc.).Studentswhoarenotsuremaystandonthecenterline.Forthosehavingahardtimechoosing,studentswillbeaskedtochooseasidethatbestdescribesafriend(Thisisanopportunitytoavoidembarrassmentortohelpspeedupthedecision-makingprocess).Oncethequotationsanddirectionsareread,studentswillsteptotheappropriatesideoftheroom.Theteachermayusethestudentsonthelinetoevenoutthesidesasneeded.Giveonesideoftheroomthenickname“Jackson’sBrigade.”Lettheothersideknowtheyare“Nick’sBattalion.”

Whole Group Activity:Studentswillviewbothvideos.Ifnecessary,useagraphicorganizerandpauseduringthevideotogivestudentsachancetointernalizewhattheyareviewing.Afterwatchingthesetwodifferenttypesofheroeswithphysicalandintellectualdifferences,studentswilldefendtheherotheyarerepresenting.Thechallengeistodecidewhichstorywasmoreamazingandagreateraccomplishment.Eachsideoftheroomelectstwospeakerstorepresenttheirgroups.Groupscancallacollaborationmeetingasneededduringthedebate.Thetwoteamswilldebatetheaccomplishmentspresentedintheirhero’sstories,takingintoconsiderationsize,situation,help,equipment,andoutcome.

Concluding Activity:Studentswilllistontheboardthecommoncharacteristicsofbothheroes.Theentireclasswillbrainstormotherprofessionalsorindividualstheyseeinsocietywiththesesamecharacteristics.IndividuallystudentswillwriteanessayexplainingwhethertheirviewofmilitaryheroeshaschangedorwhetherthetypicalHollywoodstereotypeisvalid.

Followupwithstudentsregardingtheirfirstreflectionaboutbullying.

Assessment: Reflectionassignment,essay

Resources: Maskingtape,nametagsorposter(Jackson’sBrigade/Nick’sBattalion),ArthurJacksonandNicholasOreskoLivingHistoryvideos


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N I C H O L A S O R E S K O Q U O T E S :

A RT H U R J A C K S O N Q U O T E S :

“Sports will not get you anywhere because of your size.”

“I wanted to be a pilot, a boxer, all dreams, and you keep going on.”

“Men in the platoon did not follow my order, nobody moved.”

“I felt so alone…alone on the Battlefield.”

“Lord, I am going to die. This is the end.”

“Naughty young man.”

“The recruiter took one look at me and asked, you like football?”

“I played football in high school.”

“You will like the Marines.”

“Platoon leader had faith in me, keep your rear end down.”

“I was unbelievably lucky.”

“I felt like I was a ballplayer and just made the winning touch-down.”

“The guys picked me up, pulled me to my feet, slapped me on my back, and said,

(Jackson, you did it!”)

“Platoon leader described me as the most gung ho Son of a Gun

he ever met.”

“Never ask anybody to do anything you wouldn’t

do yourself.” - J AY VA R G A S

An Unlikely Hero

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will:•considerthevaluesthatmakeahero•discussandgeneratewordsthatdescribeaMedalofHonorRecipient•identifycharacteristicsandqualitiesofsomeonewhomaybecomeahero

Medal of Honor Focus: Gary Littrell, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Teacher Preparation:Prepare the classroom with large Post-It paper or a flip chart paper at each corner of the classroom with one of thefollowingquestionswrittenoneachposter:•Whatqualitiesdoesoneneedtobecomeahero?•Whatkindsofassignmentsordutiesareneededtooperateamilitaryunit?•WhatwordsdescribeaMedalofHonorRecipient?•WhatothereverydayjobsrequirethesamecharacteristicsasthoseofaMedalofHonorRecipient?Note–Groupsaresuggested;however,thiscouldbedoneasapartnerorsmallgroupactivityfirst.Thenstudentsgetupandwritetheirresponsesonthechartpaperorthroughagoogledocplatformwhereeachgrouptypesintheirresponse.Additionalquestionsmaybeaddedtomakesmallergroups.

Introductory Activity:Arrangestudentsintotheirgroups.Suggestedstudentgrouping:Giveeachstudentaslipofpaperuponenteringtheroom.Ontheslips,evenlydivided:SergeantFirstClass,Vietnam,UnitedStatesArmy,AdvisoryTeam21.Studentswilllocatetheirotherteammateswiththesamegrouptitle.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Studentswillbedirectedtorespondtotheirinitialquestioneitheraroundtheroomorattheirdeskgroupings.Studentswillhaveapproximatelyfiveminutestodiscussandanswerthequestionontheposterpaper.Attheendoffiveminutes,studentswillbedirectedtorotatetoanewquestionandcontinuetheprocessofdiscussionandresponding.Thestudentsshouldbedirectedtonotrepeataresponsethatanothergrouphasalreadyprovided.Eachgroupwillrespondusingadifferentcolorofmarker.Onceallquestionshavebeenrespondedtobyeachgroup,havethestudentsquicklydiscussresponsesasawholegroup.

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Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewGaryLittrell’svideoandreadthroughhisPortraitofValorandcitation.Studentswillnotewhatanunlikelyherohewas.Discussionpoints:•Motherpassedawaywhenhewasveryyoung•Fatherwasunfittocareforhim•Raisedbyextendedfamilyandfostercare•Votedmostlikelynevertosucceedatanything•Behaviorwasnotconducivetohisorothers’learning•Joinedthemilitarytohavestructureandguidance•Militarywashisfirstrealfamily

Individual Activity:StudentswillanswertwoofthequestionsfromtheflipchartsusingGaryLittrell’sstoryandsupporttheirreasoningwithevidencefromthevideoandhisbiography.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillwriteareflectionaboutthechallengesGaryLittrellfacedasayoungboygrowingupwithoutstructure,hisstrugglesinschool,andhowheovercamethesechallenges.Studentswillidentifychallengesorobstacleswithintheirownlivesandsetshort-termandlong-termgoalsfortheirownpersonalsuccess.

Assessment:Listofquestionsandanswers,classpresentation

Resources:Largeflipchartpaper,markers(differentcolorforeachgroup),GaryLittrell’sMedalofHonorcitation,PortraitofValor,andLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activities:Studentswillinterviewfamilyorfriendswhoservedinthemilitaryorpublicservice.Studentsshouldprepareinterviewquestionsthataskwhattrainingthepersonhadpriortojoiningthemilitary,whatledthemtojointhemilitary,andwhatdutiesthepersonhadwhileserving,theyshouldconcludewithawrittensummarytopresenttotheclass.Whilestudentsarepresenting,theaudienceshouldnoteanyofthesamecharacteristicsofaMedalofHonorRecipientlistedontheboardpreviously.

L E S S O N B 7

Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army Advisory Team 21, II Corps Advisory Group

BORN: October 26, 1944 Henderson, Kentucky

ENTERED SERVICE: Los Angeles, California

BRANCH: U.S. Army

DUTY: Vietnam War

GARY LITTRELL Gary Littrell was nine years old when his uncle took him to Fort Campbell to watch the 101st Airborne Division make parachute jumps. He always remembered watching the men floating down and saying to himself, someday I’ll be doing that. In 1961, on his seventeenth birthday, he joined the Army—once the recruiter guaranteed that he could go to jump school.

After graduating from jump school, Littrell was assigned to the 503rd Regiment, which was reorganized as the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate). This brigade was stationed on Okinawa. His next assignment was to the 82nd Airborne Division. He then attended Ranger School, where he did well enough to be made an instructor. During his two years there, the “war stories” he heard from returning Vietnam veterans whetted his appetite for combat, so in 1969 he volunteered to go to the war zone. He learned to speak Vietnamese at the Army Language Institute at Fort Bliss and became an adviser to the 23rd South Vietnamese Ranger Battalion, whose dedication and bravery impressed him. In the early spring of 1970, Littrell was one of four American advisers assisting the 23rd Battalion of the South Vietnamese Army as it looked for North Vietnamese Army units that had been harassing U.S. Special Forces camps in Kontum Province. On April 4, after 473 South Vietnamese Rangers ran into a concentration of approximately five thousand enemy troops, they established a defensive perimeter on a hill against a ferocious mortar attack. The battalion commander and one of the American advisers were killed in the first day of the fighting. Then two other advisers were wounded, leaving Sergeant Littrell in command.

Over the next four days, Littrell exhorted the South Vietnamese troops not to give up, despite their heavy losses. Moving along the defensive perimeter, he distributed ammunition and tried to help the wounded. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he continually called in air support and artillery fire on the advancing enemy. At times he directed the American air strikes to within a few yards of his own position. On April 8, 1970, Littrell’s commanding officer radioed him to attempt a retreat. Littrell moved out with what was left of the battalion. With helicopter gunships guarding his flanks, Air Force fighters clearing a corridor to his front, and by fighting off constant enemy ambushes, he moved the men five miles to link up with “friendlies.” Of the South Vietnamese Rangers who had begun the battle, forty-one walking wounded came out—but the enemy had been virtually annihilated. Littrell was ordered home a few months later. At his going-away party, his commanding officer told him that he had been recommended for the Medal of Honor, but nothing happened and he soon forgot about it. Three and a half years later, he was serving with the 101st Division when he was informed that he was to receive the medal. President Richard Nixon made the presentation at the White House on October 15, 1973. Command Sergeant Major Littrell retired from the Army ten years later. After retirement, Littrell served for many years with the Veterans Administration. In recent years, he has been very active with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, serving as its president for two consecutive terms.

Integrity and the Power of Words

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Leadership, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will:•explaintheimportanceofintegrityinreportingandthedangerofrumorsandmisinformation•exploretheprocessofverifyingsources

Medal of Honor Focus: Charles Hagemeister, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillhaveseveralstudentslineupandplaythe“TelephoneGame.”Theteacherwillwhisperathreetofoursentencestoryintotheearofthefirststudent.Thatstoryisthenwhisperedtothenextstudent,continuingdownthelineuntilthelaststudentreceivesthemessage.Oncethelaststudenthasthemessage,heorshewillrecitethestoryfortheclass.Theteacherwillthencomparewhatthestudentsaidtotheoriginalstoryanddiscusswhathappenedduringtheprocessofthegameandhowmisinformationisdisseminatedinthisexampleandinreallife.

Whole Group Activity:TheteacherwillpassouttheactivitysheetandthenshowCharlesHagemeister’svideofortheclass.Afterwatchingthevideo,studentswillanswerquestions1-4ontheactivitysheet.Theteacherwillleadadiscussionontheresponsesthestudentsprovide,beingsuretopointoutwhatrumors,misinformation,andliescancause.

Small Group/Individual Activity:TheteacherwillgivestudentsHandout1andHandout2.Studentswillanswerquestions5-7ontheactivitysheetusingthosehandouts.TheteacherwillmakesurethestudentsfindandlocatethediscrepancybetweenCitation1andCitation2(Hagemeisterkilledinaction).TheteacherwillthenpointoutthatHandout2istheofficialpaperworkfromtherecommendationpacket.Specifically,thisdocumentistheoneinwhichGeneralWestmorelandcorrectstheerrorthatCharlesHagemeisterwaskilledinaction.

Concluding Activity:StudentsanswertheFinalQuestion.Theteacherleadsadiscussionwiththeclassaboutthepowerofwordshaveinoursocialmedia,news,andrelationships.

Assessment:Worksheet

Resources:Worksheet,handouts,CharlesHagmeisterLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activity:Theteacherswilldirectstudentstoexploreanddiscussvariousmediaoutletsregardingfakenews andon-linebullying.


L E S S O N B 8



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Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________


Directions: Read and answer the following questions.After Watching…1.Duringthefight,SpecialistHagemeistertookovertheradiooperations.Whowashetalkingtoandwhywasthat informationsoimportant?

2.WhatcouldhavebeentheconsequencesofSpecialistHagemeistergivingthewronginformationovertheradio?

3.Describeatimeinyourlifewhensomeonereceivingwrongorrumoredinformationaboutyouorsomeoneyou knowcausedaproblem.Describewhatthatfeltlike.

4.Listanddescribewhereyoureceivethemajorityofyourinformationaboutfriends,localandnationalnews,and othereventsgoingonaroundyou.Thendescribewhatresponsibilityyouthinkthosereportinghavetobe accurate.Whatisyourresponsibility?

Read the two citation examples on Handout 1. Highlight or underline the words that are different in the two citations. READ CAREFULLY!5.WhatisthemaindifferencebetweenCitation1andCitation2?Basedontheevidencewehave,whichofthetwo citationsiscorrect?

6.WhatdidtheArmythinkhappenedtoSpecialistHagemeisterinVietnam?

7.CarefullyexamineHandout2fromtheofficialpacketofSpecialistHagemeister.Whathadtobecorrected,and whoorderedthecorrection?

FinalQuestion:Whyisfindingcredibleresources,sharingaccurateinformation,andintegrityinreportingsoimportanttoyouandsocietyasawhole?



Forconspicuousgallantryand intrepidity inactionatthe riskofhis lifeaboveandbeyond thecallofduty.Whileconductingcombatoperationsagainstahostileforce, Sp5c. Hagemeister’s platoon suddenly cameunder heavy attack from 3 sides by an enemy forceoccupying well concealed, fortified positions andsupportedbymachinegunsandmortars.Seeing2ofhis comrades seriouslywounded in the initial action,Sp5c. Hagemeister unhesitatingly and with totaldisregardforhissafety,racedthroughthedeadlyhailofenemyfiretoprovidethemmedicalaid.Uponlearningthat the platoon leader and several other soldiers also had beenwounded, Sp5c. Hagemeister continued tobrave the withering enemy fire and crawled forwardto render lifesaving treatment and to offer words of encouragement.Attemptingtoevacuatetheseriouslywoundedsoldiers,Sp5c.Hagemeisterwastakenunderfireatcloserangebyanenemysniper.Realizingthatthelivesofhisfellowsoldiersdependedonhisactions,Sp5c.Hagemeisterseizedariflefromafallencomrade,killed the sniper, 3 other enemy soldiers who wereattempting to encircle his position and silenced an enemymachinegunthatcoveredtheareawithdeadlyfire.Unabletoremovethewoundedtoalessexposedlocationandawareoftheenemy’seffortstoisolatehisunit,hedashedthroughthefusilladeoffiretosecurehelp from a nearby platoon. Returning with help, heplaced men in positions to cover his advance as he movedtoevacuatethewoundedforwardofhislocation.Theseeffortssuccessfullycompleted,hethenmovedto theother flankandevacuatedadditionalwoundedmendespitethefactthathiseverymovedrewfirefromtheenemy.Sp5c.Hagemeister’s repeatedheroicandselfless actions at the risk of his life saved the lives of many of his comrades and inspired their actionsin repelling the enemy assault. Sp5c. Hagemeister’sindomitable couragewas in the highest traditions ofthe U.S. Armed Forces and reflect great credit uponhimself.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action atthe risk of his life aboveandbeyond the call of duty.Whileconductingcombatoperationsagainstahostileforce, Sp5c. Hagemeister’s platoon suddenly cameunder heavy attack from 3 sides by an enemy forceoccupying well concealed, fortified positions andsupportedbymachinegunsandmortars.Seeing2ofhis comrades seriously wounded in the initial action,Sp5c. Hagemeister unhesitatingly and with totaldisregardforhissafety,racedthroughthedeadlyhailofenemyfiretoprovidethemmedicalaid.Uponlearningthat the platoon leader and several other soldiers also had been wounded, Sp5c. Hagemeister continued tobrave the withering enemy fire and crawled forwardto render lifesaving treatment and to offer words of encouragement.Attempting toevacuate theseriouslywounded soldiers, Sp5c. Hagemeister was takenunderfireatcloserangebyanenemysniper.Realizingthat the lives of his fellow soldiers depended on his actions,Sp5c.Hagemeisterseizedariflefromafallencomrade,killedthesniper,3otherenemysoldierswhowere attempting to encircle his position and silenced an enemy machine gun that covered the area withdeadly fire. Unable to remove thewounded to a lessexposed locationandawareof theenemy’sefforts toisolatehisunit,hedashedthroughthefusilladeoffireto securehelp fromanearbyplatoon.Returningwithhelp,heplacedmeninpositionstocoverhisadvanceashemovedtoevacuatethewoundedforwardofhislocation. These efforts successfully completed, hethenmovedtotheotherflankandevacuatedadditionalwoundedmendespitethefactthathiseverymovedrewfire from the enemy and he was mortally wounded.Sp5c. Hagemeister’s repeated heroic and selflessactionsat thecostofhis lifesaved the livesofmanyof his comrades and inspired their actions in repelling the enemy assault. Sp5c. Hagemeister’s indomitablecouragewasinthehighesttraditionsoftheU.S.ArmedForcesandreflectgreatcredituponhimself.

Citation 1 Citation 2

L E S S O N B 8 H A N D O U T # 1


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ASARESULTOFAQUESTIONFROMGENWESTMORELAND,ACHANGEWASMADEONTHEPROPOSEDCITATIONOF“COSTOFHISLIFE”TO“RISKOFHISOWNLIFE”.CPTSCCURGSOFTHE1STCAVDIVWASCONTACTEDTOVERIFYTHATSP4HAGEMEISTERWASINFACTSTILLLIVING.

L E S S O N B 8 H A N D O U T # 2


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Integrity and the Power of Words A Student of Mine

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies

OBJECTIVES Students will: •determinethattheCitizenHonorsawardeesdisplaymanyofthesamevaluesasMedalofHonorRecipients•relatethecharactervaluesdemonstratedbytheCitizenHonorsawardeestoteachersintheirownschools•identifythevaluesdemonstratedbyJencieFaganandsupportwithevidencefromthevideo•respondinwritingtothevideoaboutthesituationfacingJencieFaganonMarch14,2006

Citizen Honors Focus: Jencie FaganNote to teacher:IfstudentsneedbackgroundinformationaboutCitizenHonors,startwithLessonA4.

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskthestudentstowritearesponsetothefollowingsentences,allowingapproximatelyfifteenminutestowriteandsharewithapartner,thenthewholegroup.Ifyouwereinschoolandaproblemarosethatyouneededtodiscuss,whatteacherorcounselorwouldyoufeelcomfortabletalkingwithaboutthesituation?Explainatleasttwoqualitiesthatthispersonpossessesthatwouldallowyoutofreelyspeakwithhimorher.Afterthestudentswritetheirresponses,theteacherwillexplainthesignificanceoftheCitizenHonorsgiveneachyearatArlingtonNationalCemeteryinWashington,DC,aspartofMedalofHonorDay.TheteacherwillexplainthatphysicaleducationteacherJencieFaganwasthefirsthonoreeandthefirstwomantobeawardedtheCitizenHonors,inMarchof2007.Asaprivatecitizen,JencieFagandisplayedmanyofthesameattributesasourMedalofHonorRecipients.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideothatexplainsthesituationatPineMiddleSchoolinReno,Nevada,onMarch14,2006.TheteacherwillleadstudentsinabriefdiscussionaboutJencieFagan.TheinstructorwillaskstudentsifJencieFagandemonstratedanyofthevaluesofthepersonmentionedintheirindividualresponseswrittenintheintroductoryactivity.

Small Group Activity:TheteacherwillaskstudentsinsmallgroupstodeterminewhichoftheMedalofHonorvaluesJencieFagan’sactionsmostexemplified:courage,commitment,citizenship,sacrifice,integrity,orpatriotism.Thegroupsmayselectmorethanonevaluetoanalyzebutwillhavetoprovideevidencefortheirresponses.Thegroupsalsowillbegivenquotationsfromthevideo.Thegroupswillchoosewhichquotationstouseasevidencefortheirselectedvalue(s).Eachgroupwillwritetheirvalue(s)onthetopofthepaperandrecordtheselectedquotationsandtheirrationaleunderneath.

Whole Group Activity:Eachgroupwillsharetheirconclusionswiththeentireclassandexplaintheevidencefortheirselectionofthevalue(s).

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L E S S O N T I M E : Three Class Sessions

L E S S O N B 9L E S S O N B 9


Concluding Activity:StudentswillwriteinresponsetooneofthefollowingRAFTassignments.

Intheirresponse,studentswillprovidetwoexamplesofhowJencieFagandemonstratedthesamevaluesasaMedalofHonorRecipienttheyhavestudied.

Assessment:Responsetointroductoryactivity,participationinclassdiscussion,completion/sharingofthesmallgroupactivitybasedonthevalues,andcompletionoftheRAFTActivityaccordingtoteacherspecifications

Resources: JencieFaganvideo,quotationsheet


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ROLE of the writer (Who are you as the writer?)

KendraHess(studentwho appears in the video)

JencieFagan

Principal of the Middle School

FREECHOICEAPPROVEDBYTEACHER

AUDIENCE(To whom are you writing?)

JencieFagan

Self

FacultyoftheMiddleSchool

FORMAT of the writing TOPIC of the writing

Poem

DiaryEntry

Speech

TOPIC

PraisingJencieFagan’sactions

Herfeelingsonthedayof the incident

CreditingJencieFaganfor her actions

L E S S O N B 9

“Our kids here are beautiful. They are such good children.”

“I have very high expectations…the kids and their improvement. They are finding out about

their self-worth… that for me is why I teach.”

“There were three students between the young man and myself. I told the kids who were

between us, ‘Go in the locker room and shut the door.’”

“The student with the gun is a student of mine. I started talking to him.”

“I could tell he was upset looking at his face. He looked a little lost.”

“Did I think about him pointing a gun at me? Truth, no. I worried about the kids.”

“I go to him and hug him. When I went to hug him, it just seemed natural. I don’t know why I

did it. I’m a teacher, a mom, a human being. Anyone who goes to that point…what they must

be feeling must be horrific.”

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“In my head, anybody’d do it because these are children.”

“I was worried about what I was wearing. I wear shorts and tennis shoes.”

“Colin Powell is putting the medal over me and he put his arm on my back to steady me.”

“It was truly an honor to be appreciated by them.”

“I will always remember that I was thinking, ‘Yes! If anyone is going to save me, Jencie is.’”

“She was showing him love. She was showing him affection. For a student to be that violent to

another student and Jencie still showed him love.”

“She was tough but had the essence of Mother Hen. Her wings are big enough to spread over

the entire school. The courage that it took for her to step out those gym doors and literally

have someone lay down a weapon for her just by her words…she’s truly amazing.”

Q U O TAT I O N S F R O M J E N C I E FA G A N

Q U O TAT I O N S F R O M K E N D R A H E S S

“In the crucible of combat, one of the most important things you learn is the value of expending energy for somebody else—that it isn’t all about you, that it’s for all of us together.”

- J A C K J A C O B S

What Would You Do?

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science

OBJECTIVES Students will: •identifythevaluesofaMedalofHonorRecipientandaCitizenHonorsawardee•examineandanalyzehowapersonfacesdanger

Citizen Honors Focus: Chris Mintz

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwilldiscusswithstudentsthe“fight-or-flight”response.AccordingtoHarvardHealthPublication,it“evolvedasasurvivalmechanism,enablingpeopleandothermammalstoreactquicklytolife-threateningsituations.Thecarefullyorchestratedyetnear-instantaneoussequenceofhormonalchangesandphysiologicalresponseshelpssomeonetofightthethreatofforfleetosafety.”Whilescienceprovesthisreactionisinvoluntaryandinstinctual,wehumanstendtojudgeeachother’slevelofcourageaccordingtowhetherwefacethedangerorflee.Studentswilldescribeinoneortwoparagraphsasituationwhereeithertheyorsomebodyelsedemonstratedcourageinthefaceofdanger.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillcomparetheirresponsesaboutcourageanddiscussthecircumstancesoftheactions.Theywillexplainwhattheoutcomeofthesituationwasanditsconnectiontothefightorflightresponse.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideoaboutChrisMintz,CitizenHonorsAwardee.Theteacherandstudentswilldiscusshisfightorflightresponseandhissubsequentactofcourage.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillwriteaone-pagesummaryaboutthevideofeaturingChrisMintzandhisactofcourage.Studentsmayreflectonhowtheywouldhavereactedinasimilarsituation.

Assessment: Responses,essay

Resources:ChrisMintzvideo

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L E S S O N B 1 0


“You don’t have to don a uniform

for service.”

- C L I N T O N R O M E S H A

Be True to Yourself


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •analyzeandinterpretthepoem“If”writtenbyRudyardKipling•understandthetheme(s)ofthepoem•analyzethematiclinksbetweenthispoemandthelifeandactionsofRickRescorla•identifyanddefinewhichcharactervaluesinthepoemcouldapplytoaCitizenHonorsawardee

Citizen Honors Focus: Rick Rescorla

For the Teacher:RudyardKipling’spoem“If”waspersonallymeaningfultoRickRescorla,VicePresident/DirectorofSecurityatMorganStanleyDeanWitter&Company,SouthTower,WorldTradeCenter,inNewYorkCity.AccordingtoKiplinginhisautobiography,SomethingofMyself,thepoemwasinspiredbyDr.LeanderStarrJameson.In1895Dr.JamesonledaraidbyBritishforcesagainsttheBoersinSouthAfrica,subsequentlycalledtheJamesonRaid.ThisdefeatincreasedthetensionsthatultimatelyledtotheSecondBoerWar.Dr.JamesonandhisconnectiontothepoemisthefocusofthebookThe If ManbyChrisAsh.

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstothinkofaquotation,book,orpoemthatmayhaveinspiredthem.Afterabriefdiscussionaboutthestudents’selections,theteacherorastudentwillreadRudyardKipling’spoem“If”aloud.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideoaboutRickRescorlaandhisactionsonSeptember11,2001.Whilewatchingthevideo,studentswilllookforexamplesofhowthepoem“If”appliestoRickRescorla.Studentswillwritetheirconnectionsforfurtherdiscussion.

Small Group Activity:Afterviewingthevideo,theteacherwilldividestudentsintosmallgroupsandgiveeachgroupadifferentstanzafromthepoem.Eachgroupwillrespondtothefollowing:•Identifythecharactertraitsanadultmusthaveaccordingtothepoem•Identifythecentralthemeoftheassignedstanza•RelatethecharactervaluesintheassignedstanzatoRickRescorla’sactions•Explainwhytheadviceinthepoemisrelevanttoday

Eachgroupwillpreparetopresentandexplainthewrittenfindingstothewholeclass.

Whole Group Activity:Eachgroupwillexplainthefindingstothewholeclass.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillexplorewhytheythinktheadvicegiveninthepoemhasproventobesotimeless.Individually,studentswillwriteanessaythatmakesconnectionsbetweenRickRescorla’svideoandthepoem.

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L E S S O N B 1 1


Assessment:Stanzapresentation,classdiscussion,essay

Resources: Rick Rescorla video Stewart,JamesB.Heart of a Soldier.NewYork:Simon&Schuster,2002.Ash,Chris.TheIfMan:Dr.LeanderStarrJameson,theInspirationforKipling’sMasterpiece.WestMidlands,England:Helion&CompanyLimited,2012.Kipling,Rudyard.SomethingofMyself.NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,1990.

Extended Activity:StudentswilldiscusstheroleofintegrityinthepoemandinRickRescorla’sstory.StudentswillreadtheRudyardKiplingpoem“If”torecognizeadverbclausesandhowtheyarepunctuated.Whenstudentsarefamiliarwithadverbclauses,theymaycreatetheirownIfpoem.RewriteKipling’spoemaddressedfromamothertoadaughter.Wouldthemessagechange?Whyorwhynot?


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L E S S O N B 1 1

I FBY RUDYARD KIPLING

IfyoucankeepyourheadwhenallaboutyouArelosingtheirsandblamingitonyou;Ifyoucantrustyourselfwhenallmendoubtyou,Butmakeallowancefortheirdoubtingtoo;Ifyoucanwaitandnotbetiredbywaiting,Orbeingliedabout,don’tdealinlies,Orbeinghateddon’tgivewaytohating,Andyetdon’tlooktoogood,nortalktoowise:

Ifyoucandream—andnotmakedreamsyourmaster;Ifyoucanthink—andnotmakethoughtsyouraim;IfyoucanmeetwithTriumphandDisasterAndtreatthosetwoimpostorsjustthesame;Ifyoucanbeartohearthetruthyou’vespokenTwistedbyknavestomakeatrapforfools,Orwatchthethingsyougaveyourlifeto,broken,Andstoopandbuild’emupwithworn-outtools:

IfyoucanmakeoneheapofallyourwinningsAndriskitononeturnofpitch-and-toss,Andlose,andstartagainatyourbeginningsAndneverbreatheawordaboutyourloss;IfyoucanforceyourheartandnerveandsinewToserveyourturnlongaftertheyaregone,AndsoholdonwhenthereisnothinginyouExcepttheWillwhichsaystothem:‘Holdon!’

Ifyoucantalkwithcrowdsandkeepyourvirtue,OrwalkwithKings—norlosethecommontouch,Ifneitherfoesnorlovingfriendscanhurtyou,Ifallmencountwithyou,butnonetoomuch;IfyoucanfilltheunforgivingminuteWithsixtyseconds’worthofdistancerun,YoursistheEarthandeverythingthat’sinit,And—whichismore—you’llbeaman,myson!

“…He just does it because it’s

part of who he is.”

- A L L E N LY N C H

“You and Me, God”

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •determinethattheCitizenHonorsawardeesdisplaymanyofthesameattributesasMedalofHonorRecipients•relatethecharactervaluesdemonstratedbyaCitizenHonorsawardeetothoseofaMedalofHonorRecipient theyhavestudied•identifythecharactervaluesdemonstratedbyDavidBryanandsupporttheirchoiceswithevidence from the video•writeinresponsetothevideoaboutthesituationfacingDavidBryan

Citizen Honors Focus: David Bryan

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstowriteaboutthefollowingquotationforapproximatelyfifteenminutes,thensharewithapartner,andfinallythewholegroup.Directionstostudents:Pleasereadthefollowingquotationfromthevideoweareabouttostudy:“Basically,ourlifeashumanbeingsishowweinteractwithoneanother,andeverylittlepieceofyourselfthatyougivetosomeoneelsecarrieson,andtheyaregoingtopassthattosomeoneelse.”Explainwhatthisquotationmeanstoyou.Explainhowalessoninlifehasbeenpassedontoyouthatyouhopetopassdownthroughgenerationsaswell.Perhapsyourmotheralwaysrememberedaneedyfamilyduringtheholidaysandyouhopetocontinuethetradition,oryourfather’sexampleofkindnesstowardssomeoneinneedisacharactertraitorvaluethatyouhopetodevelop.Afterstudentswriteandshareresponses,theteacherwillexplainthesignificanceoftheCitizenHonors(referbacktoLessonA4).TheteacherwillexplainthatDavidBryan,wholivednearKansasCity,Missouri,washonoredforgoingaboveandbeyondbyvaliantlyrescuingamotoristfromaburningautomobile.Theteacherwillexplainthatasaprivatecitizen,DavidBryandisplayedmanyofthesamevaluesasMedalofHonorRecipients:courage,commitment,citizenship,sacrifice,integrity,andpatriotism.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewDavidBryan’svideo.TheteacherwillleadstudentsinabriefdiscussionoftheirimpressionsofDavidBryan.Studentsshouldreflectonwhetherhedemonstratedanyofthecharactervaluesofthepersonmentionedintheirindividualresponsestotheintroductoryactivity.

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L E S S O N B 9L E S S O N B 1 2



Small Group Activity:Studentswillbeaskedtotakeonthefollowingrolesinsmallgroups:•Questioners-WhatunansweredquestionsdoyouhaveabouttheactionsofDavidBryan?Whatthreequestions wouldyouaskhimifyoucould?•Visualizers-Drawanimpactfulscenefromthevideo.Explainwhythesceneisasignificantpartofthevideo.•Concluders-WhatconclusionscanyoudrawaboutDavidBryanandMichaelNolteafterhearingtheirstory? Whatevidenceledyoutotheseconclusions?•Inferencers-Whatinferencescanbedrawnfromtheaccountofthesetwomen?•Predictors-WhatpredictionswouldyoumakeaboutDavidBryanandMichaelNolte’sactionsinthefuture?•Connectors-Whatconnectionscanyoumaketothisvideo:text-to-text,text-to-world,text-to-me? Explaintherationalefortheseconnections.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillsharetheirworkwiththewholegroupaftercompletingthesetasks.TheteacherwillrevisitthequotationthatthestudentswroteaboutintheintroductoryactivityandaskstudentstodiscusshowitreflectsDavidBryan’svalues.Individually,studentswilllistandexplainatleasttwowaysinwhichDavidBryanandaMedalofHonorRecipienttheyhavestudiedarealike.

Assessment:Participationintheintroductoryactivity,participationinclassdiscussion,completionofsmallgroupactivityincludingshareout,individualstudentlist

Resources:DavidBryanvideo


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L E S S O N B 1 2

Survival Math

Suggested Application: Math, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVES Students will:•understandtherelationshipofthelegsandhypotenuseoftrianglesandfindthehypotenuseandmeasurementof

the legs•calculatetheanglesofatrianglegiventhemissingangle,and/orlengthofthelegsofatriangle•usevolumeandalgebraicequationstofindmissingvariables•connecttheseskillstoreallifeandtoMedalofHonorvalues

Medal of Honor Focus: Leo Thorsness, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam War

Teacher Preparation:Studentsshouldunderstandhowtofindtheanglesofacute,obtuse,andrightangles,squareroots,andalgebraicequations.Thislessoncanbeusedtointroducealgebraicequations,howtofindthelegsandanglesofatriangle,orasanextensionofeitherlesson.

Introductory Activity:Reviewtheconceptofdifferenttriangles,howtofindthelengthofsides,angles,andalgebraicequations.Studentsshouldbeabletoidentifythedifferenttrianglesandhowtolabeltheanglesandlegsaswellashowtosolvebasicalgebraicequations.

Whole Group Activity:ReadthePortraitofValorofLeoThorsnessthenwatchhisLivingHistoryVideo.Afterthevideo,havestudentsdoathink-pair-shareonthemathconceptshewouldhaveneededtoknowinordertodohisjob.Howmighthisskillshavegivenhimthecouragetocarryouthismissions?

Small Group/Individual Activity: Finding a hypotenuseGivethestudentseithertheheight(A),grounddistance(B),totaldistanceglided(C),ortheanglesandhavestudentsfindouttheothers.Changethelengths/distanceneededtoglideformorepractice.WhywastheabilitytocalculateahypotenusecrucialtoThorsness’survival?

Small Group/Individual Activity: Finding AnglesUsingdifferentangles,havestudentsfigureouttheangleLeoThorsnesswouldhaveneededtobeattoglide,heightneededtobeat,angletoland,etc.Changetheanglesformorepractice.

Small Group/Individual Activity: Solving Algebraic Equations and Finding Missing VariablesHavestudentsusealgebraicequationstofigureouthowmanyouncesoffuelsomeonewouldneedtogodifferentdistances.Adjustthedistancesneededtotravel,theamountoffuelavailable,andthedistanceeachounceoffuelcanpropelaplaneforward.

L E S S O N B 9L E S S O N B 1 3


L E S S O N T I M E : One to Three Class Sessions

Concluding Activity:Howcanmathgiveyoucourage?ReviewstudentanswersanddiscusswhymathwassoimportanttoLeoThorsness’survival.Thenhavestudentsbrainstormwaysinwhichmathisneededforotherjobs.Thinkabouthowskillscancreatetheconfidencetohandlechallengingsituations.Havestudentswriteareflection.

Assessment:Mathequations,reflection

Resources:LeoThorsness’LivingHistoryvideoandPortraitofValor

Extended Activities:Studentsshouldtalkwiththeirparentsaboutwhentheyusemathintheirdailylivesandlookintothewaysthatmathwillbeneededandusefulintheirfuture.Studentsshouldresearchacareertheyareconsideringtodiscoverhowmathisusedinthatfield.Basedontheirfindings,theyshouldeachwriteareport,includingalistofthemathclassestheywouldneedtosucceedinthatfield.


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L E S S O N B 1 3

Wild Weasel Dogfight – Over North Vietnam, 1967

Leo Thorsness enlisted in the Air Force in 1952 at the age of nineteen, largely because he had a brother serving in Korea. Though he didn’t make it to Korea himself, he stayed in the military, becoming an officer and a fighter pilot. In 1966, he went to Vietnam as part of a squadron of F-105s. The “Wild Weasel” was a specially modified two-seat F-105 and had the job of finding and destroying surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites. The Weasels were capable of lingering in target areas longer than other fighters, and as a result suffered a high loss ratio; not many Weasel pilots completed their hundred-mission tours.

On April 19, 1967, Thorsness was on a mission deep in North Vietnam. He and his wingman took out an enemy SAM site with missiles, then destroyed a second site with bombs. In the second attack, the wingman radioed that his plane, hit by intense antiaircraft fire, was going down. “Turn toward the mountains and I’ll keep you in sight,” Thorsness told him. As the pilot and his backseater ejected from the damaged aircraft, Thorsness circled above to keep them in sight. Suddenly, he saw an enemy MiG-17 fighter setting up a gunnery pass on the parachutes. Although the Weasel was not designed for dogfights, Thorsness attacked the MiG and destroyed it with bursts from his gatling gun.

Dangerously low on fuel, Thorsness quickly air-refueled from a tanker and returned to the MiG-infested area to protect the downed crew from North Vietnamese soldiers. When his rear-seat weapons officer spotted four more MiGs in the area, he turned back through a barrage of North Vietnamese SAMs to engage them. He hit another one (although he never got credit for the kill because his gun camera had run out of film) and drove the remaining enemy planes away.

Heading for Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, the closest U.S. airfield, Thorsness climbed to thirty-five thousand feet. Seventy miles from base, with his fuel tanks on empty, he pulled the throttle to idle, knowing he could glide two miles for each thousand feet he fell. Just as he was landing, the F-105’s engine ran out of fuel and shut down.

… continued on next page

Leo K. Thorsness

Major, U.S. Air Force357th Tactical Fighter Squadron

BORN: February 14, 1932 Walnut Grove, Minnesota

ENTERED SERVICE:Walnut Grove, Minnesota

DUTY: Vietnam War

DIED: May 2, 2017

Two weeks later, he was shot down over North Vietnam on his ninety-third mission. He bailed out and was captured, and wound up a prisoner of war in the “Hanoi Hilton,” where he ran into the two F-105 crew members he had tried to rescue. After two years of unremitting torture, he learned, through a secret “tap code” among the prisoners, that his name had been submitted for the Medal of Honor. (The officer in charge of writing Thorsness’ citation had been shot down himself and brought to the same prison.)

When the war ended in 1973,Thorsness was released and sent home. He had knee injuries, sustained when he had bailed out of his plane at six hundred knots, and back injuries as a result of torture. He received the Medal of Honor on October 15, 1973, from President Richard Nixon. “We’ve been waiting for you for six years,” Nixon told him. “Welcome home.”

After retiring from the Air Force as a colonel, Thorsness was an executive with Litton Industries and later served the people of Washington as a state senator. In 2002, he started speaking on his personal mantra, “Do what’s right—help others.”

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOUNDATION l WORKBOOK

85

S A C R I F I C E A N D C O M M I T M E N T L E S S O N S


86


S A C R I F I C E & C O M M I T M E N T

“There is no greater honor than the opportunity to serve and help preserve our freedom – it’s

the essence of humanity.”

–JAMESE

. LIVING

STON,M

ARINECO

RPS-VIE

TNAMWAR

“Millions have served in the military and made sacrifices, and most have gone unrecognized.”

–GEOR

GEE. WAHL

EN, NAV

Y-WORL

DWARI

I

“Think about the past and consider the sacrifices men and women in the military have made

for us.”

–GARY

G. WETZ

EL, ARM

Y-VIETN

AMWAR

“Your faith in God and your commitment to friends and loved ones will always guide you to

take the right action.”

–ALEJA

NDRAR.

RUIZ, A

RMY-WORL

DWARI

I

“When something needs to be done, push ahead and overcome all obstacles – there is always

a way.”

–JAYZE

AMER, JR. ,

ARMY-W

ORLDW

ARII

“Without discipline, there can be no success in any endeavor.”

–ARTHU

RJ.JAC

KSON,M

ARINECO

RPS-WORL

DWARI

I

“We didn’t break faith with those who died.”

–EDWARD

R. SCHO

WALTER,

ARMY-K

OREANW

AR

“If I am a slave, and you’re free, will you fight for my liberty?”

–LEWISL

. MILLETT,

ARMY-K

OREANW

AR


S A C R I F I C E & C O M M I T M E N T

“There is no greater honor than the opportunity to serve and help preserve our freedom – it’s

the essence of humanity.”

–JAMESE

. LIVING

STON,M

ARINECO

RPS-VIE

TNAMWAR

“Millions have served in the military and made sacrifices, and most have gone unrecognized.”

–GEOR

GEE. WAHL

EN, NAV

Y-WORL

DWARI

I

“Think about the past and consider the sacrifices men and women in the military have made

for us.”

–GARY

G. WETZ

EL, ARM

Y-VIETN

AMWAR

“Your faith in God and your commitment to friends and loved ones will always guide you to

take the right action.”

–ALEJA

NDRAR.

RUIZ, A

RMY-WORL

DWARI

I

“When something needs to be done, push ahead and overcome all obstacles – there is always

a way.”

–JAYZE

AMER, JR. ,

ARMY-W

ORLDW

ARII

“Without discipline, there can be no success in any endeavor.”

–ARTHU

RJ.JAC

KSON,M

ARINECO

RPS-WORL

DWARI

I

“We didn’t break faith with those who died.”

–EDWARD

R. SCHO

WALTER,

ARMY-K

OREANW

AR

“If I am a slave, and you’re free, will you fight for my liberty?”

–LEWISL

. MILLETT,

ARMY-K

OREANW

AR

The Sacrifices We Make

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, World War II

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •discussexamplesofsacrificeinrelationshiptocommunity

Medal of Honor Focus: John Hawk, U.S. Army, World War II (Europe)

Introductory Activity:TheteacherwilldisplayJohnHawk’swordsontheboard:“Theworstthingthatcanhappentoahumanbeingistohavetotakethelifeofanotherhumanbeing.”Theteacherwillleadstudentsinadiscussionaboutthequotationanditspossiblemeaning.

Whole Group Activity:Writetheword“sacrifice”ontheboard.Havestudentsbrainstormideasaboutsacrifice.Developadefinitionofthetermasagroup.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Havestudentswriteaminimumoffivelinesaboutasacrificethattheyhavewitnessed.Studentswillthenpairupandsharetheirwriting.Havevolunteersreadtheirresponsestothegroup.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillwritearesponsetothefollowingquestions/prompts:•HowdoesJonHawk’sstorydemonstratesacrificeforhisunitandhiscountry?•Howdoeshisactionaffectthecommunityathomeandhiscomrades?•Discusscommunityandhowactsofsacrificeaffectacommunity.•Discussthequotationusedinthebeginningoftheclassanditsmeaningnowthatthevideohasbeenviewed.

Assessment:Answerstovideoquestions,examplesofsacrifice

Resources:JohnHawkLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activity:VisitlocalgravesofservicemembersoraMedalofHonorRecipient,ifthereisoneinyourarea,andplaceflowersorawreath.Researchtheservicemembers.


L E S S O N C 1


“I didn’t even think about it. I felt something had to be done.

I just did it.” - J O S E P H R O D R I G U E Z

The “Burden” of Leadership


OBJECTIVES Students will:•explainandidentifycharactertraitsandleadershipstylesthatareeffectiveinleadinggroupsand/orindividualsinvarioussituationsandexperiencesinlife

Medal of Honor Focus: Paul Bucha, U.S. Army, Vietnam War and Jay Vargas, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity: Studentsspendthreetofiveminuteswritingaboutsomeonewhotheylookuptoandthinkisastrongleader.Thiscouldbeanyonetheyknowpersonallyoranywhereinlife.Studentsdiscusswiththepersonnexttothem,andthentheteacherasksforafewresponsestobesharedwiththeclass.

Small Group Activity: •Teacherhandsoutworksheetandasksthestudentstoreadoverthefirstsection,questions1-3,andbe preparedtolocatecertaininformationastheywatchthevideoonPaulBucha.Watchvideo.•Studentsanswerquestions1-3,andteacherassistsifstudentsneedhelprecallingorclarifyingvideosegments orinformation.•Studentsdiscussinsmallgroupswhattheywroteandwhy.Teachercallsonselectgroupstoshareout.•Teacherasksstudentstoreadoverquestions4-6andbepreparedtolocateorjotdowncertaininformation. WatchvideoonJayVargas.•Studentsanswerquestions4-6,andteacherassistsifstudentsneedhelprecallingorclarifyingvideosegments orinformation.•Studentsdiscussinsmallgroupswhattheywroteandwhy.Teachercallsonselectgroupstoshareout.

Whole Group Activity: Teacherandstudentsmovetopagetwooftheworksheet.TeacherexplainsVenndiagramandensuresthatstudentsareawareofdirections.Studentscompletetheworksheet,workinginpairsifnecessary.TeacherasksstudentstocomeforwardandfilloutVenndiagramdrawnonfrontboardandleadsdiscussionasstudentsdo.Classcandebateorclarifyasneeded.

Concluding Activity: Studentsreflectontheirownlivesandanswerthelastquestionaboutleadershipandwhatsituationstheymayhavebeeninandwhatwasgoodorbadaboutthatexperience.

Assessment: Worksheets

Resources:JayVargasandPaulBuchaLivingHistoryvideos,worksheets


L E S S O N C 2


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

The “Burden” of Leadership - Activity 1

Directions: Watch the videos of Medal of Honor Recipients Paul Bucha and Jay Vargas. At the conclusion of each video answer the questions below by section. Then, be prepared to share what you wrote with a group or the class.

Captain Paul Bucha – U.S. Army, Vietnam WarAnalyzethequotes:1.“Ifyouhadyourchoiceofcompanycommandersyouwouldn’tpickme,butifIhadmychoiceofsoldiersI’dpickyou.”WhatdoyouthinkCaptainBuchameantbythat,andwhatdidthatshowasaleader?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2.“Asayoungarmyofficeryouhavetheopportunity,theburden,andtheprivilegetolookayoungmanintheeyeandaskhimtogodosomething,andtheyknowwhatyou’reaskingthemmeansinalllikelihoodtheyarenotcomingback.”ExplainwhatBuchameansandwhatitteachesyouaboutleadership.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3.WhatdidBuchaaskhismentodoandhewouldbringthemallhome?_________________________________________Howimportantistrustinanyrelationshipoffamily,leadership,teamwork?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Colonel Jay Vargas – U.S. Marines Corps, Vietnam War4.ColonelVargasatonepointduringthebattlecalledartilleryinonhisownposition,knowinglyputtinghimselfinthelineoffire.Asaleaderwhatdidthatshowhismenandwhatcharactertraitsdoesthatexemplifyinyourmind?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5.Towardtheendofthevideo,VargasmentionshisThreeGoldenRules.Finisheachquotebelow;thenslightlymodifyeachtomakeitworkforyoutodayasifyouwerealeaderinschool,sports,family,church,orotherassignmentsandactivities.Youmaydecideyoudonotneedtochangethequoteatall.Ifsowrite:NoChangeA:“AlwayssetModify:B.“AlwaystakeModify:C:“NeveraskaMarineModify:

6.Whichofthethreeseemsthemostdifficultandwhy?

L E S S O N C 2 W O R K S H E E T


90

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

The “Burden” of Leadership - Activity 2PERSONAL ANALYSISDirections: Fill out the Venn diagram about Paul Bucha and Jay Vargas. In each of the three areas complete the requested information. Once you have completed the diagram, answer the prompt below. Remember to be detailed and honest in your answers.

Differences:•Writeonecharactertraitthateachmandisplayedthatmayhavebeendifferentfromtheother,basingitonlyontheactionyousawinthevideo.

•WritetwosituationswheretheRecipientshowedleadershipdifferentfromtheother.•WriteonelessonyoulearnedfromeachoftheRecipientsbasedonhisactions.

Similarities:•Writeonetotwocharactertraitsofthesixcorevaluesthatbothmendemonstrated.•Writetwobulletpointsaboutcommonleadershipstylesofbothmen.•Writetwosimilaritiesaboutthetypeofconflicttheywerein.

Describeatimeinyourlifewhenyouwereeitherbeingledbysomeoneoryouwereleadingagroupthroughadifficultchallenge,task,crisis,event,orexperience.Detailwhatwentwellorpoorlyandhowyourleadershiportheleadershipofanotherwasexcellentorlackingandwhy.

Paul Bucha Similarities Jay Vargas



“I never thought I was the best at anything. I simply thought I

had to work hard.” - G O R D O N R O B E RT S

What Can I Do?

Suggested Application: Leadership OBJECTIVESStudents will:•explainwhatroletheyplayinandhowtheycanbepartofapositivesocietythroughservice,sacrifice and commitment

Citizen Honors Focus: Myles Eckert

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwilllisttheexamplesbelowontheboardandthenhavestudentsdeterminetheearliestageatwhichtheythinktheaveragepersonwouldbeabletocompletethefollowingtasks:

Examples:Notlimitedto…Earnabachelor’sdegree: Earnahighschooldiploma:ClimbMt.Everest: Raise$2,000,000forcharity:Changebrakesonacar: Writeanovel:

Individual Activity: HandouttheactivitysheetonMylesEckertandaskstudentstocompletequestions1and2.Askforvolunteerstosharewhattheywrote.

Whole Group Activity:TheteacherwillshowthevideoonMylesEckert.Followingthevideodiscussthoughtsandimpressionsasaclass.ThenaskeachstudenttowriteontheboardoneortwotraitsthatMylesexhibited.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Studentswillnowanswerquestions3and4ontheworksheet.IftheclassdoesnothaveaccesstotheInternet,studentscandiscusswiththeteachervariousgroupsorclubstheyknoworhaveheardof.

Concluding Activity: Studentswillanswerquestion5.Theteacherwilltheninvitestudentstosharewhattheywroteandwhattheycandoasanindividualattheiragetobettertheirsociety.


Resources:MylesEckertvideo,worksheet

Extended Activity: Teacherwillinviteleadersofvariousschoolgroupsorclubs,orleadersoflocalcommunitygroupsornon-profits,tocomeandsharewithyourclass.


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L E S S O N C 3


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Before Watching Video: 1.Describeatimeinyourlifewhenyourememberhelpingoutanindividualorgroup.Whoorwhatwasitandhowdidyouhelp?

2.Describeatimewhenastrangerorsomeoneyouknewhelpedoutyouoryourfamily.Whatdidtheyhavetogiveuptodothat?

After Watching Video: 3.WhatisaGoldStarKid?

4.Usingyourclasscomputerresearchtwoorganizationsthatyouth(Ages6-17)areapartof,thataremeanttohelporprovideservice/aidtocommunities,groups,orindividuals.Describetheirmissionsandmembershipsintheorganizerbelow.Bepreparedtoshare!

Organization:

Mission:

Membership:

Organization:

Mission:

Membership:

SERVICEBEFORE

SELF

5.ChallengeQuestion:Whatcanyoudorightnow,intheshortterm,thatwillhaveapositiveeffectonyourcommunityorindividualsinneed?Describewhywouldyouchoosethatactionandwhatthefirststepwouldbe.



94

Feature Writing


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •understandthemeaningandimportanceofperseverance•useandevaluatedifferentsources

Medal of Honor Focus: Desmond T. Doss, U.S. Army, World War II (Pacific)

Introductory Activity:

Teacherwillpromptstudentstothinkaboutatimewhentheyhadtoshowperseveranceinthefaceofachallengingsituation.Studentswillwriteabriefdescriptionofthiscircumstanceandthensharewithpartnersorinsmallgroups.Teacherwillaskforvolunteerstosharetheirexampleswiththeclass.

Small Group/Individual Activity:

StudentswillreadDesmondDoss’sPortraitofValorandwatchhisLivingHistoryvideo.Studentswillcompletetheworksheetonwhichtheywillidentifyexamplesofloyalty,perseverance,self-sacrifice,andanothertraitthattheyidentifywithinhisstory.Theywillalsowriteabouthowlookingatbothwrittenandvideosourceshelpedtodeveloptheirunderstandingofhispersonalcharacter.

Whole Group Activity:

Studentswillsharetheirfindings,andtheteacherwilltakenoteoftheexamplesthatarebeingshared.Studentswillalsosharetheirthoughtsonvaluablefactsthatbothsourcesprovidedandtheimportanceofusingmorethanonesourcetoformawell-roundedunderstandingoftopics.

Concluding Activity:

Studentswillwriteajournalentryontheroleperseveranceplaysinbeingasuccessfulindividual.Studentswillratethemselvesontheircurrentlevelofperseveranceintheirdailylivesandwillidentifyoneareainwhichtheywouldliketoimprove.

Assessment:

Participationindiscussion,worksheet,journalentry

Resources:

DesmondDossLivingHistoryvideoandPortraitofValor,worksheet

Extended Activities:

WriteapoemaboutDesmondDoss.WriteaReader’sTheaterpiecethatcouldbeperformedaboutDesmondDoss.

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LOYALTY

Examples:

Describe the most valuable fact you

learned from the Portrait of Valor.

Describe the most valuable fact you

learned from the Living H

istory.H

ow did using both the w

ritten and video sources help you to better understand his personal character?

PERSERVERANCE

Examples:

SELF-SACRIFICE

Examples:

Examples:

WH

AT OTH

ER CHARACTER

TRAIT DO YO

U IDEN

TIFY IN

DESMO

ND DO

SS?


96

Nam

e _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Healing Seven Days a Week – Okinawa, Japan, 1945

Desmond Doss quit school after the eighth grade in the middle of the Depression to help support his family. He was working in the shipyards in Newport News, Virginia, when he was drafted into the Army in April 1942. He wanted to serve his country, but as a devout Seventh Day Adventist, he chose not to bear arms, so he joined the Army’s Medical Corps. In basic training, the other recruits considered him strange because of his deep religious convictions—so much so that they threatened and harassed him and tried to get him transferred out of the unit. Doss successfully fought efforts to discharge him.

Private Doss served as a medic with the 77th Division in campaigns on Guam and Leyte in 1944, where the lingering suspicions the other men had about him were dispelled by his bravery under fire. On Okinawa, in the late spring of 1945, his battalion was assaulting a jagged escarpment rising four hundred feet whose summit was commanded by well-entrenched Japanese forces. It was a battle that began on April 29 when the American took the position and continued on for nearly three weeks as the Japanese fought back from caves and tunnels. At one point, he treated four men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave. Only a few yards away from Japanese guns, he dressed each of their wounds and made four trips to drag them to safety.

On May 5, a Saturday and Doss’s Sabbath, he was the only medic available as the ongoing assault on the escarpment met heavy resistance. Telling himself that Christ had healed seven days a week, he advanced with the rest of the men. They seemed on the verge of finally taking the position when the enemy concentrated massive artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire on them, driving most of them back down the face of the escarpment and leaving dozens of casualties behind.

Doss alone stayed with the fallen soldiers. Under constant fire, he tended the wounded, then dragged them to the edge of the escarpment and lowered them down in a rope sling. Each time he got one of them to safety, he prayed, “Dear God, let me get just one more man.” By nightfall, he had rescued seventy-five GIs.


Desmond T. Doss

Private First Class, U.S. ArmyMedical Detachment, 307th Infantry77th Infantry Division

BORN: February 1, 1919 Lynchburg, Virginia

ENTERED SERVICE: Lynchburg, Virginia

DUTY: World War II

DIED: March 20, 2006

Several days later, after American forces were advancing slowly against strong resistance, Doss was seriously wounded in the leg by a grenade. He treated himself, then waited five hours to be rescued. As he was being carried back to an aid station on a stretcher, the enemy counterattacked. Along the way, Doss insisted on giving his stretcher to a badly injured GI.

Another soldier who was slightly wounded came along and suggested to Doss that the two of them try to reach the aid station together. As they were making their way, a sniper’s bullet struck Doss in the arm, entering at his wrist and traveling to his upper arm. He improvised a splint out of a rifle stock, and he and the other wounded man eventually made it to the aid station.

In the meantime, the litter bearers had returned for Doss. When they couldn’t find him, they assumed he was dead. The news made the front page of his hometown paper in Lynchburg, Virginia. Doss, now at a field hospital, had a nurse help him write a letter to his mother to let her know that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated.

The bullet in Doss’s arm was removed at the Woodrow Wilson Hospital in Waynesboro, Virginia. After the operation, he was told he was being taken to Washington, D.C., in the company commander’s car to receive the Medal of Honor. President Harry Truman placed it around his neck on October 12, 1945.

Visualizing History


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •definevisualization,citeexamples,andexplainhowvisualizationhelpswithunderstanding•definesacrificeandcommitmentinrelationtotheMedalofHonorcriteria•createastoryboardthatexemplifiesthesacrificeandcommitmentthatresultedintheRecipient’scitation

Medal of Honor Focus: Tibor Rubin, U.S. Army, Korean War; Patrick Brady, U.S. Army, Vietnam War; James Fleming, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam War; or Leroy Petry, U.S. Army, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillreadanypoemwithstirringvisualimages(e.g.“BalladofBirmingham”writtenbyDudleyRandall)andaskthestudentstoimaginewhatishappeninginthepoem.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillleadthestudentstounderstandhowimagination/visualizationhelpsreadingcomprehension.Askstudentstoimaginewhattheirmother’sfacelookslikewhenshetellsthemnoorwhattheymayormaynotdo.Tellstudentsthisisvisualization.Theteacherwillprovidethestudentswiththepoemandthedoubleentryjournaltemplate.Astheteacherisreadingthepoemaloudforthesecondtime,thestudentswillfollowalongandrecordresponsesinthetemplate.Ifusingthe“BalladofBirmingham,”theteacherwillaskstudentstodescribewhattheythinkthestreetsofBirminghamlookedlikeduringtheFreedomMarchthatdayin1963.Promptstudentstovisualizetheinsideofachurch.Visualizeanexplosion.

Small Group/Individual Activity:StudentswillviewthevideoaboutthefocusRecipient.Thestudentswillusethedoubleentryjournaltemplatetorecordkeyactionsandeventsandthensketchapictureoftheevent.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillguidetheclassinadiscussionaboutwhatstoodoutinthevideo.Afterreflectingonwhatstandsoutintheirdouble-entryjournal,studentswillchooseaneventtographicallyrepresentamomentintheRecipient’svideoforaposterpresentation.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillpresenttheirpostersandexplainthereasonfortheirchoice.

Assessment:Double-entryjournal,poster

Resources:SelectedRecipientLivingHistoryvideo,poem,worksheet 99


L E S S O N C 5


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

DOUBLE-ENTRY JOURNAL

DirectionsStep1: Whilelisteningandreviewing,recordkeyactionsand/oreventsfromthepoemorvideothatyouneed toremember.Placethisinformationintheleftcolumn.Step2: Intherightcolumn,sketchapictureofwhatthisactionoreventmakesyouthinkof.

Name of Recipient _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Event/Action in Video Visualization


100


Exploration of Commitment

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Korean War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •reflectondifferentexperiencesthatdemonstratecommitment•defineanddescribethewordcommitment•recognizecommitmentindifferentcommunities

Medal of Honor Focus: Reginald Myers, U.S. Marine Corps, Korean War

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstowritefivetosevenlinesaboutthefollowing:“Describeacommitmentyoumadeorwitnessedsomeonemake.Didyouorthatpersonkeepthecommitment?”Studentswilldiscusswithapartnerandthenregrouptoshareresponses.

Whole Group Activity:Writetheword“commitment”ontheboard.Havestudentsbrainstorminformationorideasaboutcommitment.Writeadefinitionbasedonthegroupdiscussion.

Small Group/Individual Activity:ViewthevideoaboutReginaldMyersandhavestudentsidentifyfactsrelatingtocommitment.

Whole Group Activity:Discussexamplesofcommitmentfromthevideo.Discussthecommunityofservicemembersandhowtheseexamplesofcommitmentaffectedthem.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillwriteanessaybasedononeofthefollowingprompts:Option1 DescribewhatyoubelievethefollowingquotationmeanstoReginaldMyers,thenwhatitmeanstoyou. “Freedomisnotfree,freedomissomethingyouhavetoearn.”-ReginaldMyers

Option2 EvaluatehowthevideoaboutReginaldMyersdemonstratesthevalueofcommitment.

Option3 Reflectonthecommitmentyouwroteaboutatthestartofclass.Howwereothersaffectedbythe commitment,whetherornotitwaskept?Whatdidyoulearnfromtheoutcomes?

Assessment:Discussion,essay

Resources:ReginaldMyersLivingHistoryvideo

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L E S S O N C 6


“If you fail, in anything, don’t give up. Just pick yourself back up,

learn from it, and move on.” - J AY VA R G A S

Overcoming Obstacles


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •analyzehoweventsdevelopandinteractoverthecourseofatext•evaluateaspeaker’spointofviewandreasoning•identifyalternativesolutionstoaproblem

Medal of Honor Focus: Clarence Sasser, U.S. Army, Vietnam War. Any Medal of Honor Recipient or Citizen Honors awardee may be used.

Introductory Activity:Teacherwillwritethefollowingontheboard:“Describeatimeinyourlifewhenyouovercameadifficultcircumstanceandhowyoudidso.”Studentswillwritefivetosevenlinestoanswerthequestion.Studentswillsharetheirresponsewithapartnerandthendiscusstheirresponsesasaclass.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillgivestudentstheworksheetandexplainthattheyaretofilloutthefirstcolumnwithobstaclesthatthepersoninthevideohadtoovercomeandthesecondcolumnwithevidenceofhowheorsheovercameorattemptedtoovercomethoseobstacles.Studentsshouldbeabletoidentifyatleastthreeobstaclesandhowtheindividualovercamethem.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Attheconclusionofthevideo,theteacherwillputstudentsingroupsoftwotofourtosharetheirdoubleresponsesandleadadiscussionaboutwhatstoodouttothem.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillcompletea3-2-1reflection,describingthreethingsthatstoodout,twoquestionstheystillhave,andoneconnectionorapplicationtheymadetoowntheirlife.

Assessment:Studentdiscussion,doubleentryjournal,reflection

Resources:ChosenMedalofHonorRecipientorCitizenHonorsawardeevideo,worksheets

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L E S S O N C 7


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Overcoming ObstaclesDescribeatimeinyourlifewhenyouovercameadifficultcircumstanceandhowyoudidso.

Focus MOH Recipient/CH awardee: ____________________________________________________ OBSTACLE DESCRIBE HOW HE/SHE OVERCAME EACH OBSTACLE



104

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

3-2-1 Reflection WorksheetReflect on the person who you learned about today and complete the activities below.

EXPLAIN ONE WAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THIS STORY OR TO THE OBSTACLES THE INDIVIDUAL HAD TO OVERCOME.

DEVELOP TWO QUESTIONS THAT YOU STILL HAVE AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO.


105

DESCRIBE THREE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS VIDEO.


“The hardest part about the Medal of Honor is wearing it. It’s an honor to do so because I know what it means . . . I hope that by wearing the Medal, I’m able to honor their [the soldiers who died] sacrifice.”

- K Y L E W H I T E

Individual Leadership


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •defineleadership•identifyleadershiptraits

Medal of Honor Focus: Hershel Williams, U.S. Marine Corps, World War II (Pacific)Citizen Honors Focus: David Bryan

Introductory Activity:Studentswillanswerthefollowingjournalprompt:“Whatisleadership?Listpeoplewhoshowleadershipandexplainwhyandhowtheydemonstratedthistrait.”

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillleadawholeclassdiscussionbasedonjournalresponses.ThestudentswillthenviewthevideosaboutHershelWilliamsandDavidBryan.

Small Group/Individual Activity:StudentswillanalyzethebehaviorofHershelWilliamsandDavidBryananddescribetheleadershiptraits theyshowed.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillcompareandcontrasttheleadershiptraitsdiscussedintheirjournalentrytothoseshownbyHershelWilliamsandDavidBryan.Studentswillidentifycommontraitsbetweenthosewhoserveinthemilitaryandcivilians.

Concluding Activity:Studentswilllistthreeleadershiptraitstheyfeeltheyhaveorwouldliketohaveinthefutureandwriteanessayexplainingwhythesetraitsareimportanttotheirfuturesuccess.

Assessment:Discussion,notecard,essay

Resources:DavidBryanvideo,HershelWilliamsLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activity:Studentswillreadnewsarticlestoidentifypeoplewhodisplayleadershiptraits.Studentswillselectanindividualtoresearchfurtherandprepareabriefreportontheirfindings.Discusswithstudentstheroleofcommitmentandsacrificeinleadership. 107


L E S S O N C 8


“It was my job. I don’t think what I did was above and beyond.

I never have.” - C L A R E N C E S A S S E R

Sacrifice Forward


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •definesacrifice•identifyhowonesacrificecanhavearippleeffectonothers

Citizen Honors Focus: Dr. Jordy Cox

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentsseveralquestions:“Whathappenswhenyoudropapebbleinapondofwater?Whathappenswhenyoushoutintoacaveoremptyroom?”Askstudentstoexplaintheirresponses.Theteacherwillleadadiscussionfocusedonthesequestionsandanswers.Thepebbledroppedintothewatercausesripplesandtheshoutintothecaveechoes.Inthesameway,onesacrificecanhavearippleeffectonothers.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideofeaturingDr.JordyCox.Whilewatchingthevideo,studentswillrecordtheexamplesofsacrificetheyobserve.

Small Group Activity:Afterthevideoiscompleted,thestudentswilldiscusstheirresponsesinpairsorsmallgroups.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillleadaclassdiscussionfocusedonthetypesofsacrificeinthevideo.Theclasswillalsodiscussthekindsofsacrificenotdirectlyshowninthevideo(donationsoffood/clothing,blooddrives,co-workerswillingtotakeonextraworkwhileDr.Coxvolunteers,etc.).

Individual Activity:Studentswillwriteanessaytoexplaintherippleeffectdiscussedintheintroductoryactivityandhowtheyobservedthateffectinthevideo.StudentswillincludehowDr.JordyCox’sactionsexemplifiedsacrificeandwhyhewaschosenfortheCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors.

Concluding Activity:Studentswilllistwaysthattheycouldsacrificeforwardandbeapartofarippleeffectthathelpsothers.

Assessment:Essay,list

Resources: JordyCoxvideo

Extended Activities:1.Studentswillselectacommunityorschoolservicegroupandvolunteertheirtimeandeffortsupportingthatcause.Studentswillwriteabouttheirexperiencesdoingcommunityservice.

2.StudentscandoresearchontheDoctorsWithoutBorders(MedecinsSansFrontieres)programandwherethedoctorsgotohelpothers.Studentswillalsobeencouragedtorelatetheirfindingsabout DoctorsWithoutBorders.


L E S S O N C 9


“It’s [the Medal of Honor] about men and women who value something so strongly that they’d

be willing to die for it.”

- G A R Y B E I K I R C H

Sacrifice Without Borders

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Creative Writing, Social Studies

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •identifytheelementsofaneffectivenewspaperarticle•determinethattheCitizenHonorsawardeesdisplaymanyofthesamevaluesasMedalofHonorRecipients•identifyvaluesofcourage,sacrifice,patriotism,citizenship,integrityorcommitmentasexemplifiedbyDr.JordyCox

Citizen Honors Focus: Dr. Jordy Cox

Introductory Activity:Studentswillwriteaheadlineforanewspaperarticlethattellsthestoryofsomethingthathappenedtothemduringtheweek.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillsharetheirheadlinewithapartner.Takingturns,eachpartnerwillsharehis/herheadline.Aftersharingtheheadline,studentswillthenwriteabriefsummaryoftheeventsthattookplacetocreateanewsstory.Thelisteningpartnerwilltakenotesonthetalkingpartner’sstoryusingquestionlist#1ontheworksheet.

Small Group Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideoaboutDr.JordyCoxandindividuallyfilloutquestionlist#2ontheworksheet.TheteacherwillexplainthatDr.CoxwasarecipientoftheCitizenHonorsbecauseofsustainedandsuperioractionoveraperiodoftime.Ingroupsoffour,studentswillcomparenotestocreateacollaborativegroupchart.Eachgroupwillusethecharttoconstructanewspaperarticlebasedontheevents.Reviewvideoasnecessary.

Whole Group Activity:EachgroupwillsharetheirnewspaperarticleaboutDr.JordyCoxwiththeclass.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillthinkofanexamplefromtheirownliveswhenapersonactedwithoneormoreoftheMedalofHonorvalues.Theywillusethequestionsandstrategiesfromthisactivitytoconstructapersonal“servicebeforeself”newspaperarticledetailingtheevent.

Assessment:“Servicebeforeself”newspaperarticles

Resources:JordyCoxvideo,worksheet

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L E S S O N C 1 0


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Question List #1

Partner’sheadline:

Whowasinvolved?

Whathappened?

Whendidtheeventtakeplace?

Wheredidtheeventtakeplace?

Whydidtheeventoccur?

Howdidtheeventaffectthepeopleinthestory?

Question List #2

Dr.JordyCoxnewsstoryheadline:

Whowasinvolved?

Whathappened?

Whendidtheeventstakeplace?

Wheredidtheeventstakeplace?

Whydidtheeventsoccur?

Howdidtheeventsaffectthepeopleinthestory?

WhichMedalofHonorvaluebestfitsthisstoryandwhy?

L E S S O N C 1 0 W O R K S H E E T


112

Save A Life, Save A Nation

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Leadership, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVES Students will: •recognizeheroicactionsincivilianandmilitarycircumstances •reflectonhowtheirpersonaldecisionscanhaveanimpactfargreaterthantheymightinitiallyimagine

Medal of Honor Focus: Bruce Crandall, U.S. Army, Vietnam War Citizen Honors Focus: Rick Rescorla

Teacher Preparation: ThisLessonassumesabasicknowledgeoftheMedalofHonorandCitizenHonors.Ifneeded,use lessonsA3andA4forbackgroundknowledgeofthetwoawards.

Introductory Activity: BeginbyshowingaclipfromthemovieWeWereSoldiers(1:06:57-1:10:22).Inthisscene,BruceCrandallgetsintoanargumentwithanothersoldier. Discusstheideathatweareallfacedwithdecisionsthatimpactotherpeople.(Ifyoudonothaveaccesstotheclip,adiscussionabouthowdecisionsimpactotherswillworkaswell).

Whole Group Activity: ShowBruceCrandall’sLivingHistoryvideo.

LeadaclassroomdiscussiononthedecisionsBruceCrandallfacedandthechoiceshemade.SomedecisionstofocusonincludestayingintheArmyafterhisinitialdraftenlistmentwasup,volunteeringforhelicoptertraining,andpioneeringanewandpotentiallydangeroustacticofhelicoptermobilityonthebattlefield.

Whole Group Activity: ShowthevideoofRickRescorla.

AskstudentsiftheycanmakeanyconnectionsbetweenBruceCrandallandRickRescorla.Similaritiesincludethefollowing:BruceCrandalliswearingablackStetsoninhisvideoasarepeopleintheRescorlavideo;CrandallmentionsFortHoodinhisvideo,andtheRescorlastorymentionsFortHood;bothmenwereintheVietnamWar.

RevealthatRescorlawasinthebattleoflaDrangValleyinVietnaminNovember1965whereBruceCrandallperformedthatactsofheroismthatresultedinhimbeingawardedtheMedalofHonor(depictedinthemovieWeWereSoldiers).

LeadadiscussionaboutthefactthatwithoutCrandall’sheroicdecisiontoflyrepeatedlyintoadangeroussituation,thesoldiersinthebattle,includingRescorla,potentiallywouldnothavesurvivedthebattle.PointoutthatRescorlaandCrandallprobablydidnotknoweachotherwell,ifatall,atthetime.DiscusswhatwouldhavehappenedtothepeopleRescorlahelpedevacuateon9/11ifhehadnotsurvivedthebattlein1965.

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L E S S O N C 1 1



Concluding Activity: Studentswillwriteareflectiononatimetheymadeadecisionwhichimpactedothers,eitherpositivelyornegatively.Whatwasthedecision?Howdiditaffectothers?Wouldtheyhavemadeadifferentchoiceaftertheysawtherippleeffectsoftheirchoiceandactions?

Assessment: Participationinclassdiscussion,studentreflectionpaper

Resources: BruceCrandallandRickRescorlaLivingHistoryvideos,movieWeWereSoldiers(optional).


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L E S S O N C 1 1

We Stand on the Shoulders of Giants


OBJECTIVESStudents will: •identifythosewhohavesacrificedontheirbehalf •understandtheimportanceofrecognizingthosewhohavepavedthewayforthemtolearn,grow,andsucceed

Medal of Honor Focus: Roger C. Donlon, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity: Step1:Handouttheworksheetforthelesson.Writethephrase“WeStandontheShouldersofGiants”onthe

board.Havestudentsdiscusswhattheythinkthephrasemeans.Oncetheclasshasadefinitionofthatphrase,havethemwriteitatthetopoftheactivitysheet.Classesshouldgenerallyarriveattheideathatweoftenbenefitfromthelessons,sacrifices,work,ideas,andfoundationslaidbythosewhohavegonebeforeus.Emphasizethatthosewhosacrificeforusoftendosotogiveusopportunitiesinthefuture.

Step2:Writethe3sentencestartersontheboard.

-Iknowhowto___________becauseof_______________(person).

-Ihave_________________becauseof________________(person).

-Iwillbeableto_____________because____________(person)____________(action).

Step3:AskstudentstowritedownonesentenceforeachsentencestarterontheactivitysheetprovidedinPart2.Oncetheyhavethosesentenceswrittendown,invitethemtocomeforwardandwriteatleastoneoftheirsontheboardforstudentstoread.Youmaywanttotellthemthatonecanbeaboutafamilymember,oneaboutsomeonetheyknow,andanotheraboutsomeonetheyhavenevermetbutknowof.

Whole Group Activity: HavestudentswatchthevideoonRogerDonlon.Astheyarewatching,askstudentstofocusonwhatsacrificesweremadebyothersandwhatsacrificesDonlonwaswillingtomakeforothers.

Small Group Activity: Attheconclusionofthevideo,askstudentstoformgroupsoftwotofourandcompletetheremainingquestionsontheworksheet.Theyshouldbepreparedtosharetheiranswerswiththeclass.Askseveralstudentstoshare.

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L E S S O N C 1 2



Individual Activity: Havestudentsusethebackoftheactivitysheetoraseparatepieceofpaperandwritealettertotheircurrentselvesfromtheirfutureselves.Theywillimaginetheyarewho,where,orwhattheywanttobe20yearsinthefutureandwriteathank-youtoallofthe“Giants”whohelpedthemgetwheretheywillbeinthefuture.Askstudentstobedetailedandthinkofallthosetheythinkmighthaveanimpactonthemastheypursuetheirgoalsinfamily,career,education,athletics,hobbies,religion,civiclife,andmore.

Concluding Activity: Havestudentssharetheirletterswiththeclass.Youmaychoosetopostthelettersaroundtheroom,shareinsmallgroups,orhavevolunteersreadaloudtotheclass.

Assessment: Worksheet,letter

Resources: RogerDonlonLivingHistoryvideo,worksheet

Extended Activity: HavestudentsresearchRogerDonloningreaterdetail.Researchsomeoftheactivitiesandorganizationshehasbeeninvolvedwithinorderto“standontheshoulderofgiants.”DonlonhaswrittentwobooksandbeeninvolvedwithorganizationssuchasWreathsAcrossAmerica.


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L E S S O N C 1 2

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS ClassDefinition:______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Complete each sentence by filling in the blanks with what and who. Use a different person for each sentence. Example:Iknowhowtoread and writebecauseofmymother.

-Iknowhowto____________________________________becauseof______________________________________(person)

-Ihave_________________________________________becauseof_________________________________________(person)

-Iwillbeableto_______________________because________________________(person)____________________(action)

At the conclusion of the living history video on Roger Donlon, answer the questions below.

1. Duringthebattle,JohnHoustoniskilled.RogerDonlonpausesandasks,“God,whyJohn,whynotme?”WhatdidDonlonunderstandaboutJohnHouston’ssacrifice?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What,ifany,responsibilitydoyouthinkRogerDonlon,oranysurvivor,feelsafterabattlewhenothershavelosttheirlives,buttheysurvived?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Howdothesacrificesofothersallowustomakeadifferenceorachievegreatthings?Describeaspecifictimesomeonesacrificedforyou.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Whatresponsibilitydowehavetothoseonwhoseshoulderswestand?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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L E S S O N C 1 2 W O R K S H E E T


C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D PAT R I O T I S M L E S S O N S


C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D PAT R I O T I S M

“One visit to a country without freedom makes one realize that freedom is a precious gift

worth fighting for.”

–ERNES

TE.WEST

, ARMY-K

OREANW

AR

“We are extremely lucky to live in a nation where the dreams for our lives can be fulfilled.”

–MELV

INE. BID

DLE, AR

MY-WORL

DWARI

I

“Go with honor, return with honor. That is America in action.”

–GEOR

GEE. DA

Y, AIRF

ORCE-VI

ETNAMWAR

“The greatest gift I can leave my children is their heritage.”

–EINER

H. INGM

AN,ARM

Y-KORE

ANWAR

“Our freedom, envied the world over, was attained at great personal sacrifice – we cannot

allow it to wither away through apathy.”

–THOMASJ

. HUDNE

R, JR. , N

AVY-KO

REANW

AR

“To be an American comes with many rights, privileges, and responsibilities. It is our duty to

honor, defend and preserve them for future generations.”

–RICHA

RDA. PIT

TMAN,MARIN

ECORPS

-VIETNA

MWAR

“… I believe in liberty and justice and will fight to defend the dignity of man.”

–RICHA

RDK. SO

RENSON

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“If one dishonors God or his country, he dishonors himself.”

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“…I thought, just keep going until

you can’t.”

- M I C H A E L F I T Z M A U R I C E

What Is Patriotism?

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, World War II, Korean War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •defineandidentifyexamplesofpatriotism

Medal of Honor Focus: John Finn, U.S. Navy, World War II (Pearl Harbor); Joseph Rodriguez, U.S. Army, Korean War

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillcreateagraphicorganizerontheboardusingthefollowingcategories:word,definition,examples(e.g.voting),antonyms(e.g.notvoting).Alinedpapercanbefoldedintofoursectionsandlabeledaccordingly.Theteacherwillplacetheword“patriotism”asthewordtodefineintheupperlefthandcornerinthegraphicorganizerandguidestudentstocompletetherestwithadefinitionoftheword,examplesoftheword,andantonymsoftheword.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideosofJohnFinnandJosephRodriguez.Thestudentswillrecordexamplesofpatriotismastheywatchthevideos.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Placestudentsinsmallgroupstocompareexamples.TheywilllookateachexamplefromJohnFinnandJosephRodriguezanddiscussthechoiceseachmanmade.

Whole Group Activity:TheteacherwillleadadiscussionbasedonwhyJohnFinnandJosephRodriguezactedastheydid.Theteacherwillalsoaskstudentsforcurrentdayactionsofpatriotism,e.g.voting,volunteering.

Concluding Activity:Studentswillbeaskedtore-definetheword“patriotism”onanotecard,andgiveoneexamplefromaMedalofHonorRecipientandoneactiontheyhaveseenintheirlives.

Assessment:Graphicorganizers,discussion,definition

Resources:JohnFinnandJosephRodriguezLivingHistoryvideos,notecards

Extended Activity:StudentscanresearchthePledgeofAllegianceanduseathesaurustomoredeeplydefinethewords.ThestudentscanthenwriteashortessayonhowMedalofHonorRecipientsJohnFinnandJosephRodriguezexemplifiedthemeaningofthePledgeofAllegiance.


L E S S O N D 1


“Everything that we’re able to do, all the freedoms that we enjoy, are because of this great country. All of us have an obligation to

support that.” - G O R D O N R O B E RT S

Defining Citizenship

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Political Science, War on Terror

OBJECTIVESStudents will:•analyzethemeaningofcitizenship•makeconnectionstotheircitizenshipwithindifferentgroups•identifywaystoimprovetheirrolesasmembersofacommunity•establishtheirrolesascitizensandtheirresponsibilitiestothecommunitymembersofthelargergroup

Medal of Honor Focus: William “Kyle” Carpenter, U.S. Marine Corps, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

Introductory Activity: Theteacherwillprovideadefinitionforcitizenshipandclarifythemeaningforthestudent.Theclasswilldiscussdifferenttypesofcommunitiesofwhichonecanbeacitizen.Afterthisdiscussion,theteacherwillmodeltheactivitybyidentifyingthedifferentcommunitiesofwhichheorsheisapart.

Individual Activity:Studentscompletetheworksheettoidentifythecommunitiestowhichtheybelongandchooseonecommunitytoanalyzebydocumentingtheirrolesandresponsibilitiesaswellasthequalityoftheirmembershipinthatcommunity.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideoofWilliam“Kyle”Carpenter.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillcompletethebackoftheworksheettoidentifytherolesandresponsibilitiesCarpenterhasasamemberofhiscommunities.Studentswillrevisittheirrolesandresponsibilitieswithinalloftheiridentifiedcommunitiesanddescribewaysthattheycangrowascitizens.


Resources:Worksheet,William“Kyle”CarpenterLivingHistoryvideo

Extended Activity:Researchaservicegroup,andwriteareportonwhatitsvolunteersdoandhowtheyimprovethecommunity.Draftaproposalforapersonalserviceplan.


L E S S O N D 2


Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

Defining Citizenship

Citizenship is...1: thestatusofbeingacitizen<HewasgrantedU.S.citizenship.>2a: membershipinacommunity(asacollege)b:thequalityofanindividual’sresponsetomembershipinacommunity<Thestudentsarelearningthevalueofgoodcitizenship.>

“Citizenship.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Tue. 4 Apr. 2017.

Identify the different communities that you are a member of:

Choose one of the communities that you belong to and analyze the following:

Whichcommunitydidyouchoosetoanalyzeandwhy?

Whatisyourrolewithinthiscommunity?

Whatareyourresponsibilitiestoyourfellowcitizenswithinthiscommunity?

Howaretheothercitizensresponsibletoyouinthiscommunity?


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L E S S O N D 2 W O R K S H E E T


Howcouldyouimproveyourcitizenshipwithinthecommunitiesthatyoubelongto?

Name _____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _________

William “Kyle” Carpenter

Community Role(s) Responsibilities to others Others’ responsibilities to Kyle in that community Carpenter within that community

Family

Military

Medal of Honor Recipients


“We’re all the same—we’re

Americans.” - E R N I E W E S T

Honoring Citizen Heroes

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Leadership

OBJECTIVES

Students will: • workcollaborativelytoanalyzeCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors(alsocalledCitizenHonors)nominations,

debatewhoshouldbeawarded,anddefendtheirselectionwithreasoningandevidence• reflectonwaystheycancontributetotheirowncommunities

Introductory Activity:TheclasswillreviewthehistoryandpurposeoftheCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonorsaward,usingLessonA4ifneeded.

Small Group Activity:Theteacherwilldividestudentsintogroupsoffourtosixandgiveeachgroupanenvelopethatcontainsthesixpreselectednominations(availablefordownloadatwww.themedalofhonor.com)fortheCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonorsaward.Groupswillfollowthesedirections,andtheteacherwillprovidetimelimits(“Youshouldnowhaveeliminatedoneoption”….“twooptions”….etc.)tokeepthegroupsontask.

Group Directions: • Eachpersonwillsilentlyreadoneortwoofthenominationsandthensummarizewhattheyhaveread

totheirgroup.• Onceeachpersonhasshared,thegroupwillbegintodeliberatewhichnominationwillearntheir

recommendationfortheCitizenHonorsaward.• Thegroupwilllistentothetimelimitsgiventothembytheteacherandwilleliminateoptionsuntiltheyareleft

withonlyonenomination.• Whenthegrouphasmadetheirfinalnominee,theywillreviewthereasonsthattheychosethatnomination.• Agroupleaderwillneedtobechosentosharetheirreasoning.

Whole Group Activity:Teacherwillleadadiscussioninwhicheachgroupleaderwillsharetheirchosennominationandthereasonswhytheirgroupchosethatnominee.Theteacherwillkeeptrackofresponsesandreasoningsasthestudentsshareout.Itworkswelltolistthenomineesontheboardandtallyduringthediscussion.

Small Group Activity:Theteacherwilldirecteachgrouptodiscusstheresultsoftheselectionactivityandthereasoningbehindthoseresults.

Whole Group Activity:TheteacherwillshowtheclasspicturesoftheactualCitizenHonorsawardeesandprovidemoredetailoneachofthem.Theteacherwilldirectaconversationonwhetherlearningmoreabouttheawardeesincludingtheirfullstory--gender,age,etc.--wouldhavechangedtheirselections.Studentswilloffertheirthoughtsandreasoningontheirfinaldecision.


L E S S O N D 3


Concluding Activity:Studentswillbeaskedtowriteareflectiononthedifficultyofhavingtochooseonlyoneawardeewhensomanypeoplearedeservingoftherecognition.StudentscanelaborateonhowlearningaboutvariousCitizen Honorsawardeeshaschangedorenhancedtheirunderstandingofwhattheycandotohelpwithin theircommunities.

Assessment:Discussion,reflection

Resources:PreselectedCitizenHonorsnominations,slideswithpictures,andadditionalinformationontheCitizenHonorsnominees(allavailableatwww.themedalofhonor.com)

Extended Activity:StudentscanresearchlocalheroesandsubmitanominationforCitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonorsawardontheMedalofHonorFoundationwebsite.Studentscanworktogethertocreateaclassroomorschoolcitizenaward.Theyshouldworktogetheringroupstochoosethecriteriafortheaward,writenominationguidelines,establishselectionguidelines,andthencarryouttheprocessfromannouncementthroughaward.Thisassignmentalsoworkswithpre-existingschoolorclassroomstudentrecognitionawardssuchasStudentoftheMonth.

L E S S O N D 3


128


Hero vs. Idol

Suggested Application: History, Language Arts, Vietnam War, War on Terror

OBJECTIVESStudents will: • compare and contrast the terms hero and idol•identifythecharacteristicsofahero

Medal of Honor Focus: Sammy Davis, U.S. Army, Vietnam War; Leroy Petry, U.S. Army, War on Terror (Afghanistan); or Patrick Brady, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Studentswillcreatetwocolumnsonapieceofpaperandlabelthem“hero”and“idol.”Theteacherwillwritethestudents’heroesontheboardastheysharethemwiththeclass.Afterwards,theclasswilldiscusswhatmakesa“true”hero.Thestudentsmaywritethataheroisapersonwhoexhibitsbravery,courage,andmaybewillingtoputhisorherlifeonthelineforothers.Thestudentswillwritedownthecharacteristicsofanidol,whichmayincludesomeonewhoisadoredandadmiredforcelebrityorfame.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideofeaturingSammyDavis,LeroyPetry,orPatrickBradyandtakenotesonwhattheythinkmakeshima“truehero.”

Small Group/Individual Activity:Studentswillformgroupsoffouranddiscussifthepersontheyoriginallychoseasaherotrulyfitsthecategory.Thegroupswilldecideiftheyneedtoidentifyanewpersonasaherobasedonwhattheylearned.Studentswillcontinuetoworkintheirsmallgroupsandwritemorecharacteristicsforeachcolumnoftheoriginalpaper/comparisonchart.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillsharetheircommentsandanalysisregardingthecharacteristicsofSammyDavis,LeroyPetry,orPatrickBradyandhisheroism.Studentswilldiscusswhethertheychangedtheirvisionoftheirheroornot.Individually,studentswillwriteareflectionaboutaMedalofHonorRecipientasanexampleofaheroandthelistsmadeatthebeginningoftheclassofheroesandidols.

Assessment:Charts,paragraphthatexplainshowthechosenherofitsthedefinitionasdiscussedinclass,reflection

Resources:ChosenMedalofHonorRecipientLivingHistoryvideo


L E S S O N D 4

“It didn’t matter who you were or where you were from. We looked

out for one another.” - J A C K LU C A S

Acrostic Poetry

Suggested Application: Language Arts

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •learnaboutacrosticpoetry•learnaboutaMedalofHonorRecipient

Medal of Honor Focus: Any Medal of Honor Recipient (Example: Hiroshi Miyamura, U.S. Army, Korean War)

Introductory Activity:Reviewtheprocessofcreatinganacrosticpoem.Theteacherwillintroducethelessonbyexplainingthatanacrosticpoemdoesnotrhymeandhasnosyllablecount.Anacrosticpoemusesalllettersinatopicword.Allofthelinesofthepoemshouldrelatetoordescribetheword.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillguidetheclasstomakeanacrosticpoemaboutacommonlyknownpersonandplaceit ontheboard.

Small Group/Individual Activity:ThestudentswillrandomlyselectaMedalofHonorRecipientfromanenvelope(thesearepre-selectedbytheteacherfromtheMedalofHonorwebsiteorlistofRecipientsintheIndex).ThestudentswillthenresearchtheirRecipientandcreateanacrosticpoembasedonthefirstandlastnameoftheRecipient.

Whole Group Activity:Studentswillposttheirpoemsintheroom.Inagallerywalkformat,thestudentswillwalkaroundtheclassroomandviewallpoems.

Concluding Activity:Usinganotecard,studentswillexplainwhytheychosethewordsanddescriptionsthatmakeuptheiracrosticpoem.

Assessment:Poem,notecard

Resources:SampleAcrosticpoem,notecards,envelopeofRecipientnames

Extended Activity:Studentswillselectapoem,nottheirown,andmakeinferencesabouttheRecipient.


L E S S O N D 5


FoughtinCHosin Relatives were InternedJapaneseAmericanina waRagainsttheJapaneseOutnumbered byChinesetrOops ToldsquadmemberS to retreat while he covered them Hekickedawayagrenade PrIsoneratPOWcamp CaptiveinPOWcaMp for 27 months Intensecold! “Getup,Youaremyprisoner.” MAchinegunsquadleader FeelshuMbledbythewavingflagWeatherandterrainwere Unrelenting PRovedhisloyaltytohiscountry U.S.Army,KoreA,1951

Hiroshi Miyamura

S A M P L E A C R O S T I C P O E M

FoughtinCHosin Relatives were InternedJapaneseAmericanina waRagainsttheJapaneseOutnumbered byChinesetrOops ToldsquadmemberS to retreat while he covered them Hekickedawayagrenade PrIsoneratPOWcamp CaptiveinPOWcaMp for 27 months Intensecold! “Getup,Youaremyprisoner.” MAchinegunsquadleader FeelshuMbledbythewavingflagWeatherandterrainwere Unrelenting PRovedhisloyaltytohiscountry U.S.Army,KoreA,1951

Music’s Role During War

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Music, Vietnam War, War on Terror

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •identifytheme,tone,imageryusedinpastandcurrentwarsongs•describeeffectsofwarsongsoncommunityopinions•drawconclusionsaboutpublicperceptionbasedonwarsongs•identifytheauthor’spurposeinsonglyrics•inferhowanindividualisinspiredtotakeactionthroughsong•evaluatethechangingtoneinmusicbetweentheVietnamWarandtheWaronTerror

Medal of Honor Focus: Michael E. Thornton, U.S. Navy, Vietnam War

For the Teacher:Beforeclass,displaythefollowingquotationintheclassroomfortheconcludingactivity:“Ithinkeverybodyhastosacrificeforsomethinggreat.Nothingisgiventoyou;youhavetoworkforit.”—MichaelE.Thornton,VietnamWar

Introductory Activity:Respondtothefollowingjournalprompt:“Haveyoueverfoughtfororstoodupforsomethingyoustronglybelievedinwhenmostpeoplethoughtyouwerewrong?”Explainthisincidentandhowitmadeyoufeel.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideoaboutMichaelThorntonandlistmomentsthatstoodoutasnobleorheroic.Theteacherwillconductadiscussionafterviewing.AskstudentstoimaginethatthosewhoservedintheVietnamWar,evenThorntonhimself,werescornedbythemajorityofthepublic.Thesignsofthetimesareusuallydepictedinthemusicofthatera.NeverhasthisbeenmoreevidentthanduringtheVietnamWarera.Listentothesongs“War”byEdwinStarrand“FortunateSon”byCreedenceClearwaterRevival,writtenduringtheVietnamWar.Discusshowtheartists’feelingsaboutwararereflectedinthesesongs.Listentothesongs“CourtesyoftheRedWhiteandBlue”byTobyKeithand“IraqandRoll”byClintBlack,writtenduringtheMiddleEastconflict.Discusshowthesesongsportraydifferentperceptionsaboutthetwoconflicts.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Dividestudentsintosmallgroups.Distributelyricsfromthesonglistthatreflectavarietyofopinions ondifferentwars.Studentswillidentifytone,theme,imagery,andauthor’spurposeforeachsong.Theywillinferwhenthesongwaswrittenandwhy.Eachgroupisresponsibleforrecordingtheirresponses.

Whole Group Activity:Studentgroupswillsharetheirthoughtsandfindingswiththeclassandpointoutconnectionsandcommonliterarydevicesinthesongs.Songexcerptsmaybeplayed.

Concluding Activity:Refertoinitialquotationandinferencesaboutlyrics.Asagroup,studentswillreflecthowtheir ownthoughtsaboutthequotationsrelatetothegroupconsensusaboutwar.


L E S S O N D 6


Assessment:Discussion;studentworkontone,theme,imagery,andauthor’spurpose;reflection

Resources:MikeThorntonLivingHistoryvideo,handoutsofsonglyrics,songstoplayinclass

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED SONGSRevolutionary War“YankeeDoodle”byRichardShuckburghCivil War“BattleHymnoftheRepublic”byJuliaWardHowe“WhenJohnnyComesMarchingHome”byPatrickS.Gilmore“DixieWarSong”byDanEmmett“FollowtheDrinkingGourd”slavesongsunginUndergroundRailroadWar of 1812“StarSpangledBanner”bySirFrancisScottKeyWorld War I“America”(“MyCountry‘TisofThee”)bySamuelFrancisSmith“OverThere”byGeorgeM.Cohan“TheOldGreyMare”byUnknown“Hail!Hail!TheGang’sAllHere”byD.A.EstronWorld War II“GodBlessAmerica”byIrvingBerlinVietnam War“TheTimesTheyAreA‘Changin’”byBobDylan“WhereHaveAlltheFlowersGone”byPeteSeeger“ForWhatIt’sWorth”byStephenStills“JoytotheWorld”byThreeDogNight“GivePeaceaChance”byJohnLennon“WeGottaGetOutofThisPlace”byBarryMannandCynthiaWeil“StarSpangledBanner”JimmyHendrixGuitarRendition“Imagine”byJohnLennon“EveofDestruction”byBarryMcGuireWar on Terror“WhateverHappenedtoPeaceonEarth”byWillieNelson“TheFinalStraw”byREM“InaWorldGoneMad”byTheBeastieBoys“HaveYouForgotten”byDarrylWorley


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L E S S O N D 6


War in Social Context

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Political Science, Sociology, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •evaluatethemoodofacountryatwar•compareandcontrasttheviewsofthreeindividualswhohaddifferentexperiencesatwarandcircumstancesas theyreturnedhome•analyzethecountry’sreactiontomilitarypersonnelwhentheyreturnedhome

Medal of Honor Focus: Hershel Williams, U.S. Marine Corps, World War II (Pacific); Tibor Rubin, U.S. Army, Korean War; and Sammy Davis, U.S. Army, Vietnam War

For the Teacher:Preparetheroombysettingupthevideosandwritingthefollowingthreecommentsontheboard:1. DuringWorldWarIItheentirenationwasbehindthewareffort,andsoldierswerewelcomedhome.2. TheKoreanWarisoftencalledthe“forgottenwar.”3. AmericansentimentturnedagainsttheVietnamWar,andsoldierswereoftenshunnedwhentheyreturnedhome.

Theteacherwillalsoplacethreeflipchartsinseparatecorners,oneforeachwar/video.

Introductory Activity:Studentswillread“TheFourFreedoms”byPresidentFranklinDelanoRoosevelt.Theteacherwillhighlightfreedomofspeech,freedomofworship,freedomfromwant,andfreedomfromfearascorevaluesthatprovidedideologicalreasonsforopposingtheGermansandJapaneseinWorldWarII.TheteacherwillexplainthattheKoreanWarshouldbeviewedinthecontextof“containment”(GeorgeF.Kennan:Sovietexpansionismshouldbe“contained”andeventuallycapitalismwoulddefeatcommunism)andtheTrumanDoctrine(sendeconomicandmilitarysupporttocountriestofightoffcommunism).Tohighlighttheopen-endedcommitmenttocontainmentthatcarriedintotheVietnamWar,theteachershouldreadthefollowingexcerptfromPresidentJohnF.Kennedy’sInauguralAddress:“Leteverynationknowthatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoetoassurethesurvivalandthesuccessofliberty.”

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideosofMedalofHonorRecipientsHershelWilliams,TiborRubin,andSammyDavis,takenotesabouttheirdifferentwarexperiences,andthinkaboutthemostmemorablemomentsorstatements.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Dividetheclassintothreegroups.Setupthreestations(oneforeachRecipient/conflict)androtategroupsthroughthestations.Ontheflipcharts,studentswillwritethekey“take-away,”themostimportantmoment,oramemorablestatement.Answerscannotberepeated.Afterthreeminutes,studentsmovetothenextboard.


L E S S O N D 7

Whole Group Activity:Havestudentsreassembleanddiscussthefollowingquestions:•Howdidthegroupsdifferintheirperceptions?•WhatarethesimilaritiesamongtheRecipients?•WhatarethedifferencesamongtheRecipients?

Individual Activity:AskstudentstoimaginethattheyhadtheopportunitytoconductaninterviewwithanyMedalofHonorRecipient.ThepersonmaybefromanywarinwhichtheMedalofHonorwasawarded,buttheRecipientmustbearealperson,andthecircumstancesbehindtheawardmustbereal.Writeaonetotwopage(200-500words)responseofwhatthatpersonthoughtwasthemostimportantvalueconnectedwiththeactionthatledtotheMedal.

Concluding Activity:Remindstudentsofthecommentswrittenontheboardatthebeginning:DuringWorldWarIItheentirenationwasbehindthewareffortandsoldierswerewelcomedhome;theKoreanWarisoftencalledtheforgottenwar;andAmericansentimentturnedagainsttheVietnamWar,andsoldierswereoftenshunnedwhentheyreturnedhome.AskstudentsifthosecircumstancesmayhaveinfluencedtheperspectivesoftheseandotherMedalofHonorRecipientsfromthesewars,oriftheirviewswereindependentofthenationalmood.

Assessment:Responsestoquestions,essay

Resources:“TheFourFreedoms,”FranklinD.Roosevelt’sAddresstoCongressonJanuary6,1941PresidentJohnF.Kennedy’sInauguralAddress,Friday,January20,1961HershelWilliams,TiborRubin,andSammyDavisLivingHistoryvideos;flipcharts

Extended Activities:AskstudentstoreadexcerptsfromKiller Angels,ahistoricalnovelabouttheBattleofGettysburgduringthe CivilWar,orviewtheclipfromthemovieGettysburgatthesceneinwhichColonelChamberlainisconvincing theprisonersfromMainetojoinhisregimentinbattle.WhatisthesignificanceoftheGettysburgbattle,and whyweretheyfighting?Discusswhichissuesareuniversal.HavestudentswatchthescenefromthemovieGettysburginwhichColonelChamberlainisonLittleRound TopwhentheConfederatesbegintheirchargetoflanktheUnionArmy.Discussthecourageanddecision- makingofthevarioussoldiers,themilitarycharges,anddecisionto“manbayonets.”HavestudentslocatethebattlesiteswherethethreeMedalofHonorRecipientsinthevideosfought.Whatrole didgeographyplayinthesebattles?Havestudentsresearchthetechnologyofthesebattles,includingweaponryandmedicine.Whatroledid weapons,technology,andmedicineplayinthesebattles?


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L E S S O N D 7


A Belated Honor

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •effectivelyusebefore,during,andafterreadingstrategies•usecontextcluestounderstandwordmeanings•interpretasoldier’swordsandactionsinthecontextofcitizenship

Medal of Honor Focus: Alfred Rascon, U. S. Army, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Theteacherwillaskstudentstorespondtothefollowing:“Haveyoueverdonesomethingthatyouwereproudof,butneveracknowledgedfor?Explainyourresponse.”

Whole Group Activity:ReadthePortraitofValorforAlfredRascon.Revisittheoriginalprompt.DiscussAlfredRascon’sactionsastheyrelatetoreceivingtheMedalofHonor.

Whole Group Activity:ViewtheAlfredRasconvideoandcompletetheviewingguide.

Small Group/Individual Activity:ElaborateonRascon’sfeelingsabouthisethnicity.Whydoyouthinkhisfriendsactedastheydid?Howdohisfeelingsabouthisethnicitycomparetoyourown?Discussyourresponsesinsmallgroups.

Concluding Activity:Respondtooneofthethreeessayprompts(seeworksheet).

Assessment:Completedviewingguide,essay

Resources:AlfredRasconPortraitofValorandLivingHistoryvideo,worksheet


L E S S O N D 8

American by Choice – Long Knanh Province, South Vietnam, 1966

At the age of four, Alfred Rascon came to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico with his parents. He became a legal resident a few years later and would always think of himself as “an immigrant by birth, an American by choice.” Growing up near California’s Port Hueneme Naval Station during the Korean War, he was fascinated by the military; he made parachutes out of old sheets and staged imaginary combat jumps off the roof of his house. At seventeen he enlisted in the army and became a medic in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

In the spring of 1966, Specialist Fourth Class Rascon’s reconnaissance platoon was part of a major operation in the jungles of Long Khanh Province. His battalion had been running into resistance from small units of North Vietnamese troops for a few days and, more ominously, finding large caches of weapons and supplies, which suggested that an offensive was being planned.

Early in the morning of March 16, the 1st Battalion’s sister battalion a mile away came under a severe North Vietnamese attack. Shortly after Rascon’s unit moved to reinforce it, its point men came under came upon the enemy setting up an ambush. A firefight broke out, beginning what Rascon would later recall as “ten minutes of hell.”

Ignoring orders to stay sheltered, “Doc” Rascon ran forward to tend to the wounded, who were lying along a narrow trail that was exposed to devastating fire from in front. He made his way through the intense fire to a badly hurt machine gunner; as he crouched over him, Rascon was hit by shrapnel from grenades and a bullet that entered his hip and exited at his shoulder blade. He dragged the man back, but by the time they reached cover, the gunner was dead.

When a second wounded machine gunner yelled, “Need ammo!” Rascon crawled through heavy fire to bring him bandoliers of ammunition. Then fearing that an abandoned machine gun could fall into enemy hands, he crawled back to retrieve it, but a grenade exploded, spraying shrapnel in his face. Later he used his body to shield another downed GI from fire as he administered treatment to him, saving his life.

Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate)

BORN: September 10, 1945 Chihuahua, Mexico

ENTERED SERVICE: Los Angeles, California

DUTY: Vietnam War

Alfred Rascon

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a grenade land near a sergeant who had already been hit; he jumped up and threw his body over the man. The explosion blew the helmet off Rascon’s head and the rucksack off his body. He lay there for a moment in the midst of all the fighting bleeding from his ears, mouth, and nose. He refused morphine because he didn’t want to be incapable of treating his wounded comrades. When he began drifting in and out of consciousness, he was taken to a field hospital. When he came to, the clean sheets made him think he was back home – until he saw that the patient in the next bed was a North Vietnamese soldier.

Rascon heard that he had been recommended for the Medal of Honor but didn’t pay any attention to the rumor. He spent three months in a hospital in Japan, and then was sent home. Upon his discharge from the Army in 1966, he joined the reserves, went to college, and finally became a naturalized citizen. In 1969, he returned to active duty and was commissioned a second lieutenant. He then returned to Vietnam in 1972 for another tour.

In 1993, some of the men whose lives Rascon had saved in 1966 heard that the recommendation for his medal had gotten lost in red tape. Without Rascon’s knowledge, they asked the Army to reopen the files. They took the case to Illinois Representative Lane Evans of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, who passed the information on to the White House. On February 8, 2000, with the men he had saved looking on, Alfred Rascon received the Medal of Honor from President Bill Clinton.

See Next Page for Official Citation

Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

Viewing GuideBEFOREReadAlfredRascon’sprofile.DURING(Answerthefollowingquestions)1. WherewasAlfredRasconborn?Whatstatedidhemovetoataveryearlyage?

2. AlfredRasconstatesMexicanswereviewedandtreatedequallyinthetownwherehelived.Healsosays,“Itell peopleI’mimmigrantbybirth,Americanbychoice.”DoesthismeanheisproudoforashamedofhisMexican heritage?

3. WhatwasAlfredRascon’soccupationsspecialtyintheArmywhenhewas17?

4. Theword“caches”ofweaponsmostlikelymeanswhat?

5. Allofasudden,thetroopsweregetting“mortared.”Whatdoyouthinkthiswordmostlikelymeans?

6. Whatwas“DocRascon”orderedtodowhentheunitwasbeingattackedbytheVietnamese?Whatspecifically didhedoinstead?

7. Despiteheavyfire,whatdidAlfredRasconretrieveforthewoundedgunman?

8. WhatdidagrenadefinallydotoAlfredRascon?

9. AlfredRasconsaidoncethegrenadeexploded,he“didn’twanttoplayanymore.”Whatdidhemean,andwhat didheendupdoing?

10.HowdidAlfredRasconusehisbodytohelpthesoldierwiththebackwound?

11.HowdidtheArmyexplainthedelayinawardingAlfredRascon’sMedal?

12.HowmanyyearspassedfromthetimeofAlfredRascon’sactionuntilhewasawardedtheMedal?

13.WhichPresidentawardedAlfredRascontheMedalofHonor?

AFTER (Respondtooneofthefollowingessayprompts)

1. “Peoplemayknowtherearethousandsofpeoplewhodeserverewards,butit’sjustthecircumstancesof what’sthere.Sometimespeoplearen’ttheretowritethemup.”Whatdoyouhavetosayforthosepeople whohavedemonstratedvalorbuthavenotbeennominatedfortheMedal?Considerthattwowitnessesneed tonominateasoldierfortheMedal.Doyouthinkthatisfair?Ifnot,whatstepsshouldbetakentoremember thosepeoplenothonored?

2. WhenaskedwhytheyworkedsohardtoensurethatAlfredRasconreceivedtheMedalofHonor,oneofRascon’sunit-matessaid,“Wedon’twanttochangehistory,wejustwanttocorrectit.”Thinkofanotherwell-knownmomentinhistorywhenaperson/peopletriedto“correct”it.Whatactionsdidtheytake/aretheytakingto“correct”history?Includewhathappenedinthefirstplacethatneeded“correcting.”

3. Ifyouweretowitnessaninjusticehappeningtoafriend,whatwouldyoudotocorrectit?CompareyouractionstothoseofAlfredRascon’sfriends.



140

Dr. Mary Walker: Citizen with Honor

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Civil War

OBJECTIVESStudents will:•learnofthecivilianandmilitarycontributionsofDr.MaryWalker•researchthepastandcurrentregulationsofreceivingtheMedalofHonor•examinethedefinitionofcitizenship•writeanargumentusingpersuasivelanguage

Medal of Honor Focus: Dr. Mary Walker, Civil War

Teacher Preparation: StudentsshouldhaveagoodunderstandingoftheMedalofHonorandCitizenHonorsandshouldhavecompletedLessonD2,the“DefiningCitizenship”lesson,priortodoingthislesson.Reviewasneededbeforestartingthislesson.

Introductory Activity:StudentswillwatchthevideofromMSNBC“HerStory:Dr.MaryWalker”(availableonFoundationwebsite).TeacherwillhandouttheworksheetandexplainthatstudentsaretowatchthevideoandwritedownexamplesofhowDr.MaryWalkerexemplifiedthesixcorevaluesinbothcivilianandmilitarylife.Afterwatchingthevideo,studentswillcompareanswerswithapartner.

Whole Group Activity:Teacherwillrecreateontheboardorprojectchart.Studentswillgiveexamplesfromtheirworktocreatethemasterclasschart.Teacherwillleaddiscussiononthoseexamples.

Small Group/Individual Activity:StudentswillusecomputerstoresearchthethreequestionsbasedonDr.MaryWalker’sMedalofHonor.Studentsmustsupporttheirresponseswithevidence.

Whole Group Activity:Teacherwillleaddiscussiononevidence-basedfindings.

Individual/Small Group Activity:StudentswillusepersuasivelanguageandevidencetocreateanominationforDr.MaryWalkertoreceivetheCitizenHonorsaward.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillmakeconnectionstohowtheycanuseDr.MaryWalker’sstorytoinspiretheircitizenshipusingthefinalquestionoftheworksheet.Theteacherwillleadaclassdiscussionabouthowstudentscanandwillserveothers.

Assessment:Worksheets,classdiscussion

Resources:Dr.MaryWalkervideo,worksheets


L E S S O N D 9


Why is Dr. Mary Walker the only woman to have received the Medal of Honor?

Why was Dr. Mary Walker’s Medal of Honor revoked in 1917?

Why was Dr. Mary Walker’s Medal of Honor reinstated in 1977?

Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

Dr. Mary Walker: Citizen with HonorFill in the chart with examples from the video. Examples from Civilian Life Core Value Examples from Military Life

citizenship

commitment

courage

integrity

patriotism

sacrifice

Research and support your responses with evidence. Question Response Evidence


Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

Dr.MaryWalkerwasawardedtheMedalofHonorin1865forherworkduringtheCivilWar,butshealsogreatlycontributedtohercommunitiesasacivilian.WriteaparagraphinwhichyounominateherfortheCitizenHonorsaward.

CITIZEN HONORS NOMINATION FORM

Nominee Name:Dr.MaryWalker

Is this nomination for a singular act or ongoing service acts?

q Single Act of Heroism q OngoingServiceActs

Descriptionofsingularactorongoingserviceacts.Pleaseincludeevidence/examplesthatsupport yournomination.

WhenyouthinkaboutallthewaysDr.MaryWalkerservedothersinherlifetime,inwhatwaysareyouinspiredtoserveotherswithinyourcommunity?Recordyourthoughtsinawrittenreflection.



“We as individuals owe something to this country—this country was

not a free thing.”

- C H A R L E S H A G E M E I S T E R

Make Your Senses Work

Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •defineandstateexamplesofimagery•makeconnectionstotheRecipient’sactions•appreciatetheextentofsacrificeinvolvedinpatriotism

Medal of Honor Focus: Leo Thorsness, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity:Studentswillrespondtothefollowingprompt:“Usingyourfivesenses,describeafootballgame.”Anyschool-sponsoredactivitycanreplacethefootballgame.Studentswillsharetheiranswerswithapartner.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillthenaskafewstudentstosharetheirresponseswiththewholeclass.Theteacherwilldefine“imagery”andguidethestudentstoconnectimagerytothepreviousactivity.

Small Group/Individual Activity: WhileviewingthevideoaboutLeoThorsness,studentswillcompletethegraphicorganizerontheworksheet.

Whole Group Activity:Theleaderwillcheckforunderstandingwithadiscussionofthegraphicorganizer.

Concluding Activity:TheteacherwillleadadiscussionaboutthefivesensesandLeoThorsness’story.Thestudentswillwriteresponses to the following tasks:1.Defineimagery.2.Identifyonethingthatstoodoutaboutthesensoryimagesofwar.3.InlightofThorsness’vividdescriptionsofwar,howdoyouthinkhewouldexplainpatriotism?

Assessment:Responses,graphicorganizer,anddiscussion

Resources:LeoThorsnessLivingHistoryvideo,worksheet

Extended Activity:Studentswillrespondtothefollowingprompt:Afterviewingthevideo,identifyacharacteristicofcitizenshipthatLeoThorsnessdemonstrated.Usetwoexamplesfromthevideotosupportyouranswer.


L E S S O N D 1 0


Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

MAKE YOUR SENSES WORK

SEE HEAR TOUCH TASTE SMELL


146

L E S S O N D 1 0 W O R K S H E E T


Cultural Background and Our Perception Suggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, World War II, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •describethebackgroundsofMedalofHonorRecipients•analyzetheimportanceoftheRecipients’culturalbackgroundintheirservice•identifyanddescribethecharacteristicsdisplayed•analyzehowthepersonalbackgroundsoftheMedalofHonorRecipientswerenotbarrierstotheir willingness to serve

Medal of Honor Focus: James Swett, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam War; Michael Colalillo, U.S. Army, World II (Europe); and George Sakato, U.S. Army, World War II (Europe)

Introductory Activity:Discusswithstudentshowaperson’sculturalbackgroundaffectsothers’perceptionofhimorher.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Dividestudentsintothreegroups.EachgroupwillcyclethroughthreedifferentstationsrepresentingeachRecipient,readingtheprofilesandcitationsofJamesSwett,MichaelColalillo,andGeorgeSakato.StudentswilldeterminewheretheRecipientswereborn,describetheirculturalbackground,andsummarizewhytheyreceivedtheMedalofHonor.

Whole Group Activity:StudentswillviewthevideosdepictingthethreeRecipients.StudentswilldiscussthediversityoftheseRecipients.Studentswilldescribewhattheyhavediscussedandhowtheycanrelatethisinformationtotheirownlives.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Studentswillwriteareflectiononwhattheyhavelearnedabouthowaperson’sbackgroundaffectshisorheropinionofotherpeople.Theywillconsidertowhatextentaperson’sbackgroundmayaffecthis/herwillingnesstomeetandinteractwithpeopledifferentfromhimselforherself.

Concluding Activity:Studentssharethereflectionwithotherstudents.

Assessment:Reflection

Resources:LivingHistoryvideos,PortraitsofValor,andCitationsforJamesSwett,MichaelColalillo,andGeorgeSakato


L E S S O N D 1 1

Wildcat Defense – Over Guadalcanal, Western Pacific, 1943

James Swett learn to fly in junior college in San Mateo, California, and graduated from the Civilian Pilot Training Program just before Pearl Harbor with 450 hours in the air. He enlisted in the Navy and became an aviation cadet, but halfway through the program, one of his officers persuaded him to become a Marine Corps pilot.

Lieutenant Swett landed on Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, in the spring of 1943 as part of Marine Fighting Squadron 221. He had not yet been in combat on the morning of April 7 when he led a squadron of Grumman Wildcats on routine dawn patrol. Upon landing to refuel, he learned that Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto had ordered a major strike against Guadalcanal. In all, 76 American planes would have to defend against a wave of 150 Japanese bombers and fighter escorts.

Swett’s Wildcats immediately got back in the air and engaged a formation of twenty Japanese dive-bombers that were readying an attack on American ships below. In the intense action of the next few minutes, always wondering if the Zeros above would pounce on him and the other Wildcats, Swett shot down seven of the dive-bombers. He was going for an eighth when the friendly fire of American antiaircraft guns below punched a hole in his wing. Low on ammunition, he drew close to the Japanese plane from behind. As the rear gunner in the dive-bomber fired on him, hitting his engine and shattering his windscreen, Swett fired his last few rounds, killing the gunner and setting the plane on fire. In this single combat mission lasting little more than fifteen minutes, he had become an ace. (He would go on to down eight more Japanese aircraft during his combat tour in the Solomons).

Swett’s Wildcat lost altitude rapidly. Too low to bail out, he crash-landed hard in the ocean and jumped out into the water as the plane began to sink. He was worried that the blood from his broken nose would attract sharks, but a Coast Guard picket boat soon spotted him and came alongside. “Are you an American?” one of the sailors yelled. “Damn right!” he yelled back.


James E. Swett

First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine CorpsMarine Fighting Squadron 221,Marine Aircraft Group 12,1st Marine Aircraft Wing

BORN: June 15, 1920 Seattle, Washington

ENTERED SERVICE:California

DUTY: World War II

DIED: January 18, 2009

For his actions on that memorable day of April 7, Lieutenant Swett received the Medal of Honor on October 10, 1943, from Major General Ralph Mitchell in a brief ceremony on an airstrip on Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides. In the spring of 1944, he was flown to Washington to meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said to him, “Many hearty congratulations, son.”

Swett spent the next several weeks training a new squadron of F4U Corsair fighter pilots, then returned to the Pacific and was stationed aboard the USS Bunker Hill as a carrier pilot. On May 11, 1945, as he was flying above the Bunker Hill, two kamikazes scored direct hits on the carrier, making it impossible for him to land. After putting down dye markers to aid in the rescue of the sailors who jumped overboard, he rallied the two dozen planes in the area and led them to the USS Enterprise, where they landed safely.

Stopping for No One – Near Untergriesheim, Germany, 1945

Mike Colalillo, one of nine children, was born shortly after his parents emigrated from Italy. He grew up in a tough neighborhood in Duluth, Minne- sota, and left high school without graduating. Drafted in 1944, he was an eighteen-year-old private when he landed with the 100th Army Infantry Divi- sion at Marseille that October. His unit was engaged in constant combat over the next few months as it pushed up through central France and into Germa- ny. Through the heartbreak of losing his comrades killed in the fighting, Cola- lillo hung on to memories of the rare funny moments as well: stealing chick- ens from a rundown farm, smoking cigars from a captured cigar factory.

The Germans had blown all the bridges leading into the Fatherland, so the Americans crossed the Rhine on pontoons. For his part in the bloody skirmishes that were almost daily occurrences, Colalillo was ultimately awarded the Silver Star and the Bronze Star.

On April 7, 1945, Colalillo’s company was pinned down during an attack against enemy positions in the vicinity of Untergriesheim, Germany. Although enemy artillery and machine-gun fire made it dangerous even to raise one’s head, when he saw an American tank unit moving through the lines toward the enemy position, Colalillo stood up and shouted at the other men to follow him. He ran forward, firing the grease gun he’d found on the battlefield and been carrying for several weeks. When a random piece of shrapnel destroyed the weapon, Colalillo scrambled onto the turret of an American tank and, fully exposed to shelling from a German gun emplacement, began firing its machine gun. He killed or wounded ten enemy soldiers and destroyed the machine-gun nest. With bullets glancing off the tank’s shell, he kept firing as the tank moved forward toward the German line. He took out another machine-gun emplacement, killing at least three more Germans.

When the machine gun jammed, Colalillo pounded on the hatch of the tank and had one of the men inside hand him up a tommy gun, then jumped down and continued the attack on foot. Even after the tanks had exhausted their ammunition and were ordered to withdraw, he stayed behind to help a wounded GI, carrying the man over several hundred yards of open terrain in the midst of a German artillery and mortar barrage.


Private First Class, U.S. ArmyCompany C, 398th Infantry, 100th Infantry Division

BORN: December 1, 1935 Hibbing, Minnesota

ENTERED SERVICE:Duluth, Minnesota

DUTY: World War II

DIED: December 30, 2011

Mike Colalillo

Colalillo was fighting on the line a few weeks later when a pair of MPs appeared and told him that his commanding officer wanted to see him. Naturally, Colalillo wondered what he had done to get arrested, but when he arrived at company headquarters, his captain told him that he’d been recommended for the Medal of Honor. He was ordered to stay around division headquarters for the next few months so that nothing would happen to him before the presentation. He was sent home after the bombing of Hiroshima and honored by President Harry Truman at the White House on December 18, 1945.

Justice for a Japanese American – Biffontaine, France, 1944

In 1942, George Sakato’s family moved from California to Arizona, to avoid being sent to a internment camp for Japanese Americans. The twenty-one-year-old Sakato tried to enlist in the Army Air Corps but was rejected because of his draft status 4-C, undesirable alien. Then in 1943, because of the exploits of Japanese Americans in the Hawaiin National Guard’s 100th Infantry Battalion in battles at Salerno, Montecassino, and other Anzio, the government allowed Japanese Americans in the service. Sakato enlisted in the Army, joining his older brother, Henry, who had volunteered before Pearl Harbor. After finishing basic training in the summer of 1944, the brother were sent to Naples as replacements for the “Go for Broke” Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which became the most decorated American unit in the war.

In August, the 442nd boarded ships for a landing at Marseille. For the next two months, Sakato’s unit fought its way north through France. In late October, it attacked the Germans around the town of Biffontaine, an area near the German border that was too mountainous for armor. Its objective, Hill 617, overlooked an open valley cut in half by the railroad line running from Strasbourg to Paris. The Germans were entrenched at the top of the hill, firing down on the American troops trying to mount an assault. Just before midnight on October 28, Private Sakato’s company was ordered to flank the Germans and get behind their position. It was so dark that each GI had to hold on to the back strap of the man in front of him while moving forward. At dawn, the Americans attacked, Sakato leading the assault.

With a Thompson submachine gun he had scavenged from a disabled tank, he killed five German soldiers. Sakato’s platoon secured the hill and sent prisoners back down to the Americans below. Then the Germans counterattacked; one of his close friends was hit and died in his arms. Seeking vengeance, Sakato took charge of the squad, fighting with an enemy rifle and pistol he picked up from the battlefield after his tommy gun ran out of ammunition. He killed another seven Germans and led his platoon in capturing thirty-four more. His unit held its position until it was relieved.


George T. Sakato

Private, U.S. ArmyCompany E, 442nd RegimentalCombat Team

BORN: February 19, 1921 Colton, California

ENTERED SERVICE:Fort Douglas, Utah

DUTY: World War II

DIED: December 2, 2015

A few days later, the 442nd attempted to break through the Germans’ encirclement of a battalion of the 141st Infantry Regiment, known as the Lost Battalion. The Japanese American unit suffered more than 800 casualties in rescuing the 211 trapped GIs. During the battle, Sakato was knocked down by a mortar shell; the bulky winter overcoat he was carrying in his pack kept him from being killed by the shrapnel that struck his spine and lungs.

Sakato was hospitalized for eight months. He heard that he had been recommended for the Medal of Honor, but the decoration he received was the Distinguished Service Cross. He didn’t think anything more about it until the morning fifty-five years later when he received a call from the Pentagon. His award was being upgraded to the Medal of Honor as the result of a review of the records of Asian American soldiers who had received the DSC. He was presented with the medal by President Bill Clinton on June 21, 2000.

“The day I was born, I was handed a gem that was absolutely impossible to buy.

That was my freedom.”

- H E R S H E L W I L L I A M S

Distracted Driving

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, Driver Education

OBJECTIVES

Students will: •identifysafeandunsafedrivingpracticesandtheconsequencesofeach•analyzetheeventsleadingtoacarcrash•analyzehowactionshaveconsequences•evaluatereasonstoactinadifficultsituation

Citizen Honors Focus: David Bryan

Introductory Activity:Thestudentswillbrieflyrespondinwritingtothefollowingprompt:“Haveyoueverwitnessedunsafedrivingpractices?Describetheactionsyousawthatwereunsafeandwhytheseactionsmayhaveledtoanaccidentorinjury.Whatcouldbedonetopreventsuchbehavior?”

Small Group Activity:Studentswillbeplacedinsmallgroupstosharetheirresponsetotheaboveprompt.Whilesharingtheirresponses,thestudentswilllookforsimilaractionsthatleadtodistracteddriving.Eachgroupwillcreatealistofthesimilaractionsandanyoutcomes/consequencesthatwerepartofeachstudent’sresponsetotheprompt.

Whole Group Activity:Eachgroupwillsharetheirlist.Theteacherwillleadadiscussiononthedangersandconsequencesofdistracteddriving.TheteacherwillaskthestudentstoviewthevideofeaturingDavidBryanandanswerthefollowingquestions.Studentsmustciteevidencefromthevideoforeachresponse.•DescribetheactionsthatledtoMichaelNoltebeingtrappedinaburningcar.•DescribetheactionsDavidBryantooktosaveMichaelNolte’slife.•WhatreasonsdidDavidBryanusetoexplainwhyheriskedhisownlifetohelpastranger?•Evaluatehowone’sactionscaninfluencetheoutcomeinanysituation.

Small Group Activity:Ingroupsthestudentswillcompareanswerstotheabovequestions,checkforaccuracy,andsummarizethegroupresponses.

Whole Group Activity:Eachgroupwillsharetheirsummarywiththeclass.Theteacherwillleadaclassdiscussionconcerningthefourquestions,focusingonactionsandconsequences.

Individual/Small Group Activity: Studentswillcreateapublicserviceannouncement/poster/pamphletaboutthedangersofdistracteddriving.Thesecanbepostedthroughouttheschooltowarnstudentsofthedangersofdistracteddriving.


L E S S O N D 1 2


Concluding Activity:Theteacherwillplacethisquotationontheboard:“Basically,ourlifeashumanbeingsishowweinteractwitheachother.”-DavidBryanStudentswillrespondtothequotationbyexplaininghowitrelatestoactionsandconsequences.

Assessment:Studentresponses,classdiscussion,PSAproject

Resources:DavidBryanvideo

Extended Activity:Writeanessayabouttheethicaluseofcellphonesand/orcameras.


156

L E S S O N D 1 2


You Can Quote MeSuggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •explaintheconnectionbetweenaquotationanditsauthor•identifyexamplesofserviceandcommitmentfromthevideo

Citizen Honors Focus: Rick Rescorla

Note to Teacher:ForbackgroundknowledgebeforeviewingthevideoaboutRickRescorla,theteachermayneedtoreviewthecircumstancesoftheFebruary26,1993bombingoftheWorldTradeCenterinNewYorkCity.AtruckbombwasdetonatedunderneaththeNorthTower.The1,336-poundureanitrate-hydrogengasenhanceddevicewasintendedtoknocktheNorthTowerintotheSouthTower,bringingbothtowersdownandkillingtensofthousandsofpeople.TheTowersdidnotcollapse,butsixpeoplewerekilledandmorethanathousandwereinjured.Theattackwasplannedbysixmenwhowereconvictedofconspiracy,explosivedestructionofproperty,andinterstatetransportationofexplosives.

Introductory Activity:Placethefollowingnamesontheboard:JohnF.Kennedy,MahatmaGandhi,Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.,RickRescorla,andMotherTheresa.Usingthisnamebank,studentswillcompletethe“Whosaidthat?”worksheet.Aftercompletion,studentswillcomparetheirfindingswithapartner.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillleadadiscussionontheworksheetactivity,givingthecorrectanswerstotheauthorsofthequotationsandwhatthequotationsmaymean.(Answers:1.MahatmaGandhi;2.JohnF.Kennedy;3.Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.;4.MotherTheresa;5.RickRescorla) Theteacherwillguidestudentstodeterminethecommonthemesinthequotations(serviceandcommitment).ThefinalquotationisfromCitizenHonorsawardeeRickRescorla.ThestudentswillwatchthevideoaboutRickRescorla.Whilewatching,thestudentswilllookforexamplesofRickRescorla’sserviceandcommitment.

Individual Activity:Intwoorthreesentences,studentswillexplainhowRickRescorla’svideoconnectstohisquotationontheworksheet.

Small Group Activity:Studentswillsharetheirresponseswithapartner.EachpairwillthencreateaconsensusstatementontheconnectionbetweenRickRescorla’squotationandthevideo.

Whole Group Activity:Theteacherwillaskeachpairofstudentstosharetheirconsensusstatement.TheteacherwillleadadiscussionfocusingonRickRescorla’sserviceandcommitment,allowingforconnectionstoothervaluessuchassacrificeandpatriotismtobediscussed.

Concluding Activity:StudentswillselectaquotationfromtheworksheetandwriteaparagraphonhowtheirselectionrelatestoRickRescorla.HowdidRickRescorla’sactionsdemonstratethevaluesofserviceandcommitment?


L E S S O N D 1 3

Assessment:Worksheet,classdiscussion,paragraph

Resources:RickRescorlavideo,worksheet

Extended Activity:Researchtheauthorsofthequotationsandreportontheirinvolvementinsocietyatthetime.Describehowaquotationreflectsthebeliefsofitsauthor.


158

L E S S O N D 1 3

1.“Thebestwaytofindyourselfistoloseyourselfintheserviceofothers.”

2.“WhenwritteninChinese,theword“crisis”iscomposedoftwocharacters.Onerepresentsdanger and the other representsopportunity.”

3.“Ourlivesbegintoendthedaywebecomesilentaboutthingsthatmatter.”

4.“Befaithfulinsmallthingsbecauseitisinthemthatyourstrengthlies.”

5.“Intimesofcrisismendon’trisetotheoccasion,they defaulttotheirtraining.”


Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

“Who Said That?”

WHO SAID THAT? QUOTATION CONNECTION/MEANING


“Do the right thing at the right

time for the right reason.”

- G A R Y L I T T R E L


The Symbol of My ResponsibilitiesSuggested Application: Social Studies, Language Arts, Leadership, Vietnam War

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •explainwhattheflagmeanstothem•understandtheresponsibilitiesassociatedwithAmericancitizenship

Medal of Honor Focus: Tommy Norris, U.S. Navy, Vietnam War

Introductory Activity: Putstudentsintogroupsofthreetofour.Haveeachgroupdiscussandthenwritedownthedifferencesbetweenarightandaresponsibility.Createtwocolumnsontheboard,“Rights”and“Responsibilities”,andthenaskstudentstocomeupandwriteinthecolumnswhattheirrightsandresponsibilitiesareasacitizenofthiscountry.Leadadiscussiontoclarifyandhelpdeterminethedifferencesbetweenthetwocategories.

Whole Group Activity:ShowTommyNorris’sLivingHistoryfortheclass.Invitethemtothinkaboutdifferentactionsinthestorythatrelatetothesixcharactervaluesandhowtheytieintorightsandresponsibilitiesastheyviewthevideo.Attheconclusionofthevideo,havestudentsreadTommyNorris’sPortraitofValor.

Small Group/Individual Activity:AftertheyhavewatchedthevideoandreadthePortraitofValor,thestudentsshouldformbackintotheirgroupsanddiscusswhattheylearnedaboutTommyNorris.Allowsometimefordiscussion;thenhandouttheflagworksheet.HavestudentsworktogethertoidentifyexamplesofeachcorevalueinTommyNorris’sstoryandfinishthestatementWETHEPEOPLEintheunionpartoftheflag.Havethemwriteindividuallytwotothreesentencesabouttheirresponsibilitiesasacitizen.

Concluding Activity: Havestudentsanswerthethoughtquestionatthebottomofthesheet.Iftimepermits,leadashortclassdiscussionwithstudentssharingresponses.Havestudentscolortheflagsaccordinglyandpostthemaroundtheclassroom.


Resources:TommyNorrisPortraitofValorandLivingHistoryvideo,worksheet

Extended Activity: DirectstudentstoexploreontheInternetdifferentpoemsabouttheflag.Havestudentswritetheirownshortacrosticpoemorfreeversepoemabouttheflag.


L E S S O N D 1 4

Lieutenant, U.S. Navy SEALS Advisor, Strategic Technical Directorate Assistance Team, Headquarters, U.S. Military Assistance Command

BORN:January 14, 1944Jacksonville, Florida

ENTERED SERVICE:Silver Spring, Maryland

BRANCH:U.S. Navy

DUTY:Vietnam War

TOMMY NORRISThomas Norris graduated from the University of Maryland in 1967. He had studied criminology with the hope of joining the FBI, but knowing that he had to satisfy his military obligation, he enlisted in the Navy, eventually joining the SEALs.

On April 2, 1972, a U.S. electronic surveillance aircraft was downed by an enemy surface-to-air missile. Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton was the sole crew member to eject safely—but he parachuted into the middle of some thirty thousand North Vietnamese troops. Over the next several days, during an extensive rescue effort, four aircraft were downed, ten Americans were killed, two were captured, and another two were trapped behind enemy lines.

Lieutenant Norris volunteered to go after the survivors. On April 10, his five-man team was inserted into a forward operating base (FOB). That evening, Norris led his team through enemy positions to a predetermined interception point deep in enemy territory. One of the downed airmen, Lieutenant Mark Clark, had been informed over his survival radio to work his way to the river and to float downstream. Hiding on a riverbank, Norris heard Clark approaching, but he had to let the American pilot float by because of a nearby North Vietnamese patrol. Once the enemy had passed, Norris slipped into the river and swam after Clark, locating him and returning him to the FOB.

Then the FOB came under heavy attack, resulting in the loss of half of the personnel there. During this attack, Norris saved numerous South Vietnamese soldiers, directed counter-fire, and treated the wounded at the base.

On April 13, a forward air controller pinpointed Lieutenant Colonel Hambleton’s whereabouts, and Norris and one of his South Vietnamese commandos made a third attempt to rescue him. At nightfall, the two men, dressed like the enemy, got into a sampan and began paddling upriver through enemy positions. They managed to locate Hambleton, but fearing that he was too badly injured to wait for the cover of darkness to bring him out, they put the airman in the bottom of the sampan, covered him with vegetation, and started back downriver. Nearing the FOB, the boat came under heavy machine-gun fire. Norris called in an air strike and, as American planes dropped bombs and smoke, they brought Hambleton to safety.

Several months later, Norris was leading a SEAL patrol on a reconnaissance mission when his team was ambushed by a largeenemy unit. At the end of a long firefight, Norris ordered his mento head for the water and the boat waiting to pick them up, whilehe provided cover. When he was shot in the head, another SEAL,Michael Thornton, charged back to save him, killing two North

Several months later, Norris was leading a SEAL patrol on a reconnaissance mission when his team was ambushed by a large enemy unit. At the end of a long firefight, Norris ordered his men to head for the water and the boat waiting to pick them up, while he provided cover. When he was shot in the head, another SEAL, Michael Thornton, charged back to save him, killing two North Vietnamese about to dispatch Norris. For his action, Thornton would be awarded the Medal of Honor in October 1973. Norris, who was hospitalized for three years, defied doctors’ orders and attended the White House ceremony. Norris heard that he too might be recommended for the medal, but he didn’t feel worthy of it. However, in 1975, when the rescue of Clark and Hambleton was finally declassified, Navy investigators talked with those involved and submitted the action for review. On March 6, 1976, with Michael Thornton in the audience, Thomas Norris was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Gerald Ford. In 1979, after leaving the military, Norris picked up his dream of joining the FBI. He retired in 1999.

Nam

e_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________

The Symbol of m

y ResponsibilitiesDirections:Afterview

ingthevideoofTommyN

orrisandreadinghisPortraitofValor,fillouttheAmericanflagbelow

.Foreachcharactertraitwrite

atleastoneexampleTom

myN

orrisoranymem

berofhisunitshowedduringtheiraction.O

nceyouhav ethestripesoftheflagcomplete,filloutthe

“Union”portionoftheflag.Thesentencebeginsw

ith“WethePeople.”Finishthesentencebyw

riting2-3sentencesaboutyourresponsibilitiesasacitizenofthiscountry .U

seatleasttwoofthecharactertraitsinyourresponse.

ThoughtQuestion:W

hatdoesthesymboloftheflagm

eantoyou?


CIT

IZEN

SH

IP:

CO

MM

ITM

ENT:

PAT

RIO

TIS

M:

INT

EGR

ITY:

We The People...

CO

UR

AG

E:

SA

CR

IFICE:


164

If You Want to Change the World

Suggested Application: Language Arts, Social Studies, Leadership, War on Terror

OBJECTIVESStudents will: •explainandidentifyvaluabletraitsnecessarytohaveanimpactontheirpersonalhabits,family,friends,school,andcommunity

Medal of Honor Focus: Edward C. Byers Jr., U.S. Navy, War on Terror (Afghanistan)

Introductory Activity: Step1:HavethestudentsresearchtherequirementstobeaNavySEALandwhattheactofringingthebellmeans.Step2:Havethestudentsreadaloud“IfYouWanttoChangetheWorld,”whichwaswrittenbyAdmiralWilliamMcRaven,aNavySEAL,andformercommanderofU.S.SpecialForces.Duringacommencementaddress,AdmiralMcRavencounseledgraduatestodothesetenthingsiftheywanttochangetheworld.Step3:DiscussthetenitemsandwhatstudentsthinktheadmiralwastryingtoteachthegraduatesbyusinganecdotesfromhisSEALexperience. Whole Group Activity:ShowthevideoonEdwardByersandhisactionsinAfghanistan.Asthestudentswatchthevideo,theyshouldthinkabouthowthetenpointsofAdmiralMcRaven’stalkrelatetothemissionwhichresultedinEdwardByersbeingawardedtheMedalofHonor.

Small Group/Individual Activity:Havestudentsformsmallgroups;handouttheworksheet.Givethestudentstimetomakeconnectionstothesixcharactertraits,thetenpointsofAdmiralMcRaven’sspeech,andthemissionoftheSEALs.

Concluding Activity: Askgroupstoshareoutwhattheywrotedownandlearnedfromtheirdiscussion.

Assessment: Worksheet

Resources:Internetaccessforresearch,worksheet

Extended Activity:HavestudentswatchAdmiralMcRaven’sfullcommencementspeechwhichisavailableonline.


L E S S O N D 1 5


IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD...

1. Start off by making your bed

2. Find someone to help you paddle

3. Measure a person by the size of their heart, not by the size of their flippers

4. Get over being a sugar cookie and just keep moving forward

5. Don’t be afraid of the circuses

6. Sometimes you have to slide down the obstacles head first

7. Don’t back down from the sharks

8. You must be your very best in the darkest moments

9. Start singing when you are up to your neck in mud

10. Don’t ever, ever ring the bell

- Admiral William H. McRaven Commander, U.S. Joint Special Operations Command

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Start off by making your bed ★ Find someone to help you paddle ★ Don’t ever, ever ring the bell ★

Don't be afraid of the circuses ★ Sometimes you have to slide down the obstacles head first ★

Don'

t bac

k do

wn

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If You Want to Change the World...Directions: 1.ChoosefourofAdmiralMcRaven’skeypointsthatyouthinkrelatedirectlytothemissionEdwardByersandNicholasChecqueweresentontorescuethedoctor.

2.Relatethatpointtooneofthesixcharactertraits.

3.Writeonetotwosentencesabouthoweachkeypointcouldapplyinyourownlife.

COURAGE SACRIFICEINTEGRITY

PATRIOTISMCOMMITMENTCITIZENSHIP

Key Point:______________________________________________________________________

Character Trait:___________________________

How does this apply to me?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Key Point:______________________________________________________________________

Character Trait:___________________________


Key Point:______________________________________________________________________

Character Trait:___________________________


Key Point:______________________________________________________________________

Character Trait:___________________________


Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Period _____________


“I have an unspeakable knowledge that we were at our

best when we were at our depth.”

- R O B E RT S I M A N E K

A P P E N D I X

Medal of Honor Living History Guide

Recipient Branch Date Conflict Curriculum Focus Area

CIVIL WAR

MaryWalker N/A 1861 CivilWar CivilWar,POW,Women’sSuffrage

WORLD WAR II

Adams,Lucian Army October1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Baker,Vernon Army April1945 WWII:Europe TreatmentofBlackSoldiers, Contributions

Barfoot,Van Army May1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Biddle,Melvin Army December1944 WWII:Europe BattleofBulge,Conditionsfor Soldiers

Burt,James Army October1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Bush,Robert Navy May1945 WWII:Pacific Okinawa:WarofAttrition

Colalillo,Michael Army April1945 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Coolidge,Charles Army October1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Currey,Frances Army December1944 WWII:Europe BattleofBulge,Conditionsfor Soldiers

Crawford,William Army September1943 WWIIEurope WorldWarII

Dahlgren,Edward Army February1945 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

DeBlanc,Jefferson MarineCorpsReserve January1943 WWII:Pacific WorldWarII

Doss,Desmond Army May1945 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:Okinawa,Medic, ConscientiousObjector

Dunham,Russell Army January1945 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Ehlers,Walter Army June6,1944 WWII:Europe D-DayInvasion,Normandy

Finn,John Navy December7,1941 WWII:Pacific PearlHarborSurvivor

Gregg,Stephen Army August1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Gordon,Nathan Army February1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Hawk,John Army August1944 WWII:Europe Blitzkrieg:Germanarmorand attack method

Hayashi,Shizuya Army November1943 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Hendrix,James Army December1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Jackson,Arthur MarineCorps September1944 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:Pelilu

Lucas,Jack MarineCorps February1945 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:IwoJima

Maxwell,Robert Army September1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

McCool,Richard MarineCorps June1945 WWII:Pacific JapaneseKamikaze,Island Hopping

Miyamura,Hiroshi Army April1951 WWII:Europe JapaneseAncestry

MurrayJr.,Charles Army December1944 WWII:Europe WorldWarII

Nett,Robert Army December1944 WWII:Pacific WorldWarII

Oresko,Nicholas Army January1945 WWII:Europe WorldWarII


170

Recipient Branch Date Conflict Curriculum/Focus Area

Paige,Mitchell MarineCorps April1943 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:Guadalcanal

Pope,Everett MarineCorps September1944 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:Pelilu, Guadalcanal

Sakato,George Army October1944 WWII:Europe JapaneseAmericansInternment, JapaneseAncestry,Contribution ofJapaneseUnits

Sorenson,Richard MarineCorpsReserve February1944 WWII:Pacific WorldWarII

Swett,James MarineCorps April1943 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:Guadalcanal

Wahlen,George Navy March1945 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:IwoJima

Williams,Hershel MarineCorps February1945 WWII:Pacific IslandHopping:IwoJima

ZeamerJr.,Jay ArmyAirCorps June1943 WWII:Pacific WorldWarII

KOREA

Barber,William MarineCorps 1950 Korea KoreanWar

Charette,William Navy March1953 Korea KoreanWar

Davis,Raymond MarineCorps December1950 Korea ChosinReservoir

Dewey,Duane MarineCorps April1952 Korea KoreanWar

Hernandez,Rodolfo Army May1951 Korea KoreanWar

HudnerJr.,Thomas Navy December1950 Korea KoreanWar

Millet,Lewis Army February1951 Korea KoreanWar

Miyamura,Hiroshi Army April1951 Korea JapaneseAncestry,Chosin Reservoir,POW

Mize,Ola Army June1953 Korea KoreanWar

Murphy,Raymond MarineCorps February1953 Korea KoreanWar

Myers,Reginald MarineCorps November1950 Korea ChosinReservoir

O’Brien,George MarineCorps October1952 Korea 38thParallelLine

Rodriguez,Joseph Army October1952 Korea KoreanWar

Rosser,Ronald Army January1952 Korea KoreanWar

Rubin,Tibor Army 1950-1953 Korea POW,HolocaustSurvivor, Anti-Semitism,Immigrant

Simanek,Robert MarineCorps August1952 Korea KoreanWar

Sitter,Carl MarineCorps November1950 Korea ChosinReservoir

Stone,James Army November1951 Korea KoreanWar

West,Ernest Army October1952 Korea KoreanWar

VIETNAM

Adkins,Bennie Army March1966 Vietnam HoChiMinTrail

Baca,John Army February1970 Vietnam Draft,JuvenileDelinquent

Bacon,Nicky Army August1968 Vietnam VietnamWar


171


Ballard,Donald Navy May1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

BakerJr.,John Army November1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

BarnumJr.,Harvey MarineCorps December1965 Vietnam VietnamWar

Beikirch,Gary Army April1970 Vietnam HomeFrontTreatment,Anti-War Protest

Benavidez,Roy Army May1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

Brady,Pat Army January1968 Vietnam HelicopterMedicalEvacuation

Bucha,Paul Army March1968 Vietnam NorthVietnameseArmy,Binh Duong

Cavaiani,Jon Army June1971 Vietnam VietnamWar

ClausenJr.,Raymond MarineCorps January1970 Vietnam VietnamWar

Crandall,Bruce Army November1965 Vietnam Draft,HelicopterCavalryWarfare

Davila,Rudolph Army May1943 Vietnam VietnamWar

Davis,Sammy Army November1967 Vietnam Artillery,VietnaminPopCulture, Brotherhood

Day,George AirForce 1967-1973 Vietnam VietnamWar,POW

Dix,Drew Army January1968 Vietnam TetOffensive

Donlon,Roger Army July1964 Vietnam VietnamWar,Family

Ferguson,Frederick Army January1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

Fisher,Bernard AirForce March1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Fitzmaurice,Michael Army March1971 Vietnam VietnamWar

Fleming,JamesP. AirForce November1968 Vietnam HelicopterWarfare,Special Operations

Freeman,Ed Army November1965 Vietnam Vietnam,AirCavalry

Fritz,Harold Army January1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Foley,Robert Army November1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Fox,Wesley MarineCorps February1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Hagemeister,Charles Army March1967 Vietnam Draft,Medic

Howard,Robert Army November1968 Vietnam RescuePOW,AirSupport

Ingram,Robert Navy March1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Jackson,Joe Army May1968 Vietnam VietnamWar,AirPower

Jacobs,Jack Army March1968 Vietnam VietnameseAdvisor,Espionage

Keller,Leonard Army May1967 Vietnam VietnamWar

Kelley,Thomas Navy June1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

KelloggJr.,Alan MarineCorps March1970 Vietnam VietnamWar

Kerrey,Joseph NavyReserve March1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Lang,George Army February1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Lee,Howard MarineCorps August1966 Vietnam VietnamWar


172



173

Littrell,Gary Army April1960 Vietnam TrainingIndigenousPopulation, MilitaryAdvisor

Livingston,James MarineCorps April1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

Lynch,Allen Army December1967 Vietnam VietnamWar

MarmJr.Walter Army November1965 Vietnam VietnamWar

Modrzejewski,Robert MarineCorps July1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Morris,Melvin Army September1969 Vietnam GreenBeret,CivilRights

McGintyIII,John MarineCorps July1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

McGonagle,William Navy June1967 Vietnam MediterraneanConflict,Israel

McNerney,David Army March1967 Vietnam VietnamWar

Norris,Thomas Navy April1972 Vietnam NavySEAL

Novosel,Michael Army October1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Patterson,Robert Army May1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

Pittman,Richard MarineCorps July1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Rascon,Alfred Army March1966 Vietnam MedicResponsibilities,Immigrant

Ray,Ronald Army June1966 Vietnam VietnamWar

Roberts,Gordon Army July1969 Vietnam VietnamWar

Sasser,Clarence Army January1968 Vietnam Draft,CivilRights

Stockdale,James Navy 1965-1973 Vietnam VietnamWar,POW

Stumpf,Kenneth Army April1967 Vietnam VietnamWar,Draft

Taylor,James Army November1967 Vietnam VietnamWar

Thacker,Brian Army March1971 Vietnam VietnamWar,Artillery

Thornton,Michael Navy October1972 Vietnam NavySEAL,SouthVietnamese Army

Thorsness,Leo AirForce April1967 Vietnam POW,HanoiHilton,FighterPilot

Vargas,Jay MarineCorps April1968 Vietnam HoChiMinTrail,NavalGuns, FamiliesinWar

Wetzel,Gary Army January1968 Vietnam VietnamWar

WAR ON TERROR

Carpenter,William“Kyle”Army November2010 Afghanistan WaronTerror

Groberg,Florent Army August2012 Afghanistan WaronTerror,Immigrant

Guinta,Salvatore Army October2007 Afghanistan OsamaBinLaden,Taliban,9/11

Petry,Leroy Army May2008 Afghanistan WaronTerror

Romesha,Clinton Army October2009 Afghanistan OsamaBinLaden,Taliban,9/11

White,Kyle Army November2007 Afghanistan WaronTerror


Suggested Further Reading

Some material may be appropriate only for older students. Please review sources before assigning them for student reading.

Baker,Vernon,andKenOlsen.Lasting Valor.NewYork:BantamBooks,1999.

Benavidez,RoyPerez,andJohnR.Craig.MedalofHonor:OneMan’sJourneyfromPovertyandPrejudice. Washington:Brassey’s,1999.

Brady,PatrickHenry,andMeghanBradySmith.DeadMenFlying.Bennington,Vermont:MerriamPress,2010.

Chambers,DouglasR.ACenturyofHeroes.Pittsburgh:UniversityofPittsburghPress,2004.

Collier,Peter.ChoosingCourage:InspiringTrueStoriesofWhatItMeanstoBeaHero.NewYork:Artisan,2016.

Collier,Peter,andNickDelCalzo.MedalofHonor:PortraitsofValorBeyondtheCallofDuty.NewYork:Artisan,2016.

Coram,Robert.AmericanPatriot:TheLifeandWarsofColonelBudDay.NewYork:Little,BrownandCompany,2007.

Dix,Drew.TheRescueofRiverCity.Fairbanks,Alaska:DrewDixPublishing,2000.

Donlon,RogerH.C.BeyondNamDong.RandNPublishers,1998.

Fox,WesleyL.CourageandFear:APrimer.Dulles,Virginia:PotomacBooks,2007.

Fox,WesleyL.MarineRifleman:Forty-ThreeYearsintheCorps.Dulles,Virginia:Brassey’s,2003.

Giunta,Salvatore,andJoeLayden.Living with Honor: A Memoir of Medal of Honor Recipient Staff Sergeant Salvatore A.Giunta.NewYork:ThresholdEditions,2012.

Herndon,Booton.Redemption at Hacksaw Ridge.Coldwater,Michigan:RemnantPublications,Inc.,2016.

Jacobs,Jack.IfNotNow,When?:DutyandSacrificeinAmerica’sTimeofNeed.NewYork:PenguinPutnam,2008.

Kelley,TomandJoan.TheSiren’sCallandSecondChances:AStoryofPerseverance,Service,HeroicCourageand Love.CreateSpaceIndependentPublishing,2016.

Livingston,JamesE.,ColinD.Heaton,andAnne-MarieLewis.NobleWarrior,TheStoryofMaj.Gen.JamesE. Livingston,USMC(Ret.),MedalofHonor.Minneapolis,Minnesota:ZenithPress (MBIPublishingCompany),2010.


174


175

Lucas,Jack,andD.K.Drum.Indestructible:TheUnforgettableStoryofaMarineHeroatIwoJima.NewYork: DaCapoPress,2006.

McConnell,Malcolm.IntotheMouthoftheCat:TheStoryofLanceSijan,HeroofVietnam.

Meyer,Dakota,andBingWest.IntotheFire:AFirsthandAccountoftheMostExtraordinaryBattleintheAfghanWar. NewYork:RandomHouse,Inc.,2012.

Mikaelian,Allen,andMikeWallace.MedalofHonor:ProfilesofAmerica’sMilitaryHeroesFromtheCivilWartothe Present.NewYork:Hyperion/BillAdlerBooks,2002.

Nolan,Keith.TheMagnificentBastards:TheJointArmy-MarineDefenseofDongHa,1968.

Norris,Tom,MikeThornton,andDickCouch.ByHonorBound:TwoNavySEALs,theMedalofHonor,andaStoryof ExtraordinaryCourage.NewYork:St.Martin’sPress,2016.

Oliner,SamuelP.,PearlOliner,andHaroldM.Schulweis.TheAltruisticPersonality.NewYork:Simonand Schuster,1992.

Romesha,Clint.RedPlatoon:ATrueStoryofAmericanValor.NewYork:Dutton,2016.

Smith,Larry,H.NormanSchwarzkopf,andEddieAdams.BeyondGlory:MedalofHonorHeroesinTheirOwnWords. NewYork:W.W.Norton&Company,2003.

Stockdale,Jim.ThoughtsofaPhilosophicalFighterPilot.StanfordUniversity,California:HooverInstitution Press,1995.

Tapper,Jake.TheOutpost:AnUntoldStoryofAmericanValor.NewYork:Little,BrownandCompany,2012.

Thorsness,Leo.SurvivingHell:APOW’sJourney.NewYork:EncounterBooks,2009.

Wachtel,Roger.TheMedalofHonor(CornerstonesofFreedom).NewYork:Children’sPress(Scholastic),2009.

Whitcomb,DarrelD.TheRescueofBat21.NewYork:DellPublishingCompany,1998.

INDEX OF KEY WORDSAfghanistan19,25,33,51,99,123,129,165,173

AirForce19,27,37,49,81,83,99,145,172,173

Army19,27,29,33,45,46,51,53,57,61,63,65,87,89,95,97,99,103,113,115,121,129,131,135,137,138,147,150,152,170,171,172,173

Art27,37,39

CareerCounseling45,82,115

Citation11,29,33,43,65,99,147

CitizenHonors9,15,39,69,72,73,75,79,93,103,107,109,111,113,127,141,155,157

Citizenship9,39,119,123,137,141,145,161,165

Commitment9,39,86,93,99,101,107,111,135,157

CommunityService109

Courage9,39,41,45,51,57,73,81,129,

Data 19

DriverEducation155

Geography23

Integrity9,39,41,49,65,75

Irony53

Journalism43

KoreanWar19,23,99,101,121,131,135,171

LanguageArts43,45,49,51,53,57,65,69,73,75,79,87,89,95,99,101,103,107,109,111,115,121,127,129,131,133,137,141,145,147,155,157,161,165lead

Leadership45,65,89,93,107,113,115,127,161,165,

MarineCorps27,43,57,89,101,107,123,135,147,148,170,171,172,173

Music133

Navy19,27,121,133,148,161,162,165,170,171,172,173

Patriotism9,39,119,121,145,157

Poetry75,131

PoliticalScience123,135

Sacrifice9,39,86,87,93,95,99,107,109,111,115,133,145,157

September11th75

SocialStudies43,45,51,53,61,65,69,73,75,79,87,89,95,99,103,107,109,111,113,115,121,123,133,135,137,141,145,147,155,157,161,165

Sociology135

Symbolism27,37,39

VietnamWar19,23,29,43,45,46,49,51,61,63,65,81,83,89,99,103,113,115,129,133,135,137,138,145,147,161,162,171,172

WorldWarII19,23,46,53,57,87,95,97,107,121,133,135,147,148,150,152,170,171


176


177

INDEX OF MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

Baca,John.................................................37Byers,Edward..........................................165Beikirch,Gary........................ 6,29,36,110Bucha,Paul......................................... 18,89Brady,Patrick....................... 41,42,99,129Carpenter,William“Kyle”.......................123Colalillo,Michael.....................................147Crandall,Bruce................................. 37,113Crawford,William.....................................53Davis,Sammy................................129,135Donlon,Roger..........................................115Doss,Desmond................................. 37,95Finn,John.................................................121Fleming,James...........................37,49,99Giunta,Salvatore......................................33Hagemeister,Charles..................... 65,144Hawk,John................................................87Howard,Robert.........................................45Jackson,Arthur.........................................57Jacobs,Jack................................22,51,72Littrell,Gary......................................... 43,61Miyamura,Hiroshi..................................131Morris,Melvin............................................43Myers,Reginald......................................101Norris,Tommy........................................161Oresko,Nicholas.......................................57Petry,Leroy....................14,37,43,99,129Rascon,Alfred.........................................137Rodriguez,Joseph.....................41,88,121Romesha,Clint.............................43,51,74Rubin,Tibor...................................... 99,135Sakato,George........................................147Sasser,Clarence............................147,173Swett,James...........................................147Thornton,Michael.........................133,162Thorsness,Leo................................ 81,145Vargas,Jay.......................... 43,60,89,102Walker,Mary............................................141Williams,Hershel..................107,135,154

Index of Citizen Honors AwardeesBryan,David.........................79,107,155Cox,Jordy.................................. 109,111Eckert,Myles........................................ 93Fagan,Jencie....................................... 69Mintz,Chris........................................... 73Rescorla,Rick......................75,113,157

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