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Veterans share stories with Poway High School students

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Poway High School students experienced military history up close and personal on Tuesday when about 25 veterans came to the school to speak for Memorial Day.

The veterans, who ranged from World War II veterans to those who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, shared their experiences with students in history classes, telling their stories and answering questions.

The veterans were also treated to lunch at the school, along with the history teachers.

The school has been having veterans to speak to students since 2005, said Karen Kawasaki-Williams, who organized the event this year. “The students get real, living history. They read about these events in textbooks, but meeting veterans really brings (the events) to life.”

Kawasaki-Williams said this was especially true of WWII veterans, since there were not that many around anymore. “To meet them in a classroom setting where students feel safe asking questions is wonderful,” Kawasaki-Williams said.

Curt Lewis, who teaches history at Poway High School and is himself a veteran, said that this event has brought a wide variety of veterans to the classrooms. This year, he hosted four veterans to speak to his students who fought in the Vietnam War, and for some the Korean War as well.

Two of these veterans had a special connection to Poway High School: Dennis McKee is the father of Peter McKee, an assistant principal at Poway High, and Bob Champion was a coach at PHS for many years.

McKee, a retired Marine who flew planes, spoke on the importance of Memorial Day. “Why did I serve? It has to do with Memorial Day,” said McKee. “Honoring folks who fought in the military from the Civil War until today, and honoring those who died. It’s about service to your country, and service to those who have passed away.”

McKee also spoke about the role he played outside of combat when he was stationed in Quantico, Virginia — flying presidents. McKee said he flew two U.S. presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. “I got a lot of enjoyment flying helicopters,” said McKee.

Champion, who served in the Navy, spoke about his time in Vietnam, where he worked as a minesweeper and the unusual tactics he used to keep his men safe and alive.

Champion also briefly spoke about his other duties in Vietnam, which included recovering bodies from crash sites and capturing POWs.

“I promised the families of my guys that they would do their jobs, that they wouldn’t be wounded, and that they wouldn’t die,” said Champion. Thanks to his tactics, which included fighting at night, varying the times when his boats went out and spreading the word to the enemy that they would be left alone if they didn’t shoot at his boats, Champion went an entire year without losing a ship and had no one wounded or killed. “It was probably the best year of my life, because I was finally being trained in fighting like I’d always wanted,” said Champion.

John Debevec, who was in the Air Force, talked about flying for rescue missions during the Vietnam War, where he participated in the evacuation of Saigon and also in Cambodia, ahead of the Khmer Rouge.

Dave Greaney, who served in the Navy, also spoke about his role in the military outside of combat. Greaney was part of military’s presence in Antarctica, assisting scientists as they did studies. Greaney brought in a taxidermied baby penguin he’d found frozen to death in Antarctica, and a penguin egg he’d also found frozen.

“When you think about what the U.S. has done in Antarctica, we’ve contributed to the knowledge of it. You as Americans can be proud that the U.S. Navy was very instrumental in the studies going on in Antarctica (in the past), and that are still going on today,” said Greaney.

“Twenty-five years in the military, and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone bring a penguin back as a trophy,” said McKee.

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