Living proof: eyewitness to history: student writing contest winners

Jeremy Johnson

HISTORY is a rich, ever-changing fabric woven by stories and experiences that move us, inspire us, and ultimately change us forever.

This year's Eyewitness to History entries were no exception. Hundreds of readers sent interviews on everything from fighting in wars and pinching pennies during the Great Depression to "necking" at drive-in movies and mourning race car driver Dale Earnhardt.

With their candid descriptions, the three winning entries offer unique perspectives on history. In them, a Vietnam veteran recalls the conflicted emotions of a soldier, a Marine describes life on the front line in Iraq, and a woman puts her family's gigantic claim to fame--a flea circus--on center stage.

Vietnam War

Jeremy Johnson

Taft Youth Center

Pikeville, Tenn.

In the 1960s and '70s, the United States sent millions of men to fight in the Vietnam War (1964-1973). Many Americans did not support the war. They disagreed with its causes and said it killed too many people--more than a million died in the war, including 58,000 U.S. soldiers. North and South Vietnam signed a peace treaty in 1973, but the communist North conquered the South in 1975. Jeremy Johnson's teacher, Michael Phillips, fought in Vietnam as an Array sergeant. Jeremy talked to Phillips about what it was like to look death in the face.

It was the fall of 1969, and 18-year-old Michael Phillips was fresh out of high school. Michael didn't know his life was about to take a huge turn. He was one of thousands of young men drafted to go to war in Vietnam.

Q: Do you believe you fought for the right reasons?

A: At the time [I did] because I was told I was going to be a hero, and then later on I began to disagree. I mean, after you see what is going on ... For instance, we would be dropped off in the jungle, and we'd come up on a local village; then we'd get a radio transmission saying that the enemy (Viet Cong) was known to be in the village. So we'd have to pull out the machine guns and exterminate whole villages. I couldn't justify in my mind what was going on.

Q: What types of weapons did you use?

A: The basic issue M-16, which you had to clean a lot because if you were lazy and didn't clean [it], it had a tendency to jam when you needed it the most, so a lazy man was a dead man. Then I had a sidearm weapon, which was a 9mm. And we also had ... a 50-caliber, high-powered machine gun that was mounted on a vehicle.

Q: What went through your mind during combat?

A: The first thing that went through my mind was, "Dang, I'm in a real war." Then the training kicks in, and after it's over, it's like a bad dream you'll never forget.

Q: Were you wounded?

A: No, only nicks and scratches, and something we called the rot, from spending days in the jungle with our feet in water constantly--it made our feet peel.

Q: How did you spend your days when you weren't in combat?

A: We had something called R&R (rest and relaxation), where you'd the at a safe base. You could relax. You didn't have to worry about any enemies sneaking up on you and slicing your throat.... You could actually sleep in peace.

Q: Is there any one encounter that you absolutely can't forget?

A: One time we were in this hole w trying to escape enemy gunfire. Then this grenade landed in the hole with us. We were all looking at each other like, what are we going to do? Then my buddy Joe Hellsley rolled over on the grenade. When the grenade blew up, Joe [took] the explosion in his stomach. Joe and I were the same age. We were 19 years old. Joe saved our lives that day in the hole, and there's not one day that I don't remember [it]. Joe had a whole life ahead of him, but instead he sacrificed iris for mine.

Q: If you had the chance, would you do it all ever again?

A: If I knew what I know now, no! I'm old enough to know that it was a waste of time. But I am proud of myself for standing up for my country. I wasn't a coward.

Conclusion: Although "Mr. Phill" survived this "bad dream," I could sense his intense emotions as he remembered what he probably wants to forget the most. Still, Mr. Phill is a hero to America. And he continues to be a hero every day at Taft Youth Center, where he teaches science and social studies.

Iraq War

by Cody Hope

South Park Middle School

South Park, Pa.

You've read news stories and watched the action on TV--but what was it really like to fight in Iraq? Cody Hope interviewed Lance Cpl. Sean Fitzwilliam to find out. The war lasted from March 20 to May 1, 2003. Fitzwilliam served in Iraq from March 2 to September 9, 2003, in the Marines Military Police.

Q: What did you have to do in Iraq?

A: I did convoy security. I would escort Hummers ... through danger zones. I was a gunman of the Hummers. We would also escort higher-ups and guard the officers.... I [also] would guard enemy prisoners of war.

Q: Where were you stationed?

A: My unit traveled all over. I was in Tikrit, which is Saddam Hussein's hometown, Basra, and Baghdad. Sometimes, we would go down to Kuwait for a few days, then travel back up north into Iraq. We never spent more than a few days in any of the places.

Q: Were you afraid?

A: I probably was, but you don't rely think about being afraid when you are there. I remember ... seeing all the explosions in the sky.... It was an eerie feeling watching and knowing we were bombing all of these places. You heard gunshots all the time, and you were always on guard.

Q: Did you see people die? How did you feel?

A: Yes, I saw a lot of Iraqis die. It sounds harsh, but I didn't feel sad at all. It was war. You concentrate on yourself and your unit. In my mind, it was me or them. They were the enemy. That's how you have to think. You have to worry about saving your own life.... If you didn't kill them, they would kill you, and that's the truth.

Q: How did the Iraqis treat you?

A: I would say that 80 percent of the people were happy we were there, and 20 percent were angry at us for being there. After the war, most of the people would try to say thank you.... They would carry food to us in blankets, but we were never allowed to take it. We remained very guarded.... You didn't relax with them, even though they appeared to be friendly

Q: What was the worst part about being in Iraq?

A: Missing my family and friends was the worst. It was at least three months before I had any contact with them.

[Another bad] part ... was the mixture of the heat and sand. You have on so much equipment, and sand is blowing everywhere. It was awful. I remember writing a letter home telling my family, "I never, never, never want to see sand again for the rest of my life." I was dead serious at the time. I didn't get to take a shower for 46 days. It felt like the dirt and sand were all over you. When I finally dirt get to take a shower, it consisted of standing while some other guys poured water me. I still didn't feel clean, but at that time, I would [have taken] anything I could get.

Q: How did you spend your time off?

A: We mainly played football and care Someone shipped us a TV with a DVD player.... At one point, in Kuwait, [we] hooked cable up to our TV [and watched] the Raiders vs. Chargers football game.

Q: Did you get lonely?

A: Of course. I was lucky, though. A good friend of mine from high school enlisted with me. We went to Iraq together and basically stayed together.

Q: When did you find out you were going home? How did you feel?

A: I found out the morning I left. We were told to pack because we were going home. My buddy and I slapped each other's hands and were thrilled. We left that day on a commercial flight. It took 17 hours.... I remember the first thing I wanted to do was take off my boots and walk on carpet in my bare feet. Nothing ever felt so good.

Flea Circus

by Marlayna Augusto

Pocantico Hills Middle School

Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

What's smaller than the head of a pin and somersaults through the air? A trapeze artist in a flea circus! These pint-sized performers were regular feature at circus sideshows in the 1800s through the mid-1900s. Marlayna Augusto interviewed her grandmother, Janet Mehling, about her ancestors' circus connections.

Imagine watching a circus ... with a magnifying glass! Well, that's what my great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather invited people to do for more than 30 years. If you still don't understand what I'm talking about, I'll give you two words: flea circus! It all started when my great-great-grandfather, Hubert Heckler, opened his "mini circus" in the 1920s. He ran it until the 1930s, when he died. My great-grandfather, Leroy Heckler, took it over until the 1950s, when he retired. Unfortunately, both Hubert and Leroy are deceased, so I interviewed my grandmother, Janet Mehling. So with no further ado, I present Hubert's Museum.

Q: Where was the flea circus?

A: It was on 42nd Street in New York, New York.

Q: Were there any articles written about the flea circus?

A: There were a few written, such as one in Life magazine. My father's flea circus was popular because it was the last and longest-running flea circus of the 20th century.

Q: Was this your grandfather's and father only job?

A: Not exactly. They managed the sideshow in a circus called Hubert's Museum. The flea circus was in this sideshow.... For a few years they travel with a circus (human, that is). My grandfather was the strongman, and my father worked at the concession stand.

Q: Are any of the original flea circus item: still in your possession?

A: I have a copy of the Life magazine, and also I have some of the equipment that the fleas used, such as the carouse and the chariots.

Q: Did your father name any of the fleas? Did they have special acts?

A: There was Prince Henry, who was a juggler. [Leroy] also had two girls named Henrietta and Fifi. He would cut out little circles and tie them to the two girls' "waists" and call them "hoop skirts." He would then turn on the music and say they were dancing when they were really just hopping around. There was also a carousel that he would attach a flea named Calvin to, and Calvin would go around in circles, pulling the carousel. There were chariot races between Prince Henry and Julius, another flea. They would be attached to the chariots and pull them, and whoever got across the finish line first won.

Q: How big was the audience?

A: Maybe a dozen people at a time.... The people would watch the fleas with magnifying glasses or just their eyes.

Conclusion: Today, everything in entertainment is all glitter and flash and pizazz. Don't get me wrong, that's all right, but back then everything was simple. It was good, old-fashioned entertainment. I think that's what my ancestors wanted to do: share good, pure entertainment.

Honorable Mentions

We received hundreds of wonderful entries this year. Thank you to everyone who entered

Lillian Rose Cabello

Life in Poland During WW II

Sacred Heart Parish School

Coronado, Calif.

Anthony Giorgio

Haunting Memories of WW II

Pocantico Hills Middle School

Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

Amanda Leonti

WW II: On the Home

Tolt Middle School

Carnation, Wash.

Cory Love

A Bomber in WW II

Trinity Lutheran School

Newport News, Va.

Nick Neiport

WW II Paratrooper

South Park Middle School

South Park, Pa.

John O'Kain

Vietnam at 18

South Park Middle School

South Park, Pa.

Baruch Schonbrun

September 11, 2001

Hebrew Academy of Long

Long Beach, N.Y.

Kaysha Whitson

WW II: Life in Germany

Tolt Middle School

Carnation, Wash.

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