VETERAN'S HISTORY PROJECT
Newark Catholic has recently begun to participate in the Library of Congress' official Veterans History Project. Freshmen history teacher, Mr. Chris Parkinson, and Mr. Edward L. McDonald, retired master sergeant in the U.S. Army, have been working with the students to interview our veterans.
The Veteran's History Project records personal interviews with our veterans in the Licking County area. We have conducted five interviews since April. Interviewees include Mary Glover, Newark, (World War II); SSG John McCann, Mount Vernon, (World War II); SSG Don Jakeway, Johnstown, (World War II); LTC Norman Cogswell (World War II); and COL. William Booth (Vietnam).
We will continue to interview our veterans and their families for their personal accounts of sacrifice. We are working with veterans from World War II and Korea first, as many of our veterans from that era are dying at the rate of 1200 per day nationwide. We would like to have one team interview families and servicemen and women who have participated in combat actions after World War II and Korea.
At a future time and place, we hope to have the interviews stored in a veteran's museum accessible to the public, historians and those who are interested in genealogy. The museum will include artifacts from all our conflicts and accounts of civilians and businesses of Licking County that have contributed so much to our efforts in war and peace.
If you or someone you know is a veteran interested in participating in this program, please contact Mr. McDonald (msgmac_27@juno.com) OR call 344-3594 vm 303).