Friday, Nov. 14, 2008

GHS Veterans’ Tribute Honors Tuskegee Airmen

By Scott Price

Staff Writer

Grapevine High School’s annual Tribute to Veterans included guest speaker Calvin Spann, a fighter pilot and member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a pioneering outfit of black fighter pilots in World War II.

Spann, a member of the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as "The Redtails" because of the distinctive red tails on their P-51 Mustang fighter planes, told the GHS students that he was 17 and living in New Jersey when he joined the U.S. Army.

"He told the students it was actually the first time he had experienced discrimination in his life because of the color of his skin," said Debbie Cullum, a Spanish and French teacher at GHS who helped organize the annual Tribute to Veterans on Nov. 6. GHS Student Council members helped host the annual veterans’ event and served as escorts to the veterans in attendance.

Part of this year’s activities included a ceremony at the GHS Memorial Garden, where some veterans’ names are laid in stone and brick.

This year, a stone was dedicated in the garden to the Tuskegee Airmen, named for the town in which they trained, Tuskegee, Ala. It reads, "In honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, to the battle they fought at home and abroad."

"He became a little teary-eyed when he saw that," Cullum said.

They also paid tribute to the memory of Col. Jesse George, who served in the United States Air Force in Korea and Vietnam. He was the father of Danette Murray, GCISD’s Purchasing Department director.

GHS student Siena Morgan’s grandfather was at the ceremony, Cullum said, and her grandfather was a ball-turret gunner on a bomber plane in World War II. Cullum said the man thanked Spann for protecting him and other bomber crew members in the war.

The 332nd Fighter Group had a superlative record for providing bomber escorts. They never lost one bomber to enemy fighter planes during the war.

Morgan was also a member of the choir that sang salutes to each branch of the service.

Cullum said one of the traditions of the GHS Tribute to Veterans is the Red carpet Walk of Honor in which people representing all the branches of the military and all wars fought by the United States. Actual veterans serve as representatives in many cases, and in other cases that is not possible. For example, the Sons of the American Revolution represent the Revolutionary War.

The GHS Tribute to Veterans was started in 1997 when student Justin Adams wanted to honor his grandfather. Former GHS science teacher Sherri Steward-Ganz, who attended the event this year, served as organizer of the annual GHS Tribute to Veterans until she retired about three years ago.

The GHS Tribute to Veterans, one of the best known and most respected local events to honor veterans, is held the week before Veterans Day.

"We have ours the Thursday before Veterans Day because there are so many high profile events on Veterans Day and it’s hard to get the honor guards," Cullum said.

GCISD spokeswoman Megan Overman said. "Grapevine High School always goes above and beyond for Veterans Day."

A number of other GCISD schools had their own Veterans Day events.

Bear Creek Elementary had a choir performance in honor of veterans.

Dove Elementary had a Veterans Day assembly in which everyone was encouraged to wear red, white and blue.

Glenhope Elementary had a veterans’ program in which everyone was encouraged to wear patriotic colors, with a choir performance. A "Wall of Honor" featuring photographs of veterans was on display.

Heritage Elementary organized an event with the theme, "We are free because they are brave."

O.C. Taylor Elementary had a performance of third- and fourth-graders to honor veterans and those currently in the military.

Colleyville Middle School social studies students of Sherry David, wrote letters to local veterans and those currently serving in the military.