Clarkston resident Catherine Reeve described the Andersonville shelters the England government build for safety.
She was describing to Clarkston Junior High School students her experience during World War II as an 11-year-old during the London Blitz.
She remembered her father waking her up and saying the country had gone to war.
‘It was a scary time,? she said.
Other witnesses and World War II veterans also share their experience, like local residents Leigh Bonner and Ray DeFiore.
Both were just teenagers when the United States joined the war.
The students spent up to four weeks learning about the war and listened the diverse stories and experiences everyone had.
‘We bring in the speakers for a variety of reasons,? said Brian Zezula, history teacher. ‘From the interaction with older members of the community to the literary aspect of hearing first person oral narratives.?
Most importantly to know it was real and it did happen.
Bonner, on his third annual visit to the school, talked about his days as a pilot.
‘I hated every minute of it,? he admitted. ‘But I was glad I was there.?
Mike Angelo and Harold DeForest visited the junior high for the first time and talked about the different experiences they had while in different locations.
DeForest spent most of his time battling in a hot climates while Angelo was cold in Europe.
Angelo shared his memories about being in a POW camp and how he and other prisoners were treated.
‘I wasn’t treated bad,? he said. ‘But wasn’t treated well – just like anything else.?
He learned quickly anything could be bartered with cash. Cigarettes were $1 in the camp and 20 cigarettes would buy a loaf of bread.
When he was captured he had to hand over all of his personal valuables and equipment. As he walked away, he remembered his girlfriend’s photograph was still in his wallet.
He turned around and dug through the pile while Nazi guards watched him. He grabbed his wallet and $40 he left in it.
‘It got me two loaves of bread,? he said. ‘They gave us soup but I just think they ran carrots through water.?
Angelo escaped the camp through paying attention to his surroundings.
‘We didn’t have much time to plan what we were going to do,? he admitted. ‘They changed their areas around a little bit and it messed us up.?
One day the guards took Angelo and a few other prisoners out of the camp and into the open.
As they were walking along a curvy road they decided to do something simple. They decided one of them would pretend to be sick.
They distanced themselves away from the guards walking slower and paying attention to where they were. When they saw the back of one guard they took their chance and headed into the woods.
‘We took off and ran until we were absolutely pooped,? he said.
Both Angelo and DeForest were hit by shrapnel – Angelo in the arm and DeForest in the finger, which was taken off.
‘It was an experience I had, but I wouldn’t want to do it again,? said DeForest. ‘We had some rough times and we had some good times. I was fighting for my country and I figured it was right to support my country.?