Need help ASAP for school project

Hi, my name is Josiah, & I waited until the last minute to seek help for a school project. (This is actually Josiah's dad typing this for him .) I need to interview a vet from the battle of Iwo Jima. I need the answers to a few questions by tomorrow night, so I can hand it in for Friday. Any of you vet's out there willing & able to help another in need yet again?

Thank you!!!!

 

Welcome to the forum.

As far as I know, there are no Iwo Jima vets that are members. You'll probably want to look elsewhere.

 

Thanks Alan

 

Welcome aboard! You could get in touch with your local American Legion or VFW post, they could probably point you in the right direction. Also ask around (and try volunteering at) some local nursing homes. Sad to say, there's quite a few vets in those these days.

 

God help the women! Actually, women outnumber men in nursing homes more than 2-1...so these vets are currently re-visiting their youth...ive seen the documentary (and my mum is a nurse in a nursing home) the women actually argue over who get the guy! Viagra anyone!?
Id also reccomend watching some choice documentaries...The "World at War" interviews a whole range of Pacific vets including Iwo Jima vets...most questions would have been asked then...

 

You'd think that having to find such a narrow range interviewee he'd have started earlier. As stated, local VA or VFW is probably your best shot.

 

Welcome, all the military units have associations. Just punch in a unit number and the web will find it for you. Good luck!! I found this to be an excellent way to info for my project.

 

My thought is "who came up with this project"?. There aren't exactly lots of Iwo veterans just walking down the streets of every town just waiting to answer questions. These men are in their mid 80s now, and many of them have passed on. I think the teacher that assigned this may have be reevaluate the logic behind it.

 

Agreed. In the real World, I have found it respectful to get to know a Veteran a little before plunging in with questions which can sometimes appear obtrusive and possibly upsetting to them. One should exercise a little consideration.

 

I agree with you Martin.

I think the teacher believes this is a good way for students to "connect" with history. Maybe if this was 1960 or 1970, it would work fine. I certainly don't see a lot of WWII vets walking around the streets these days, and I'm fairly confident that most vets have better things to do than answer a series of questions from some person they've never met just because want a good mark on a project. There are ways to encourage people getting interested in history -- this is not one of them.

I've seen a lot of requests for vet interviews on various forums. Its not the students' fault; they're just doing what is assigned. The teachers should really think before assigning stuff like this -- most kids probably fake it anyway and don't even try. A more reasonable option is having the teacher make contact with one vet who is willing to talk and be interviewed, and then have the kids write letters en-masse. It would certainly be a lot more respectable than having these assignments that just seem to "milk" the vets for information.