Veterans share stories at El Camino High

By: STACY BRANDT - Staff Writer
Students' show part of Veterans Day salute | Thursday, November 8, 2007 11:48 PM PST ∞

Robert L. Watson of San Marcos speaks at El Camino High School on Thursday about his D-Day experiences at Omaha Beach during World War II. He was a member of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion, Company B6 and a part of the first wave to hit the Omaha Beach, and was a consultant to Steven Spielberg's movie "Saving Private Ryan." Watson and other veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam participated in the 13th annual Veterans Day program held at the school.
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OCEANSIDE ---- El Camino High School students heard firsthand accounts of history Thursday, as more than 80 veterans came into their classrooms to talk about their wartime experiences.


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The classroom speeches and a special assembly were part of a Veterans Day event Assistant Principal Bob Nelson started at the school 13 years ago with help from local Rotary clubs.

Nelson said he was inspired to start the event by his former history teacher at Vista High School, Rotarian Jim Downs, in order to bring history alive for students.

"In a lot of students, it sparks a real interest," Nelson said.

The all-day event featured veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Before the veterans got a chance to tell the students their stories, the students put on an assembly to entertain and honor them with patriotic performances from the band, choir and dance troupe.

This year, the program was focused on medics, who Nelson said often are unsung heroes of wars.

"They don't usually get the recognition they deserve," he said.

Rick Salde, who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, said medics were his heroes during that war.

"If it wasn't for the medics, I wouldn't be standing here today," he told a roomful of students.

As Salde spoke to the students, several of them gasped when they found out he went to war when he was 18, just a year or two older than most of them.

Rosa Fesili, 16, said she was shocked to realize that people so close to her age fought and died in Vietnam.

"It was sad how they fought in the war," she said.

Salde didn't see it that way.

He said he is proud to have served his country and would do it all again if he had the chance.

"All this is for you guys to have the freedom," he told the history class of juniors.

Ruben Ortiz, a retired Army master sergeant who also fought in Vietnam, said he was thrilled to be able to share his stories with the students. Telling the stories is therapeutic for the veterans, he said. Both Ortiz and Salde suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder along with other war-related disabilities, they said.

"It lightens the load," Salde said about the opportunity to talk about his experiences.

It also gives the kids insight into the wars and the country's history that they might not get in a typical class, he said.

"The kids can't get these stories in books," Salde said.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 901-4009 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.