In 1975 U.S. soldiers, who had spent years overseas in violent conditions while preserving American spirit in Vietnam, finally returned to their home country. In past wars, veterans would be greeted back with cheers and widespread admiration. However, since anti-war sentiment engulfed the country, men and women who served their country never truly received a welcome home. Some of these soldiers never made it home at all.
Edison High School sent many young to fight in Vietnam–9 of whom were killed or went missing. These names have been memorialized around EHS, the most visible of which is on the wall in the Media Center.
On May 14, almost exactly fifty years after the Vietnam War’s official end, Edison High recognized its Vietnam casualties by inviting US Army Major General Ed Chrystal and Colonel Patrick Cramer to speak with US History classes. Chrystal is the director of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration (USAVWC), an organization created by the Obama administration to honor the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Since 2012, the USAVWC has pushed for two nationwide tenets: 1) to raise awareness about our servicemen’s impact to erase the stigma of the Vietnam Era, while also 2) appreciating the sacrifices that these veterans and their families made for our country.
“There’s no greater calling than serving your country,” Chrystal added. “You learn a lot: You learn a lot about yourself, you learn a lot about leadership, you learn a lot about what you’re capable of, and you’re serving this great country of ours, which provides for so many.”
The EHS event, initiated by history teacher Mr. Mike Glackin, aimed to highlight Edison High’s local servicemen who went missing (MIA) or were killed in action (KIA), tying into his US History II students’ own research projects. Glackin’s US-2 classes had been researching and creating biographies of each of the missing soldiers from EHS.
Previously, there were only 8 known men. This year, Donald Moses ‘63, a name not currently on any local memorials, was added to the list of names after research compiled by a number of Glackin’s students. The work was done by Issac Bailey ‘25, Grace M. Nelson ‘27, Sanaya Tarver’27, Pavithra Kalaivanan ‘26, Jacob Munoz ‘27, Siya Gupta ‘25, Kahlil Coney ‘27, Samantha Oyola ‘25, Dorainy Marte ‘27, and TaNiyah Tabb-Jones ‘26. Their research resulted in Moses’ name being added to the roll of honor which is read every year for Memorial Day.
Along with his project, the event instilled a new perspective in his students, highlighting the importance of Vietnam soldiers in America’s and Edison’s history.
“Listening to General Chrystal and Colonel Cramer helped me realize the realities of the Vietnam War. These soldiers fought for our nation, and got nothing back,” said Leilany Soto ‘27.
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Major General Ed Chrystal speaks to EHS students about the significance of Operation Welcome Home, a project that honors Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices and gives them the “welcome home” they did not receive in 1975.
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Major General Chrystal holds up a flag commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. All national partners, of which EHS is one, received a flag for their participation in honoring the end of Vietnam War and the soldiers who fought in it.
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Major General Ed Chrystal addresses Mr. Glackin’s US-2 classes and elaborates about the history of the Vietnam War. It has been the general’s mission to commemorate the end of the war nationwide.
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Students in Glackin’s US-2 classes, who researched EHS alumni who were MIA and KIA in the Vietnam War, fill the Library to share their research with Major General Chrystal and Colonel Cramer.
Glackin also found sentimentality in both the project and event.
“This project always reminds me that, when they died, most of these men were not much older than the students I have researching their biographies,” said Glackin. “They walked the same halls, sat in some of the same classrooms, and probably had some very similar high school experiences as my current students. Then, their lives were cut short because they went to war.”
While discussing the lives of Edison’s veterans, Chrystal and Cramer emphasized the importance of service and duty to America, hoping to instill national pride in the future leaders of American society.
“You should work in the military to serve your country. And no one can ever take that from you,” said Cramer. “Also, there are plenty of career paths in the military that aren’t just shooting guns; you can learn a skill that they’ll give to you for free.”
“I love my job because it’s a very emotional investment,” said Chrystal. “It’s a great opportunity–we get to deal with a lot of great people.”
At the end of the assembly, Chrystal and Cramer nationally certified Edison High School as a commemorative partner of the USAVWC, underscoring EHS and the students’ impact. They presented all three classes with an honorary flag, now hanging in Room 137. Through their projects, students prioritized looking past the political controversy of the era to preserve national and local history.
“They seem pretty proud of themselves, and they should be,” said Glackin. “I know I’m proud of them,” said Glackin.
The USAVWC’s mission finishes on this year’s Veterans Day–November 11, 2025. To continue learning about the USAVWC’s service as their assignment nears its end, visit vietnamwar50.com to celebrate and remember the past.
Listed below are the men from EHS who were killed or went missing during the Vietnam War:
Victor Mika ‘62
Donald H. Moses ’63
William Shortt ‘64
Joseph Tamagnini ‘64
Michael Pavlocak ‘65
Joseph Colasurdo ‘67
Lazslo Boross*
Edward Meeker*
*Attended, but didn’t graduate from EHS.
