DREAM FULFILLED; STUDENTS UNITE TEACHER, FORMER POW.Byline: Mary Lou Aurelio Daily News Staff Writer As a boy in New Jersey, Dave Thomson felt so deeply about the plight of American prisoners of war prisoners of war, in international law, persons captured by a belligerent while fighting in the military. International law includes rules on the treatment of prisoners of war but extends protection only to combatants. in Vietnam that he wrote off like a lot of kids and got a bracelet inscribed in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. with the name of a soldier on soldier on Verb to continue one's efforts despite difficulties or pressure it. On Wednesday, as a teacher at Burbank High, Thomson's devotion came back to him tenfold when former POW Harold Johnson Harold Johnson may refer to:
``He shows he cares about us,'' said Jeanie Lim, 16, who helped organize the surprise, regarding her Advanced Placement U.S. history teacher. ``He'll stay here as long as we need him after school. He just never gives up.'' For 14 years, Thomson has been telling students how he grew up in Medford Lakes, N.J., and one day wrote to a sponsoring group that he wanted to support the POWs. A bracelet inscribed with the name of U.S. Air Force Capt. Harold Eugene Johnson came back in the mail. He wore the bracelet until Johnson's safe return after six years in captivity and later got a thank-you letter after his release. That was their last contact, except Johnson would show his students the bracelet and mention how someday he would like to meet the man whose name is on it. His students took him seriously and used a POW database on the Internet to find Johnson in Blakesburg, Iowa Blakesburg is a city in Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 374 at the 2000 census. Geography Blakesburg is located at (40.962817, -92.636044)GR1. , where he is mayor of the town. ``They told me there's somebody here in California telling stories about me,'' Johnson said. ``But that they're good stories.'' Sixty students each contributed up to $25 to buy the air ticket as a gift to Thomson. On Wednesday, they brought the teacher to the library under false pretenses False representations of material past or present facts, known by the wrongdoer to be false, and made with the intent to defraud a victim into passing title in property to the wrongdoer. and then presented Johnson. A stunned Thomson was momentarily speechless. ``I thank you for your service and dedication to this country,'' Thomson said. ``This is better than any movie I've seen,'' he added as the students applauded. ``I remember wearing the bracelet, then seeing on TV when you came home and cheering and yelling. Then I received a letter from you, but I never thought I'd get to finish this story.'' Johnson was touched by the scene. ``What a wonderful teacher you must be to influence this many students,'' he said. The students agreed. ``He's not just a teacher, but a friend. He puts so much preparation into class,'' said Tigran Sinanyan, 17. ``He's there if we need him before or after school,'' said Jacob Leon, 17. ``He gets emotionally involved and he teaches from personal experience. He gives us a firsthand look at the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. .'' Johnson was honored by student Ryan Jones Ryan Paul Jones (born 13 March 1981 in Newport) is a rugby union player who plays number 8 for the Ospreys and Wales. He played junior football for Bristol City as a goalkeeper until the age of 14. He took up rugby union at age 16 to be with his friends. , 17. ``Your life was an example of pure patriotism,'' Jones said. ``You're an example to all of us.'' Johnson responded: ``I know I've been part of history, and I hope it has some meaning to you.'' Later, he said, ``I'm pleased to see kids doing things like this.'' For Thomson, the experience was deeply moving. ``I can't express the gratitude I have and how much I appreciate all of you,'' he told the students. ``I'm still kind of stunned. This is an opportunity to bring a story to fruition - to come full circle.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Burbank High School Burbank High School may refer to:
(2 -- color) Harold Johnson, a prisoner of war PRISONER OF WAR. One who has been captured while fighting under the banner of some state. He is a prisoner, although never confined in a prison. 2. In modern times, prisoners are treated with more humanity than formerly; the individual captor has now no in Vietnam for six years, talks to students who flew him in from Iowa. (3) Ryan Jones wears a POW bracelet from Harold Johnson. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News |
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