Veterans Day is a time to honor the men and women who have served in America’s Armed Forces. In classrooms across the country, it’s often a meaningful day of learning and reflection.
At Colerain High School, Social Studies Teacher Kelsey Frederick marked the day with a unique lesson about the Vietnam War flavored with the context of the personal remembrances of a special local veteran she had the honor of accompanying on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., on October 23, 2024.
Since 2015, the Northwest Exchange Club has sponsored one local teacher each year to join a veteran on an Honor Flight from Cincinnati to the nation’s capital. This year, Mrs. Frederick was selected, and she served as Guardian for U.S. Army Veteran Joseph Glassmeyer.
The October 23 flight, the last of the year from Cincinnati, carried over 80 Tri-State veterans and their guardians to Washington, D.C., providing an opportunity for the veterans to visit their memorials and participate in ceremonies honoring their service.
Mr. Glassmeyer served in the Army during the Vietnam War, where he worked for the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), escorting war criminals - both U.S. and Vietnamese - to and from holding facilities and court hearings. He arrived in Vietnam on November 4, 1967, alongside his childhood friend, Marty.
The two were separated once they arrived and had no contact until they unexpectedly reunited on their return home. Remarkably, Mr. Glassmeyer, Marty, and another elementary school classmate were all on the same Honor Flight this October.
Mrs. Frederick was deeply moved by her Honor Flight experience. She had long hoped to join an Honor Flight with one of her grandfathers, but he was never selected before passing away.
“Mr. Glassmeyer is a wonderful person,” she said. “He was easy to talk to and very open with his memories. As a history teacher, I could listen to him talk all day.”
Throughout the day, Mr. Glassmeyer shared vivid memories of his time in Vietnam, which Mrs. Frederick thoughtfully integrated into her Veterans Day lesson, pairing his personal stories with historical facts about the Vietnam War.
Mrs. Frederick expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Northwest Exchange Club for making this journey possible. She and Mr. Glassmeyer recently shared their Honor Flight experience with club members at a meeting, bringing the stories and significance of Veterans Day to life. This spring, Mr. Glassmeyer will be a special guest at Colerain High School where he can share his memories and talk history with Mrs. Frederick’s students.
