LEBANON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Friday field trip for a Bethlehem High School class had a special meeting as the class finished their research on some of our nation’s silent heroes. The group of juniors taking U.S. history visited Lebanon National Cemetery to eulogize two veterans.
“Elmer Lee Arnold embodied perseverance and resilience,” read one student.
Another began, reading, “James Beaven Miles grew up on a farm in Calvary, Kentucky."
“Private Arnold embarked on a whirlwind tour of the Pacific theater of World War II.”
“Corporal Miles' willingness to serve took him all the way to Yokosuka Naval Base.”
LEX 18 visited the Bethlehem High School junior history class in November as they began their research on the two veterans. Today, the class visited the cemetery.
Covering Kentucky
Bardstown class researching 2 of Kentucky's 'Silent Heroes'
“They kind of had to drop everything just to go help other people in the nation,” said Sloane Smith. “They just dropped, left home, and went to go help.”
“They had so much dedication that it was important for them to go and serve our country,” Akira Calvin added.
Today’s trip included a tour of the cemetery. Students also prepared and read their eulogies as members of the Miles family joined the students at his headstone.
“I think when we figured out that his family was coming, some of us were kind of scared a little bit,” Calvin shared. “I think we were just more excited that they were supporting us and helping us along the way.”
So what did the students take away from the project?
“Arnold, he was from the outskirts of Louisville and he was on a farm and then all of a sudden he gets placed in like a tropical island to serve,” Smith said.
“He was really involved with all of his family and it was nice to research about that,” Avery Perkins added about Arnold. “Personally, I'm really close with my family, so it's cool to see veterans be like that with theirs.”
The project is part of the Silent Heroes program put on by the group National History Day called Untold Stories from the US Marine Corps in Word War II. Teacher Laura Craig was one of 52 selected to lead her class in researching for the program.
