Artifacts bring Vietnam War to light for Springdale High School History Club

History classes and movies don’t show a lot of things about the wars the United States has fought.

For instance, Ethan Zahner, a senior at Springdale Junior-­Senior High School, wasn’t aware of all of the dangers facing soldiers in the Vietnam War.

“I did not know that they had to wear gas masks during the war,” he said.

But they did, as evidenced by artifacts brought to the school Thursday through a program from Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum.

Presented to students in the school’s history club, the program allowed students to interact with artifacts from that war.

Tim Neff, director of museum and education at Soldiers & Sailors, spoke to 25 students in the school’s library. Neff brought various artifacts, such as combat gear, boots, backpacks and accessories used by American and Vietnamese soldiers.

Neff said the museum uses artifacts from wars fought throughout the years from the Civil War to the Afghanistan War. The artifacts are used to help tell veterans’ stories and honor those who served.

“Our goal is to make sure their service is not forgotten,” Neff said.

The presentation, part of the museum’s Footlocker Outreach Program, included a brief overview of what led to the war and its impact. Neff made sure to emphasize the complexity and difficulty of illustrating the Vietnam War.

“It is a very challenging subject because there are lots of gray areas. It was a very different time for our country,” he said.

Neff previously presented about the Civil War at Springdale High School in February. After every presentation, he hopes students have a greater appreciation for veterans and the challenges they faced.

Students were able to touch the artifacts and pass them around to get a closer look at them. Learning about what soldiers wore to survive is what intrigued students the most. The program allowed time to answer all of the questions they raised.

Jakeb Kaminski, president of the History Club, said the teaching of the Vietnam War is often overlooked in history classes. He thinks it should be taught more. The artifacts brought a new perspective for him to know about the war.

“They don’t teach about what they wore,” he said.

Ashton Krebs, another senior, thought it was interesting that Vietnamese soldiers recycled tires to make their shoes.

History teacher Nick Spehar said the History Club strives to do hands-on activities to learn about history. He thought the presentation went great and the kids seemed interested in what they were learning.

“I hope they gain an appreciation for the history of the war and the veterans that fought in it,” he said.