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The opening of the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum in November was a milestone. Having the first large group of students visit and learn was the start of fulfilling the PVM's mission.

Nearly 100 Penncrest High School juniors came to the museum as part of their Modern European History course. Teacher John Pauley said the integration of the museum with class work was a "no-brainer,'' as it provided students with the hands-on, interactive exhibits. "The students' assignment is to look at two videos, visit two kiosks and interview two veterans,'' Pauley said. The latter was a unique opportunity afforded this inaugural group, arranged by Media Mayor Bob McMahon, PVM chairman Ed Buffman, vice chairman Bud Hendrick and others.

More than a dozen World War II veterans were assembled to tell it just like it was. Included in this group of men and women were veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day and the surrender of Japan on the deck of USS Missouri.

''Band of Brothers'' member Forest Guth and Tuskegee Airman Luther Smith, both of whom have been contributors to videos and information, shared their stories.

It is impossible to underestimate the value of firsthand information, junior John Pagnoni learned.
"World War II is my favorite part of history,'' he said. ''Hearing these stories from the veterans tell me what they went through, and what to expect in future wars.

I talked to Forest Guth, and he said not everything in the movie ('Band of Brothers') was accurate, but the book was right.''
Pagnoni would likely have found his way to the museum, but for his classmates, this trip was the kind of supplement that makes learning fun.

"It's pretty interesting. This has made me more aware of what really happened. You don't get this kind of personal experience from a book. This isn't dull,'' said Amy Greco. George Linthicum of Broomall said he was surprised many students didn't have any knowledge of the Battle of the Bulge, which he survived.

"There were 80,000 GIs there; 19,000 killed in a five-week period. It was one of the biggest battles of the war,'' Linthicum said with some understatement. "We have our own organization to let the general public know what we went through.''

Morris Heydt of Upper Darby came through the same battle. He also told students he'd been "a witness'' to a concentration camp liberation, leaving many of the teens wide-eyed.

The WAVES intrigued many of the young ladies. Gladys Martin spent war years as a musician in a Navy dance band while Peg Hendrick's worked as a chemist analyzing fuels and metals aboard ships.

Luther Smith's singular position as a famed Tuskegee Airman caught the attention of student Denzel Thomas.

"I knew a little about the Tuskegee Airmen, but this museum is really good. You get to see and hear about the war from their perspective, and they lived it,'' said Thomas.

The veterans won't always be available, but their stories are vividly represented at the museum. McMahon said these visits, which hopefully will expand once a study program is completed, helps young people learn about history and, most importantly, appreciate the participation of their family members.