Veterans recount time in service

U.S. Army Chaplain Assistant Norman Knight speaks with World War II veteran Dever Lemmons on Tuesday evening following a Gaffney High veterans book presentation. Knight spoke with students and parents about his experiences in Europe dealing with the spiritual needs of Army soldiers. Melvin Lancaster wasn't expected to last long when he was placed on the front lines in the Korean War.

An ankle injury in basic training left Lancaster with no experience before he was sent to the front line in 1951 as a machine gunner for a reconnaissance team.

Given the saying, "A machine gunners' life was about three minutes," Lancaster said he beat the odds and was never wounded during his year in the Korean War.

Lancaster spent his nights spying on the enemy, taking pictures of their locations and reporting back to his troops.

Although those tasks were risky, his fearless attitude made him perfect for the job.

"The enemy was constantly looking for their bunkers and trenches, so their next night's sleep depended on the area," Gaffney High students Hannah Kerr and Erica Sellars wrote in an essay based on their interview with Lancaster. "The living conditions were so harsh that he was unable to bathe for more than three months. Despite this and the risk of someone locating his position, the only time his health was in danger was when he was diagnosed with malaria."

Lancaster, now a Gaffney Middle School security officer, is among 13 veterans whose military service tours of duty appear in the book "True Accounts of Cherokee County Soldiers."

Gaffney High School presented veterans and their families with personal copies of the book during a ceremony Tuesday, May 27. The book features essays written by students based on their interviews with local veterans.

This is the seventh book Gaffney High students have published on the military experiences of veterans. Unlike past years, there is no specific war or time period covered throughout the book.

Several Korean War and Vietnam War veterans were interviewed for the latest edition.

Recent Gaffney High graduate James Mitchell Coker II was interviewed last fall while serving with the U.S. Air Force in Korea. He used e-mail communications to answer questions submitted by student Christine Henson.

One of Coker's most memorable experiences was receiving the Joint Service Commendation Medal from Keith B. Alexander, Director of the National Security Agency.

"He called his Mom at 2 a.m. on Mother's Day to tell her about the Joint Service Commendation and showed it to her on the webcam," Henson wrote in her essay. "She was alarmed that he was calling at this time and thought something was wrong, but once she realized it was for something great, everyone calmed down and enjoyed the moment."

Coker stays in touch with his family from Korea through the Internet and mail.

"The most humorous event he recalls is watching the news in Korea," Henson wrote. "A foreign country's perception of American news is humorous, hands-down."

Copies of the Gaffney High veterans book are available for purchase at the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society. Any veteran who would like to be interviewed by students for next year's book should contact Billy Pennington at 489-3988; or David Smith at 902-3600.