Vietnam Veterans to speak during NSU Centennial Lectureship Series

BY NSU Staff Writer Laura Butler

On the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 9, the Northeastern State University Broken Arrow campus will host Vietnam Veteran and author Bill McCloud as part of the Centennial Lectureship Series. The lecture will take place in the Visitor's Center in Building A from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. McCloud discuss the subject of teaching the Vietnam War.

McCloud published a book titled What Should We Tell Our Children About Vietnam? and has published articles in many magazines including Junior Scholastic, The Veteran, The World Paper, Vietnam Echoes and Journal of Veterans for Peace.

Evelyn Sloat, a Gold Star Mother from Coweta, OK, submitted information for McCloud's book. Sloats son, Don Paul Sloat, served in Vietnam and died in combat on January 17, 1970. He earned a commendation citation, a Bronze Star and a citation for honorable service.

Sloat said that her son came from a family of proud servicemen.

My father served in World War I, my husband in World War II, my brother in the Korean War and my son, Don, in Vietnam, she explained.

McCloud has won many awards for his work and in 1988 was named one of USA Today's People Who Make a Difference. He is the recipient of the George Washington Honor Medal for Excellence in Public Communications from Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge in 1998.

According to Ohio newspaper The Lima News, Perhaps no teacher has given more thought to the question of what to teach about Vietnam than has Bill McCloud. The Lima News awarded an Honorable Mention to McCloud for one of the Best of the New Books in 1989.

McCloud earned his Master's degree in Education from NSU in 1979. He taught Social Studies at Pryor Junior High in Pryor, OK from 1975-2005 and was named Teacher of the Year in 1989. He was president of the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies from 1989-1991 and chaired its Committee for the Improvement of Social Studies Curriculum from 1988-1990.

McCloud served as teacher-trainer for the Center for Social Studies Education's The Lessons of the Vietman War from 1989-1991. He also served as a consultant for the National Education Association, the National Parks Service, USA Today and for the teacher's guide for the movie In Country.

I am currently writing the authorized biography of Marine Master Sergeant William 'Spanky' Gibson, who is the only full-limb amputee to return to combat in Iraq, McCloud said. His story will not make out to be some super hero, but rather to be representative of all the best that's in our service men and women, both past and present. I consider this project to be probably the most important thing I've ever done.

Following McCloud's lecture is fellow Vietnam Veteran Joe Todd, who will speak on Nov. 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. also in the Building A Visitor's Gallery. Todd has written a book about the USS Oklahoma and the USS Maryland.

Before the attack started, the Oklahoma and the Maryland were connected by cables, BA campus professor, Dr. Linda Wilson explained. When the Oklahoma was hit by torpedoes and started to roll over, the Captain of the Maryland ordered the cables to be cut to save the ship.

Audiences are bound to enjoy Todds insight and discussion, said Wilson. Hes a great speaker.

10/28/2009

Published: 2009-10-28 00:00:00