November 2011
C O M M U N I T Y N E W S T H AT M A K E S A D I F F E R E N C E
Vol 14 No. 11
Serving Scotts Valley, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek & Felton
The ROP Rocks!
Tomi: Police Dog
Not your grandfather’s vocational school! By Noel Smith was fortunate to be invited to take part in a program known as “Inside Education” in which local citizens are given the opportunity to be provided monthly glimpses into our local educational systems. So far we have been given presentations on school finance (My head is still spinning!) and Preschool Education (Cute!) both of which I will be writing about in the future. The latest glimpse was into The County Office of Education’s Regional Occupational Program, which provides Career Technical Education classes throughout the county.
I
Soldiers listen to the announcement of Germany’s Surrender (left).
VETERANS DAY 11.11.11: LEST WE FORGET WWII Veterans Talk About the Last Days of the War
the Philippines in October of 1944. That was when General WII veteran Tom Cutting Macarthur landed and declared, “We have returned.” That was — Okinawa real jungle warfare whereas Army sergeant, squad leader Okinawa reminded me more of 9 man platoon, 383rd regiment California with rice paddies. 96th infantry division. I knew what war could realI saw my first action when we landed at Leyte Gulf in ly be like when I landed in sec-
By Noel Smith
W “
ond wave on April 1, 1945. However, the landing went very nicely. The 96th infantry Division, in company with the 7th Infantry Division and the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions, met much lighter than expected opposition during the landing. This was part
of the Japanese plan for an extended battle of attrition to delay for as long as possible the expected invasion of the main islands of Japan. We found out that that was the Japanese plan; let us land and then attack.
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