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Marines drop by North Elementary
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Everyone wanted to capture the moment as a cobra helicopter landed at North Elementary Nov. 10. Two Untied States Marine Corps commissioned officers flew the aircraft to the school.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .While chanting "U-S-A," North Elementary students watched as a cobra helicopter, flown by United States Marines, landed in the the backyard of their school Nov. 10.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Students at North Elementary presented personalized appreciation letters to United States Marine Corps Capt. Jeffrey Speakman (left) and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Murray Nov. 10. The letters will be given to the Marines of the HMLA 773, Detachment Bravo, out of Johnstown, Pa.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jeffrey Murray (standing left) gave Terry Wittenauer's third-grade class a tour of the aircraft that he and Capt. Jeffrey Speakman landed at North Elementary Nov. 10. Poland resident Bill Benton, who is a WWII fleet Marine veteran, came to watch the landing with his granddaughter, Jensyn Orr.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Capt. Jeffrey Speakman (left), Unites States Marine Corps, explained the different parts of the cobra helicopter to third-grader Madison Wilson. Students took turns, by class, examining and asking questions about the aircraft.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Poland residents Lori Casey (left), Connor, Erika and Larry Baughman visited North Elementary Nov. 10 to see the cobra hellicopter and servicemen. Residents of the community were invited to the school for the special recognition to the United States Marines Corps and their service.
While waiting to hear the sounds of the rotating blades of a cobra helicopter, North Elementary students chanted “U-S-A” until the aircraft was in sight.
United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jeffrey Murray and Capt. Jeffrey Speakman flew a AH-1W super cobra helicopter to the school and accepted personalized letters of appreciation from the students.
The letters were presented to the Marines in a large red, white and blue decorated box. The letters will be delivered by the commissioned officers to the Marines of the HMLA 773, Detachment Bravo, in Johnstown, Pa., a reserve aviation fleet.
“This is such a great feeling,” Speakman admitted. “The fact that we’re being recognized really makes us proud.”
Students were allotted time to talk to the Marines and explore the cobra helicopter up close.
“This plane is so cool; it says Marines on it,” one student exclaimed.
This was North’s fifth visit in the last seven years from the corpsmen and their aircraft.
Students weren’t the only ones listening and watching for the helicopter. War veterans and members of the community also came out to greet the Marines.
Poland resident Bill Benton was able to share the moment with his granddaughter, Jensyn Orr, who is a third-grader at North. Benton is a WWII fleet Marine veteran.
“I’m proud of him and happy he came,” Orr said.