LITTLE ROCK (KTHV)- The Korean War started June 25, 1950.
Students across the country started their senior year not knowing it would be interrupted, then the military called on close to a hundred men from one Central Arkansas high school.
Billy Helton, 82, calls himself a double high school drop-out Marine private. He served during the Korean War and also as an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam War. Helton said even though he and many of his classmates had to leave high school, they never stopped learning and even started teaching.
“Hundreds from all over the state and all over the nation,” said Helton.
The Korean War took young men from everywhere.
“Many of us from this school were picked,” said Helton. “We had the largest class in the state.”
The United States Armed Forces picked 75 men from Little Rock Central High School Class of 1951, including Billy Helton. At that time, it was called Little Rock Senior High.
To read more of Helton’s story click here.
Video courtesy: THV
