IUS, ALS remember Holocaust

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeff Nevison
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The Incirlik Holocaust Committee, along with the Incirlik Unit School's high school drama team, hosted a Holocaust Remembrance Week event May 2 at the base chapel. 

Both the IUS drama team and Airman Leadership School students' presentations included quotes, poems and recounted factual details of the Holocaust and conditions of Nazi concentration camps. 

The IUS drama team gave a ten-minute presentation, reading from "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," a book of poetry written by children imprisoned in the camps. 

"Each student recited a poem from this book, and Darius Wilson, son of Master Sgt. Eric Wilson of the 728th Air Mobility Squadron, held the whole presentation together, delivering the facts of what happened during the Holocaust," said Diane Azevedo, drama teacher. "The facts delivered by Darius are devastating and really speak for themselves. These six students only covered a very small piece of the puzzle of the recollections of what happened." 

Darius believes that while it is difficult to read about the Holocaust, it is important to remember what happened and speak for the victims who cannot speak for themselves. 

"To be honest, it was really hard for me to take all of this in at times," he admitted. "However, it is more important to get the message out of 'never forgetting what happened, so that it never happens again.'" 

Another drama student, Lauren Phillips, daughter of Senior Master Sgt. Jerry Phillips, 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, read "Fear," a poem by Eva Pickova. 

"When I first read this poem and realized that a 12 year-old had written it, it really moved me because no one should ever have to go through what these people went through, especially children," she said. 

Along with the IUS drama students, the ALS class # 2 read quotes by former presidents, other political figures and actors regarding the Holocaust. 

Senior Airman Nealon Joseph, 39th Security Forces Squadron, read a portion of Martin Luther's "The Jews and Their Lies," written in 1543, as an example of intolerance throughout the ages. 

"It is important to remember the evil that was done and to recognize that evil, so we can stop such atrocities from ever occurring again," he said. 

Holocaust Remembrance Week and its significance is clear for Senior Airman Peter Hill, 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron. 

"It is important to get the message across," he said. "Though it is important to recount quotes from political figures and actors, it is even more important to recount the reactions from the Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen who actually saw the atrocities first- hand." 

With the IUS drama team and the ALS students recounting events of the Holocaust, the presentations at the chapel are sure to have left an impression on all who witnessed and participated.