IRMO, SC – Marc Turner, a dedicated educator at Spring Hill High School, has been chosen for a distinguished opportunity with National History Day® (NHD) and the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Turner is one of only 55 educators nationwide selected for the Researching Silent Heroes webinar series. This program provides hands-on training for teachers to research and create a profile of a Silent Hero®, a U.S. military service member who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War and is memorialized in an ABMC cemetery.
With 31 years of teaching experience—six of them at Spring Hill High—Turner was drawn to the program due to his deepening interest in World War II history.
“I participated in a teacher workshop at the National World War II Museum in 2023, and it made me rethink many aspects of the war,” said Turner. “My grandfather was a WWII veteran, and this experience gave me a new perspective on his life. This program also allows me to research a South Carolina service member—a young pilot who died early in the war in North Africa. The process has been both fascinating and rewarding.”
Throughout the program, Turner and fellow educators meet monthly with historians and research specialists to explore their Silent Heroes’ historical context. They overcome common research challenges, such as missing records or conflicting accounts, and develop strategies to reconstruct these soldiers’ lives.
In April 2025, Turner will publish his research on the NHD Silent Heroes website, contributing to a lasting archive that will also support ABMC educational materials.
“National History Day’s Researching Silent Heroes program enhances the teaching and learning of history,” said Dr. Cathy Gorn, Executive Director of National History Day. “Thanks to ABMC, teachers can engage in primary source research to tell the stories of fallen service members, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.”
The 2025 cohort of 55 teachers represents 32 U.S. states and two Department of Defense schools overseas, with their Silent Heroes honored at 17 ABMC cemeteries worldwide.
