Chief Umtuch Middle School Teacher Contributes To Silent Heroes Project (Photo) - 05/20/26

Earlier this year, teacher Beth Doughty was selected to contribute to the National History Day Researching Silent Heroes project conducted in partnership with the American Battle Monuments Commission. Doughty is one of just 61 educators nationwide and the only educator from Washington state selected to participate in the highly competitive program. 

The Silent Heroes program engages educators in researching and sharing the untold stories of U.S. service members who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War. The project also supports classroom learning by giving teachers strategies that they can pass on to help students gather and analyze sources, work with secondary research and draft compelling narratives that include multiple perspectives and are accurately cited.

As part of the program, Doughty also collaborated with her students at the beginning of the school year to select a service member to research. Together, they chose Staff Sergeant Clifford Henry Mast, a U.S. Air Force airman from Spokane, Washington, who served during the Korean War.

“My personal connections drew me to the choosing to research the Korean War, as my own grandfather fought in this war as a member of the Air Force, and was stationed in Japan. I also feel like the Korean War tends to be more forgotten in comparison to WWI, WWII and the Vietnam War, so it was important to me to honor a Silent Hero from this war, and honor his sacrifice,” Doughty said.

Over several months, Doughty conducted extensive research with support from a professional historian and research specialist. The resulting profile of Staff Sergeant Mast is a story of service and sacrifice. Born in Spokane in 1927, Mast was an active student and athlete before entering military service. He served in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, including participating in classified reconnaissance missions. 

Said Doughty, "It meant so much for me to be able to tell the story of Staff Sergeant Clifford Henry Mast and share my research and website with my students and the world! As a history teacher, I always try to find ways to bring history to life and help my students remember that the individuals they are reading about may seem remote, but were as alive and vibrant as the people whom they interact with today. The pictures of Staff Sergeant Mast and and the incredible primary source documents I was able to access in the creation of my website were especially meaningful in telling the story of this Korean War Silent Hero.” 

Doughty’s selection for this program reflects her dedication to professional growth and excellence in teaching. Her work highlights the importance of preserving history and ensuring that the stories of servicemembers like Staff Sergeant Mast continue to be remembered by future generations.