Raul Torres

Stephen McKiernan

Torres, Raul

Raul Torres is an educator and former principal of Thomas A. Edison High School in Northeast Philadelphia from 1985-1998. Thomas A. Edison High School had the highest casualty rate, during the Vietnam War, of any high school in the United States; a fact confirmed by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (non-profit that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall, in Washington, DC. ) and has been recognized by local, state and federal government officials.   64 Edison students died in the war and they are forever remembered as "EDISON 64."  Raul Torres' brother, Robert Torres-Army Sgt.. is one of the 64.  Those who died and served were predominantly African-American and came from a tough neighborhood filled with gangs At the time of  the Vietnam War, the high school was an all boys school.  The original building is no more, but since those days, through today, the school has memorialized those students with a wall in the main lobby of the school that includes the listing of all 64 who paid the highest price with their lives.  The first wall was built in the old school in the 1960's and continues today in a new school at another location.  The school and Philadelphia is very proud of these former students who came from a very tough environment and chose service to their nation as stepping stone and or choice to change their lives for the better.  The "EDISON 64" will forever hold a place of stature to those times in American known as the 1960's.

1:52:22

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High school principals;
Torres, Raul--Interviews

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