Army dad makes surprise visit to son's elementary school

OXFORD — Delaying a fourth-grade class's Friday afternoon recess can be dangerous business — but Clara Barton Elementary School teacher Diane Menard gave students the ultimate excuse.

Nine-year-old Dominic J. Mascroft was paid a surprise visit by a soldier — his father, U.S. Army Spec. Brian R. Mascroft — who returned earlier than expected after a year in Iraq.

“See that? I got you out of school,” his father said.

After the Mascrofts reunited with a warm embrace in front of classmates, who responded with rousing applause, Ms. Menard asked the boy if he was surprised.
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Ms. Messier, a member of the Blue Star Mother's organization that conducts campaigns for food drives and contributions shipped overseas to their children and their units, spoke of her son's return.

“It's very heart-wrenching, when you think about everyone over there and what they're doing, not knowing where they are because they can't tell you,” she said. “Moms always like to keep track of their kids and where they are and when they're in the service they can't do that.”



Army dad makes surprise visit to son's elementary school