American Valor Quarterly Issue 6 - Spring/Summer 2009 | Page 2
FROM THE EDITOR
Preserving Their Legacy
Spring/Summer 2009
James C. Roberts
President
Tim Holbert
Editor & Program Director
James Michels
Director of Development
Laura Ymker
Program Assistant
Travis Fahlen & Andrew Lee
Graphic Illustrators
Peter Trahan
Website Manager
Chris Graham
Researcher
Michael Paradiso
Publisher
American Valor Quarterly
A quarterly publication of the
American Veterans Center
1100 N. Glebe Rd. Suite 910
Arlington, VA 22201
Telephone: 703-302-1012. Fax: 571-480-4141.
The American Veterans Center is comprised
of two divisions, the World War II Veterans
Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee.
American Valor Quarterly is mailed
to donors to the American Veterans Center, World War II Veterans Committee, or
National Vietnam Veterans Committee who
make a contribution of $50 or more per-year.
Contributions help fund the Center and Committees’ various speaker conferences, student
programs, the National Memorial Day Parade,
documentary and oral history projects, and
this publication.
To make a contribution or subscribe, call
703-302-1012 ext. 214 or e-mail [email protected].
www.americanveteranscenter.
org
www.wwiivets.com
By Tim Holbert
The motto of the American Veterans
Center has long been “From the Greatest
Generation to the Latest Generation.” Our
mission cannot be only to save the history
of our veterans of earlier generations, it
must also include preserving it and passing
it along to future generations.
listeners each week, with Veterans Chronicles
the most popular veterans’ podcast on
the internet. All of these radio programs
are also available on our website at www.
americanveteranscenter.org.
Throughout the year, the Center holds a
number of speaker events, including the
Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Over the last decade, the conference has become one of the nation’s premier Veterans
Day events, bringing together heroes from
the Greatest Generation
to the latest generation.
The conference is open to
all, but the Center makes
a special point of bringing
in students from all over to
meet with and learn from
those who have served and
sacrificed on our behalf.
The 2009 conference will
take place from November
12-14.
All of our programs operate with this in
mind, and all of them focus on providing
an outlet for veterans themselves to share
their lessons and experiences, first-hand.
Of course, this includes
American Valor Quarterly,
which is the nation’s only
magazine devoted entirely
to veterans telling their own
stories, in their own words.
From the Philippines in
World War II to Fallujah in
Operation Iraqi Freedom,
AVQ allows veterans and
active duty service members
the chance to share their
experiences with tens
of thousands of readers One of the many World War II veterans Keeping with the focus
like you, while copies are to speak at the Center’s annual confer- on youth involvement, the
ence, baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob
distributed free of charge Feller shares a bit of his story with one Center sponsors a number
to students attending the of the young students in attendance. of programs during the
year, from summer internCenter’s various speaker
ships where college students work with
events.
veterans to record their stories, to essay
The Center’s programming goes far beyond
contests and college scholarships. Also,
just this magazine, however. With our
as you will read in this issue, hundreds of
long history of collaboration with the
young people joined in the 2009 National
Radio America network, the Center and
Memorial Day Parade, helping to carry
its subdivision the World War II Veterans
banners and pass out water and flags to the
Committee, has produced hundreds of
veterans in attendance. More than 300,000
oral history documentaries and interview
spectators turned out for the parade, in
programs featuring veterans from World
addition to those around the country who
War II to today. In addition to documentaries
watched the television broadcast.
on Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the Four
Chaplains, the Center has produced World
These are just a few of the Center’s
War II Chronicles, the award-winning weekly
programs, dedicated to preserving and
radio series which looks back on the events
promoting the legacy of those who have
of World War II for that week more than
served. None of which, I should add, are
60 years ago.
possible without the support of you and
thousands of other Americans who share
Veterans Chronicles, our weekly interview
the belief that we should not, and cannot,
series, and Proudly We Hail can be heard on
forget the sacrifices of our men and women
more than 40 radio stations nationwide.
who have worn the uniform.
And with the growth of the internet,
AVQ
both are able to reach thousands of new
AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Spring/Summer 2009 - 3