November 2020 Newsletter
Coming in 2021 from The World War II Foundation
Elvis and The Arizona-
(Details Below in our Newsletter)

Did You Know That World War II Foundation Educational Documentary Films Rank in the Top-5 of Most Requested Programs Nationally by American Public Television & PBS Affiliates?
The Kids Who Helped Win World War II

Have you ever heard of Calvin Graham or Jim Schmidt? Maybe, but most likely, probably not.

Calvin Graham was just 12 years old when he joined the United States Navy. Yes. 12! He was a big kid from Texas. Nobody questioned him or asked for any documentation.

Graham served at Guadalcanal and was awarded a medal for bravery. His age was discovered and he was thrown in the brig. There's a great film about Calvin called Too Young the Hero. You can watch on Netflix.

Jim Schmidt, from California, was 14 when he joined the United States Army as a paratrooper. Another big kid, nobody questioned him either. He jumped into combat with the 82nd Airborne in Sicily in 1943, was discovered as being just 15 and kicked out of the Army.

Schmidt then joined the Navy underage at 16--he needed his parent's permission to enlist and didn't bother to ask--and was kicked out of the Navy too! He then signed on with the Merchant Marine for cross-Atlantic convoy duty. He finally rejoined the paratroopers in post-war occupation duty in Germany at 18 years old.

Jim also served in post-war Japan and then Korea and was awarded a Silver Star for bravery at the infamous Chosin Reservoir fight during the Korean War.

Later in Vietnam Jim served again as Sergeant Major of all Special Forces. He finally joined Air America and did some work for the CIA in the war before retiring for good. Three wars, three Combat Infantry Badges.

Jim's story, chronicled by our World War II Foundation, is now airing nationally on 275 PBS and American Public Television stations and is narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Young people are capable of great things if given the chance, whenever, wherever and whatever they are called on to do.

We tell students that every day.

Look to World War II for examples and inspiration.

During that time, many millions of teenagers helped to save the world.

Some were just a little younger than Uncle Sam realized at the moment.

Tim Gray
President, Founder and Filmmaker
The World War II Foundation
www.wwiifoundation.org
The Buzz
(Above): Country Music Star Brantley Gilbert has signed on to narrate the WWII Foundation's new 2021 film Elvis and the USS Arizona. More below.
(Right): New to our collection at the WWII Global Education Center is a Purple Heart belonging to 4th Marine Division veteran Ed Carlson. Carlson was killed on day one of the attack on Iwo Jima, February 19th, 1945.
(Above): New display at the Global Education Center honoring Iwo Jima veteran Ed Carlson, killed on February 19th, 1945.
(Above): The letter no family wanted to receive in the United States from December 7, 1941 right on through the end of the war in the Pacific in August of 1945.

(Below): A Western Union Telegram sent home by Ed Carlson in 1943. A Marine being a Marine.
(Below): Edward Carlson, 4th Marine Division. Killed in action on day one of the Battle of Iwo Jima. February 19, 1945.
(Below): Also new on display at the WWII Global Education Center. Several items, including a trunk, belonging to Marine Alan Shapley. Shapley was onboard the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. 1 of just 8 Marines who survived the attack on Arizona, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism that Sunday morning at Pearl Harbor. Shapley went on to become one of the most decorated Marines in WWII. He also served in Korea.
(Below): Have you ever seen the Pearl Harbor Americans of Valor Action Figure series? This particular figure below honors USS Arizona crewman Donald Stratton, one of the final six survivors to make it off the battleship on December 7, 1941.

Join Us for a Virtual Veterans' Day Zoom Chat with a D-Day Hero

Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00pm (EST)
(Above): Tim Gray's special Veterans' Day Podcast with Richard Fazzio and his granddaughter Kelly. Kelly never heard Richard's story about D-Day until just a few years ago.
(Above): Richard Fazzio, D-Day veteran, 1st wave, Omaha Beach.

D-Day survivor Richard Fazzio, Coxswain, U.S. Navy.

World War II veteran and D-Day survivor, Richard Fazzio will be honored in a Virtual Veterans Day Celebration on Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00pm. 

A recipient of the French Legion Medal of Honor and life-long resident of Woonsocket, RI, Fazzio piloted a Higgins Boat in the first wave at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, carrying more than 30 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division. The majority of the troops in Fazzio's landing craft did not survive.

Topic: Veterans Day
Time: Nov 11, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join us via Zoom.

Copy and Paste the below into your Internet Browser:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3974742558?pwd=V2VsaUxYaU9xM0Y4eXRHRlNDVmtUdz09

Meeting ID: 397 474 2558
Passcode: WWII

One tap mobile
+13017158592,,3974742558# US (Germantown)
+13126266799,,3974742558# US (Chicago)
New for November
(Above): An autographed photo of Kermit Tyler donated to the WWII Global Education Center by Daniel Martinez of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

Tyler famously said "Don't worry about it" when radar on Oahu picked up aircraft heading for Hawaii on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941. Tyler was stationed at Fort Shafter in the air operations command facility. Tyler believed, like others, that the planes were just B-17s coming in from California. He was wrong. It was the first wave of Japanese planes headed for Oahu. Tyler is famously portrayed in the classic film on the attack made in the early 1970's Tora, Tora, Tora.

The bullet below the photo is from the fierce fight at Wake Island, another target of the Japanese on December 7, '41`.
(Below): Our 27th film focusing on the personal stories of World War II is in the final stages of post-production. Surrender on the USS Missouri is narrated by Country Music Superstar and #1 best-selling artist, Luke Bryan. The documentary was filmed at Pearl Harbor and will air on American Public Television beginning next May.
Country Music Superstar and our narrator, Luke Bryan
(Below): The World War II Foundation is working on two Virtual Reality film projects coming soon to VR platforms. We just wrapped up a VR experience of the Normandy American Cemetery in France and are in the opening production of another VR project at Pearl Harbor and the Punchbowl Cemetery on Oahu. Below are scenes from our recent VR filming in Normandy. Thanks to project manager Eric LeBoeuf for helping guide our amazing VR crew around this historic landscape.
(Above): Click on the above image to learn more about World War II Foundation Zoom Video Podcasts. We can also be heard on iTunes & Spotify.
(Above): Click on the above image to learn more about the 2021 Normandie-WWII International Film and Media Festival in Sainte-Come-du-Mont, Normandy, France.

CLICK HERE for a 3D Virtual Tour of the World War II Foundation's Global Education Center.
Visit our Educational Website HERE
Please Donate and support our non-profit mission. We must continue to educate the younger generation and the public about the personal stories of World War II. Thank you!

501(c)(3) Non-Profit-Federal Tax ID: 27-4793304
American Public Television National Award for Programming Excellence








Coming in 2021

Elvis and The Arizona narrated by Country Music star Brantley Gilbert.

Did you know Elvis Presley, the King of Rock N' Roll, played a huge role in helping to bring the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor to fruition?

Elvis held a famous concert in Honolulu in late March of 1961 that helped not only raise money for the struggling Memorial project but also helped revive the passion in the country for honoring those killed on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor. 

It was the idea of his manager, Col. Tom Parker.

The show at Bloch Arena at Pearl Harbor raised over $52,000 for the USS Arizona Memorial and helped get a lack-luster fundraising campaign moving forward.

The World War II Foundation will be interviewing those who attended the concert, historians and others who will lend keen insight into how Elvis helped move the Arizona Memorial project forward.

We may even run across Elvis somewhere in Vegas. Who knows?
Also Coming in 2021

Veteran Hollywood actor Greg Kinnear has lent his voice to our 26th documentary film: Rommel: The soldier, The son and Hitler. A documentary focusing on the famed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and told through the perspective of Rommel's only son, Manfred. Interviewed by the WWII Foundation several years ago before his passing, Manfred was the was the Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany for 22 years. 

Manfred was a teenager on D-Day and witnessed his father's reaction to the Allied landings in Normandy and was also at home in Germany on the day Field Marshal Rommel was led away by German generals and forced to commit suicide. "Manfred witnessed some incredible moments in World War II," said filmmaker TimGray.
Wait, There's More in 2021...

Hollywood icon Gary Sinise is back to narrate his 3rd film for the World War II Foundation in 2021. Return to Iwo Jima will be filmed on location on the island and features amazing stories of fathers who fought there, sons who grew up either hearing or not hearing the stories and others who also have an incredibly emotional connection to the horrific and important battle that began there on February 19th, 1945. Amazing drone footage of the island will be included. It will mark the 29th film from the World War II Foundation.
Our Amazing Sponsors

...Speaking of our Return Iwo Jima film, United States Money Reserve is our Presenting Sponsor of the documentary film.

In February of this year, the World War II Foundation announced a marketing and sponsorship relationship with U.S. Money Reserve to honor the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima by preserving the legacy of the noble men and women who fought for the freedoms of Americans during World War II.

Today, I am excited to share with you that U.S. Money Reserve debuted the Iwo Jima 75th anniversary coin series earlier this year with great success. This release features gold and silver coins that pay tribute to the iconic flag-raising at the Battle of Iwo Jima. 

Few images display America’s sorrow and strength as distinctively as Joe Rosenthal’s famous photograph of six U.S. soldiers raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle at Iwo Jima. Capturing one of the most iconic moments of World War II, this Pulitzer Prize–winning photograph proved to be so powerful, it’s often recognized as helping to bring about the end of World War II.

The Iwo Jima coin series marks the 75th anniversary of this epic military campaign that gave us one of the most influential images of all time. And these coins honor the brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Battle of Iwo Jima, as well as others who followed with their own sacrifices throughout World War II

U.S. Money Reserve worked closely on designing and producing these beautiful coins with Australia’s Perth Mint, one of the most established and trusted names in government-issued coin production.

Please consider a purchase of these iconic coins because they pay homage and tribute to the many men and women who selflessly gave on behalf of their country over the years. U.S. Money Reserve is giving our readers/members an incredible opportunity to own this extraordinary piece of history.

Please CLICK HERE to visit the
United States Money Reserve website and get your commemorative Iwo Jima 75th anniversary silver or gold coin.

These coins have never been offered for less than the prices you see in advertisements customized for WWII Foundation Newsletter readers. Throughout this year, the World War II Foundation and U.S. Money Reserve have unveiled powerful efforts that honor the legacy of the WWII generation, and the World War II Foundation is forever grateful for this outstanding partnership. 
‌