Living history: WWII heroes recognized in documentary and dinner by Thousand Oaks Republican Women Federated

Veterans' advocate Bob Donovan introduces Larry DeCuir to Michael Reagan

A number of World War II veterans of Southern California received recognition early this summer, when California's Thousand Oaks Republican Women Federated (led by Beatrice Restifo and Rosemary Licata) hosted a dinner "Honoring the Heroes of World War II."

Reagan Foundation leader, Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, and his colleagues, producer Jay Hoffman and director Doug Stebbleton screened and discussed their documentary film "Heroes of World War II." Some of the Normandy Invasion and the South Pacific vets told their stories in the movie. Their stories and those of other vets there were read aloud to applause. (Please step through the clips in this video-playlist)



Michael Reagan on U.S. veterans, Pres. Ronald Reagan's legacy in Europe.

WWII US Pilot Elmo Maiden relates his story of "The Heroes of World War II."

Vietnam vet Bob Donovan on "Honoring Heroes of WWII" event with Michael Reagan.

US' Nagasaki bomb-fuser, Larry DeCuir, 95, looks back (and forward) at 72nd commemoration.

Pastor Barney Leone, Navy fueling veteran of Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, and the Philippines.

USAF Brigadier General Dan Pemberton narrated the stories of the veterans' history.

Fascism's victims testify- and sound caution on pacifism toward Islamofascism- on Victory in Europe ("V-E") Day

    General Stumpf, Marshall Keitel and Admiral Friedeburg sign the German Instrument of Surrender
    at Russian headquarters in Berlin on May 8, 1945. (Credit: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone
    via Getty Images)

D-Day to V-E Day

World War II continued for almost 11 months after the successful Normandy landings in France on June 6, 1944, commonly known as D-Day. Here are some of the key moments that led to Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945.

Czech Republic Consul General Pavel Sepelak spoke at a Holocaust Remembrance event last May at the Museum of Tolerance. 


Bill Harvey, the late, Hollywood stylist and Czech Holocaust survivor (92 years of age when he recorded this) recounts his experience in Auschwitz. 


Belgian-born gentile, John P. Verbeke recounts his life under Nazi German occupation beginning in May 1940, through Allied liberation beginning V-E Day, 8 May 1945. He explains what life was like for Christians and Jews and the conditions Belgian inhabitants were placed under by the Germans and their collaborators. 

Experience the defense of freedom- with servicemembers & veterans aboard Battleship Iowa Museum

Andy Bossenmeyer introduces WWII radiomen to visitors

On Memorial Day weekend, veterans of US Naval battleships came to teach visitors aboard the Los Angeles Battleship USS Iowa Museum- accompanied by patriotic, period-music from the Andrew Sisters-inspired, The Lindy Sisters trio.
During World War II, the USS Iowa served as the communications ship for the USS Missouri- the ceremony on which Japan unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Forces.  

The Museum's Andy Bossenmeyer took us on an informative tour, introducing us to several Navy veterans- including radioman Don Fosburg who served on the Missouri during the surrender, and Bryan Moss, radioman on the Iowa during the Korean War. 




Battleship USS Iowa is a popular Los Angeles museum that provides a glimpse into the past through a unique experience aboard the only battleship museum on the West Coast. 

Your get to explore life at sea for thousands of sailors over the past 70 years, while interacting with numerous exhibits using our state of the art interactive tour app, and following a clever mascot dog named Victory on a popular scavenger hunt. 

Maj. John Roeder teaches about Iowa's global voyages 

Known as the Battleship of Presidents, USS Iowa is located at the LA Waterfront, former home to the US Navy Pacific Fleet and an area rich in maritime history.

During Labor Day weekend, the Iowa will participate in Fleet Week - an annual patriotic tradition where active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a major U.S. city for one week.

Popular Fleet Week destinations include San Diego, San Francisco and New York. 2016 is the first time Los Angeles has hosted an official Fleet Week event.

The event, which runs from Sept. 2 to Monday Sept. 5., is free to the public. It includes various locations along the L.A. waterfront, including the Los Angeles World Cruise Center, Battleship Iowa and Downtown Harbor in San Pedro.

Fleet Week is hosted by the Port of Los Angeles, and the event's partners include U.S. Navy, U.S. Navy League, U.S. Marines, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, USO, Downtown San Pedro Business Improvement District, San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and Battleship IOWA.

French Consulate salutes SoCal Yanks who defeated tyranny, saved world from fascism- Memorial Day ceremony in L.A.

An audience of hundreds of veterans, survivors, and patriots attended a ceremony for Memorial Day,  hosted by Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills cemetery.

French Consul Gen. Axel Cruau awards "Legion of Honor" to
90-yr old WWII vets Reed Grier, Norbert Sizlak and Julius Posner 

Cresenta Valley ROTC cadets bear the flags as thee L.A. Police Department Concert Band performs a medley of each of the U.S. Armed Forces theme songs, as veterans of each branch rise to applause. Honor guard from the LA County Sheriff Department performed a 21-gun, rifle salute to America's fallen.



France's Consul General to Los Angeles, Hon. Axel Cruau, salutes Americans who restored liberty. He awarded 3 WWII veterans (Norbert Sizlak, Reed Grier, and Julius Posner) the highest honor that the French government bestows on non-citizens - the Legion of Honor.


 
Consul General Axel Cruau, explained to DemoCast the esteem his country holds for America in extending "the Legion of Honor," the highest award given to French citizens to foreign national.   The Consul says that French scholastic curriculum teaches the history of the Allied American liberation of France from Nazi occupation. 


Consul General Cruau says that he is personally touched to meet and bestow this award on American veterans of the Allied invasion of Normandy- and those others who fought to restore liberty to his country in 2 separate wars.

Flashback: US Army liberator's message to 1944 Nazi Germany - Jewish High Holiday Prayer Service broadcast from Aachen on NBC radio

Excerpts of the first Jewish broadcast that took place in occupied Germany in Aachen in 1944.



Listen to the entire radio broadcast here:
http://www.ajcarchives.org/main.php?G...

Courtesy of the American Jewish Committee. Watch more video at ajc.org/multimedia. Watch archived video at ajcarchives.org.