S
saucywench
I was flipping through the tv channels, looking for something to watch. I didn't get far when I decided to finish the rest of a movie I had rented through Netflix. I turned my tv to channel 3 to start the DVD when the program airing on channel 3 caught my attention. Channel 3 is our local PBS station.
I know what I'm pasting below isn't adequate enough to explain or describe this program. Although my father was a WWII veteran, I feel that most anyone who had viewed this program would have been moved by it. When I first tuned in to it, there were images of the Holocaust. As I listened on, two men (veterans [from Arkansas], as it turned out) were describing their experiences of liberating the prisoners of Dachau, and the unspeakable horror of that event. They were then viewed at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, where they encountered a survivor and talked with him, he in turn expressing his gratitude by hugging the men. What followed was an elderly woman talking about being at home on the Sunday evening of December 7, 1941, in the living room with her family and listening to the radio as the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced. I can't remember the correct sequence of all of the parts, but the group of veterans were visited by Ken Burns and Bob Dole during a dinner one night, and the next day the busload of them visited Arlington Cemetery, where they witnessed the (very solemn, very precise, veritably sacred) changing of the guards. From there the bus traveled (with a park police escort and wailing of sirens, which the oldtimers got a big kick out of) to the WWII memorial. Other visitors to the memorial, upon learning of their background, were very eager to talk with the veterans and hear their war stories and service, and were very respectful, even asking for photos to be taken with them. I just sobbed and sobbed, it was so moving.
Here's the info on the program that I got from the Arkansas Educational Television Network site:
Their Journey
AETN documentary following WWII vets on Tribute Tour premieres Sept. 23.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network arranged for 47 World War II veterans from across the state to travel to Washington, D.C., to visit the National World War II Memorial in a four-day "Tribute Tour" in June. That trip has now been made into a 90-minute documentary that will premiere Sunday, Sept. 23, at 5 p.m. on AETN.
"Their Journey: A Veterans Tribute Tour," a production of "In Their Words: AETNs World War II Oral Histories Project," follows these 47 participants through the nations capitol as they visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Arlington National Cemetery, receive a special Evensong service and blessing at Washington's National Cathedral, and experience the memorial built in their honor at sunset.
"For the AETN staff, documentary film crew and veteran support, being a part of the Tribute Tour was as satisfying as it was humbling," Producer Gabe Gentry said. "Our job essentially was to provide a safe and successful trip for these veterans and document it for future generations.
But, once in Washington, D.C., our real job became deafeningly clear: enjoy these men and women before they leave us. Listen to their stories, marvel at their wisdom, appreciate their sacrifice and serve them as best we could."
"In Their Words" allows AETN to archive firsthand knowledge of the war for use by future generations online and in the classroom, as well as providing a lasting memory for the interviewees family. With more than 200 veterans completing interviews to date, each was issued a Tribute Tour invitation, and 45 participants were selected randomly in April. Two participants chose other World War II veterans as their travel companions, bringing the total to 47.
"We hope their experiences touring the nations capitol and their reflections of the war years translates into this 90-minute film as well as it translated for us while we shared those days with them in D.C.," Gentry said. "And that somehow, we were able to give back a tiny fraction to a generation that gave so much and never once asked for anything."
Prior to "Their Journey: A Veterans Tribute Tour," AETN will host the live event "Beyond Their Words: A Look at AETNs WWII Oral History Project" beginning at 4 p.m. Viewers will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and visual history Web site with more than 300 hours of Arkansas war stories and get a sneak peak into the AETN atrium for a unique World War II exhibit.
These programs have been produced to accompany the PBS premiere of Ken Burns latest series, "The War," which will air in seven parts beginning Sunday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. AETN will kick off this landmark television event with "Countdown to The War" on Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
AETNs "Tribute Tour" was sponsored primarily by private funds, and some funds were made available through the "In Their Words" project.
=====================================================
As I said, I was very moved by the program--so much so, that I did something I'd never done before: I wrote to someone (the PBS Ombudsman) about it. Here is the note that I submitted online:
I just finished watching (by mere happenstance) a locally produced program,"Their Journey: A Veterans' Tribute Tour." Although I have seen many fine programs on PBS over the years (I am 50), I just wanted to say how incredibly moved I was by this program (my deceased father was engaged in the Battle of the Bulge). As I did not see the very beginning of the program, it wasn't until I was a few minutes into watching it that I realized it was produced by the Arkansas Educational Television Network, and not a national production.
The producer's name is Gabe Gentry. I have no idea whether awards are given by your organization, but I feel that Mr. Gentry and his crew should be recognized in some way for the outstanding work that they have done. At the very least, this program, although it is a local production, should be made available for viewing to the entire Public Broadcasting System network. It is truly a stellar production and an outstanding piece of journalism. Kudos to Mr. Gentry, his crew, and the Arkansas Educational Television Network.
I know what I'm pasting below isn't adequate enough to explain or describe this program. Although my father was a WWII veteran, I feel that most anyone who had viewed this program would have been moved by it. When I first tuned in to it, there were images of the Holocaust. As I listened on, two men (veterans [from Arkansas], as it turned out) were describing their experiences of liberating the prisoners of Dachau, and the unspeakable horror of that event. They were then viewed at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, where they encountered a survivor and talked with him, he in turn expressing his gratitude by hugging the men. What followed was an elderly woman talking about being at home on the Sunday evening of December 7, 1941, in the living room with her family and listening to the radio as the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced. I can't remember the correct sequence of all of the parts, but the group of veterans were visited by Ken Burns and Bob Dole during a dinner one night, and the next day the busload of them visited Arlington Cemetery, where they witnessed the (very solemn, very precise, veritably sacred) changing of the guards. From there the bus traveled (with a park police escort and wailing of sirens, which the oldtimers got a big kick out of) to the WWII memorial. Other visitors to the memorial, upon learning of their background, were very eager to talk with the veterans and hear their war stories and service, and were very respectful, even asking for photos to be taken with them. I just sobbed and sobbed, it was so moving.
Here's the info on the program that I got from the Arkansas Educational Television Network site:
Their Journey
AETN documentary following WWII vets on Tribute Tour premieres Sept. 23.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network arranged for 47 World War II veterans from across the state to travel to Washington, D.C., to visit the National World War II Memorial in a four-day "Tribute Tour" in June. That trip has now been made into a 90-minute documentary that will premiere Sunday, Sept. 23, at 5 p.m. on AETN.
"Their Journey: A Veterans Tribute Tour," a production of "In Their Words: AETNs World War II Oral Histories Project," follows these 47 participants through the nations capitol as they visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Arlington National Cemetery, receive a special Evensong service and blessing at Washington's National Cathedral, and experience the memorial built in their honor at sunset.
"For the AETN staff, documentary film crew and veteran support, being a part of the Tribute Tour was as satisfying as it was humbling," Producer Gabe Gentry said. "Our job essentially was to provide a safe and successful trip for these veterans and document it for future generations.
But, once in Washington, D.C., our real job became deafeningly clear: enjoy these men and women before they leave us. Listen to their stories, marvel at their wisdom, appreciate their sacrifice and serve them as best we could."
"In Their Words" allows AETN to archive firsthand knowledge of the war for use by future generations online and in the classroom, as well as providing a lasting memory for the interviewees family. With more than 200 veterans completing interviews to date, each was issued a Tribute Tour invitation, and 45 participants were selected randomly in April. Two participants chose other World War II veterans as their travel companions, bringing the total to 47.
"We hope their experiences touring the nations capitol and their reflections of the war years translates into this 90-minute film as well as it translated for us while we shared those days with them in D.C.," Gentry said. "And that somehow, we were able to give back a tiny fraction to a generation that gave so much and never once asked for anything."
Prior to "Their Journey: A Veterans Tribute Tour," AETN will host the live event "Beyond Their Words: A Look at AETNs WWII Oral History Project" beginning at 4 p.m. Viewers will be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and visual history Web site with more than 300 hours of Arkansas war stories and get a sneak peak into the AETN atrium for a unique World War II exhibit.
These programs have been produced to accompany the PBS premiere of Ken Burns latest series, "The War," which will air in seven parts beginning Sunday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. AETN will kick off this landmark television event with "Countdown to The War" on Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
AETNs "Tribute Tour" was sponsored primarily by private funds, and some funds were made available through the "In Their Words" project.
=====================================================
As I said, I was very moved by the program--so much so, that I did something I'd never done before: I wrote to someone (the PBS Ombudsman) about it. Here is the note that I submitted online:
I just finished watching (by mere happenstance) a locally produced program,"Their Journey: A Veterans' Tribute Tour." Although I have seen many fine programs on PBS over the years (I am 50), I just wanted to say how incredibly moved I was by this program (my deceased father was engaged in the Battle of the Bulge). As I did not see the very beginning of the program, it wasn't until I was a few minutes into watching it that I realized it was produced by the Arkansas Educational Television Network, and not a national production.
The producer's name is Gabe Gentry. I have no idea whether awards are given by your organization, but I feel that Mr. Gentry and his crew should be recognized in some way for the outstanding work that they have done. At the very least, this program, although it is a local production, should be made available for viewing to the entire Public Broadcasting System network. It is truly a stellar production and an outstanding piece of journalism. Kudos to Mr. Gentry, his crew, and the Arkansas Educational Television Network.
