April 21, 2005


WWII veterans look back 60 years

Barnes & Noble launches ‘Conversations with History’ series on Friday

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

Sixty years ago, men died by the thousands in fierce battles fought from Europe to Japan for a free world. Those who survived are now dying by the thousands at home—and they’re taking their stories with them.

The Digital Clubhouse Network [DCN] empowers people to produce powerful mini documentaries that preserve the memories of World War II veterans and others.

One group has set out to preserve those stories before they are lost forever. In just nine years, the Digital Clubhouse Network [DCN] has grown to include consortiums of adult mentors and teen volunteers in communities throughout Cali-fornia and New York with one goal in mind—to produce powerful mini documentaries that preserve the memories of World War II veterans and others, while bridging the intergenerational divide through digital storytelling.

It’s called the “Stories of Service” project—a simple concept that pairs the personal stories of the men and women who experienced firsthand some of the most momentous events in history with the tech savvy computer skills of today’s youth. The result is a collaborative effort that has been lauded for its historical significance, while creating life-long multigenerational bonds.

“What better way is there to leave this world than to share their stories and personal experiences with the next generation by living and talking with these kids?” asks DCN founder and president Warren Hegg. “It’s like osmosis. Our award-winning Digital Storytelling model is a proven technique for preserving our historical legacy, building stronger communities, and developing youth leaders. Now, we are partnering with other organizations and bringing our methodology to youth and communities across America.

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“Conversations With History” takes the project to the next level by bringing these heroes to the communities for face-to-face conversations that aren’t found in the history books. Their goal is to create a national “network of service” that will produce living legacies honoring the men and women who sacrificed most if not all in the fight for peace more than six decades ago.

This year, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II and the birth of the United Nations, “Conversations With History” events will feature World War II veteran survivors from the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the attack on the U.S.S. Indianapolis, VE Day, the battle of Okinawa, the bombing of Hiroshima, the signing of surrender, and the legendary raising of the flag at Iwo Jima that ended the costliest war in U.S. history.

On Friday, April 22 from 7:30–9 p.m., Barnes & Noble Booksellers Almaden will feature American soldiers Peter Radonich, Dr. Harold Cole, and Paul DeMartini, as they present their digital stories and discuss their struggles in Okinawa during the final months of the war—from two who fought in the trenches on the front lines, to the doctor who put them back together again, using only the glow from cigarettes during blackout periods to light his way through surgery.

Peter Radonich served with the 7th Infantry Division’s 184th Infantry Regiments C Company during the Leyte and Okinawa campaigns, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantry Badge.

Dr. Harold Cole is a veteran of the Battles of Kwajalien Island in the Marshall Islands, Leyte in the Philippine Islands, and Okinawa. He served in the 7th Infantry Division’s 7th Medical Battalion, attached to the 17th and 32nd Infantry Regiment’s Medical Collecting Station as Chief Surgeon.

Paul DeMartini joined the U.S. Marines in 1939. When World War II began, he transferred from China to the Philippines, where he fought at the Battle of Bataan. He is also a veteran of the Battles of Guadacanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinean and Okinawa, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star before retiring as a Major.

‘Stories of Service’ and ‘Conversations With History’ are projects of the Digital Clubhouse Network (www.digiclub.org), a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 as a NASA pilot project designed to develop innovative ways of using technology to build better communities. For more information, log on to www.stories-of-service.org or contact DCN President and National Stories of Service Project Supervisor Warren Hegg at warren@digiclub.org, or call (408) 857-5252.