May 27, 2004

WWII veteran and teen delegation to deliver Commendation to Washington

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

On Saturday, nearly 59 years after the end of World War II, an estimated 60 San Jose teens and veterans will attend the dedication of the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. They carry with them an official commendation from the City of San Jose that recognizes and commends WWII veterans for their service, as well as the work of the Digital Clubhouse Network for preserving their history.

During the City Council meeting last week, Mayor Ron Gonzales and Vice Mayor Pat Dando issued the commendation to Digital Clubhouse Network [DCN] founder Warren Hegg, along with Anita McFarland, WWII veteran, Major Dwight Near, and Greg Perkins, the teen responsible for the recording of Near’s story through DCN’s “Stories of Service” project.

“Some six decades ago, young men and women from across this nation dropped everything they were doing and they went off to war to protect the principals of democracy,” said Dando. “I want to recognize the individuals that have been involved in the Digital Clubhouse and let you know that it’s no surprise that our youth today have mastered the technology of the 21st century in order to record the history of our past—so that future generations will be able to know and recognize what this outstanding group of men and women gave to this country and the rest of the world.”

Originally launched in May 1998 as the “World War II Memories Project” by the Digital Clubhouse in Sunnyvale, a non-profit organization that focuses on uniting teens with veterans in an effort to keep their memories alive by producing short digital movies about their wartime experiences. The program has since grown to include locations in New York City, where students and volunteers have worked with over 200 veterans to help capture and preserve their memories through the “Stories of Service” project.

Although DCN’s mission is to empower young people to use technology to promote service and build stronger communities, they are also building unlikely relationships that bridge generational gaps. In addition to creating stories that will preserve the courage, service, and sacrifice of these veterans, those involved say it’s more about forging new bonds.

“I was thrilled that my kids got into this,” admitted Diane Reese, whose 17-year-old son Greg, a five-year member of the project, will be going to Washington D.C. with the delegation. “My dad was a B-17 pilot and the first story my son ever did was his. It’s been so important to him to open up and share his history after all these years. Interviewing his grandfather was a wakeup call—these were real people with real experiences—real heroes.”

Perkins’ latest project involved creating the digital story of Major Dwight Near, who served with the Army in WWI and Korea. Eight months ago, Pearl Collins, a volunteer recruiter met Near and asked him to attend a meeting at the Almaden Winery. “When I arrived, there was this huge room filled with adults, kids and all kinds of electronic equipment,” explained Near. “They sat me down with a microphone and a camera and started interviewing me. We got to talking about things that I never even told my wife about. It got very emotional and brought back a lot of memories.”

Additional interviews ensued at Gunderson High School and Bret Harte Middle School, after which his story, “A Note from my Mother” was shown during a Veteran’s Day celebration in San Jose last November. “They took six years of my life and eliminated all the pronouns and adverbs and got it down to six minutes,” he said. “Now, my DVD is going to be recorded in perpetuity. Not just me, but thousands of other veterans. Those stories are going to be priceless and historians realize that they should have done this years ago.”

“It’s been a great honor to help him share his experiences and put such a great story together,” noted Perkins. “I’m really happy I met him.”

“Greg did a beautiful job,” declared Near. “He and I have become very close friends. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a second son.”

The stories created at The Digital Clubhouse have not gone unnoticed. In addition to receiving the Presidential Award, they also have three Smithsonian Awards to their credit. “It’s a very unique project and we’ve received a lot of recognition for that,” said Perkins.

Additionally, DCN has partnered with the Veterans History Project, where their work will be placed in the Library of Congress and become a part of permanent historical record.

Not only are the digital stories inspirational accounts, studies show that they spawn added benefits by aiding in the emotional healing of WWII veterans and bringing closure to traumatic experiences.

“I definitely felt better afterward,” admitted Near. “It was sort of a healing really.”

As stated in the commendation, the memorial will “stand as an important symbol of American national unity and a timeless reminder of the moral strength and the awesome power that can flow when free people are united to defend democracy, liberty, and justice against tyranny... It’s a tribute to everyone who protected our American legacy for the future.”

More than 10 years in the making, many say the dedication won’t come soon enough. Statistics show that U.S. WWII veterans are dying at a rate of 2,000 per day. Of the 464 WWII veterans who received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, only 50 are still alive today—half of them plan to be present for the dedication.

“Unfortunately we’re losing so many of our WWII veterans,” replied Dando. “How timely it is that we now have a program with the Digital Clubhouse for recording the stories of the many individuals who showed such bravery.”
“If we could get the resources, we could get this going all over the state of California and across the country,” admitted Hegg. “We just need to find the right partners to help us roll this out across America, before all these veterans are gone—companies who would like to see young people engaging with individuals who have served our country. It’s really about the service to community. That’s the strongest message of this project.”

Along with Dando and Hegg, the 60-member delegation will include 13 teens, as well as local veterans and their wives. “I’m very pleased to be able to represent San Jose with the delegation,” replied Dando. “It’s been a long time coming, but I think it is now time to celebrate the efforts, the talents, the passion, and the many lives that were affected by WWII veterans.”

“We’re so proud to have the latest generation joining the greatest generation so we can take this to Washington D.C.,” admitted Hegg. “These people were the gold standard for service to the community. We’re deeply honored to have this privilege to take this message to the nation’s capitol.”

“Speaking for all of my buddies,” added Major Near, “we appreciate the fact that we can represent the city of San Jose. We will do it proudly and honorably.”