As Ken Burns’ monumental 7-part documentary THE WAR reminded us this fall, World War II impacted ordinary citizens in every corner of the nation in unforgettable ways. In NASHVILLE WWII STORIES, premiering on December 2, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. (re-broadcast Thursday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m.) Nashville Public Television takes up the torch by introducing viewers to the personal tales of the men and women in the Nashville area who served our nation during the conflict. An NPT original production written and produced by Justin Harvey, NASHVILLE WWII STORIES is narrated by country music legend Charlie Daniels.

 

“We all know the who, what, when and where of what happened in this terrible war, but few know the personal tales of those involved,” says Harvey. “Young Nashvillians who had never left our city were taken to exotic places that they had never even seen on a map and asked to risk their lives fighting the enemy. We thought it was important to take a look at people in our community who served, who made sacrifices and changed our world to make it what it is today.”

 

Through the on-screen stories of close to a dozen Nashvillians, including Beverly Landstreet, a pilot in the Marine Corps; Charlie Capps, a pilot in the Army Air Corps; and Florence Slavin, a member of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp, viewers come to understand the impact the war had on the people of Middle Tennessee, and the many roles that they and the region played in its outcome. Because the Cumberland River and Nashville’s rail lines made the region ripe for wartime manufacturing, we learn that local citizens went to work for Vultee Aircrafts to build dive bombers and fighter planes, and Nashville Bridge Company – located where LP Field sits now – to craft barges. Students with at least two years of college were invited to Berry Field (now Nashville International Airport) to learn how to fly planes.

 

Several of the stories are peppered with humor and reflections of youthful optimism. Army Air Corps Pilot Enoch Stephenson shares stories of shooting down an enemy fighter jet over Paris and facing over 40 enemy fighter jets while escorting a bomber into Germany. Navy electrician Thomas Southall finds humor in the constraints of rations and happily declares that he was in Times Square on V-J Day when Alfred Eisenstaedt caught his famous 1945 LIFE photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse.

 

NASHVILLE WWII STORIES also uncovers the hardship and pain that followed many of those young Nashvillians once they entered the theatre of war. Verner “Red” Dean, an Army medic, and Frank Tacker, an Army infantryman, both describe the heartbreak and fear they faced when being forced to surrender on the battlefield.  Dean recounts losing a friend in the walk to the P.O.W. camp and then spending six months as prisoner with only raw turnips and sawdust bread as sustenance. The entire time he was a P.O.W., his mother didn’t know if he was alive or dead.

 

“It was rough on people back home, too,” says Dean, “not knowing where their sons or daughters or husbands or whatever they might be – where they were or what they were doing … my thoughts and prayers and sympathy go with those that didn't come back.”

 

Over 300,000 Tennesseans served in World War II. 5,731 of them died. Six Tennesseans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their exemplary service.

 

Also interviewed in the film are “Tiger” Joe Thompson, Army Air Corps pilot; Harry Gibson, Army Support staff; Tom Plaster, Army Air Corps radio operator; and Betty Kinnie-Johnson.

 

NASHVILLE WWII STORIES is made possible by generous contributions from the Ford Motor Company and Healthspring.

 

CONTACT: Joe Pagetta (615) 259-9325, x211
email: jpagetta@wnpt.net.