MILITARY

CJ MACHADO

Tom Crosby was a prisoner of war in the Philippines during World War II as a child. As an adult, Crosby joined the Navy. He will be among the veterans at Force-Con.

A new ‘force’

Films, flyovers and community art part of convention honoring veterans

By MICHELLE DELANEY

While the pop-culture phenomenon San Diego Comic-Con has the title of San Diego’s largest convention and the country’s largest comic book convention, this month San Diego and Coronado will host what organizers hope will become the largest “superhero” military convention in the United States to honor the heroism of veterans.

Force-Con 2022, scheduled from Sept. 23 to 25, will involve action/adventure, animation, films, comics and literary works. The inaugural event, held in partnership with Army Week San Diego, will feature artists, authors, gamers and filmmakers — as well as paratroopers and aviators.

The convention is the brainchild of producer CJ Machado, who wrote the POW/MIA historical fiction screenplay “Purple Foxes United,” a story of heroines that join forces to save their brothers in arms. Many of the characters are based on real-life heroes and Honor Flight San Diego veterans. Machado got the inspiration for a convention from writing the screenplay.

“The story was created to ignite a surge of patriotism, a duty of remembrance and the revival of the American spirit that would inspire curiosity

The first Force-Con is scheduled for three days in September. The convention was organized by producer CJ Machado as a way to honor veterans.

COURTESY OF FORCE-CON Miss Virginia is one of the restored C-47s of the D-Day Squadron. The squadron will be flying over Coronado and dropping parachuters onto the beach.

among our youth and instill a sense of deep gratitude and amazement toward our real-life superheroes and their service to our country,” Machado said.

Many of these military heroes will be on hand to participate and be honored for their contributions. Coronado hometown hero World War II paratrooper Tom Rice, now 101 years old, is one such honoree. Rice was a “Screaming Eagle,” a paratrooper in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and part of the D-Day invasion of northern France. As the war continued, Rice completed more missions, including the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, the German’s last major offensive in December 1944. He has returned to France numerous times to jump in commemoration of those who didn’t make it home. In August 2021, Rice parachuted over Coronado on his 100th birthday.

Another hero is Tom Crosby, who along with his mother and brother, became a prisoner of war in the Philippines during World War II when he was 8 years old. The family was living in Manila when Pearl Harbor was attacked. After 37 months of internment, the 1st Cavalry rescued the Crosby family and other prisoners, who had been sentenced to death by the Japanese. Tom Crosby later served in the Korean War for the Navy in gratitude for his freedom.

“Many of the veterans taking part in and being honored at Force-Con 2022 are really the predecessors to today’s ‘Top Gun.’ They are legends of aviation, they have shaped history, and they have secured our freedoms as Americans. Force-Con 2022 is our collective effort for the greatest generation — to honor these veterans for their service to our great nation,” Machado said.

Events kick off Sept. 23 at the Air and

Space Museum in Balboa Park. The red-carpet event celebrating legends of aviation will feature a presentation of “Into Flight Once More,” a documentary about the D-Day Squadron. The squadron in 2019 flew 15 restored World War II C-47s and DC-3 variants across the Atlantic to Normandy, France, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Film trailers and a filmmaker panel are also scheduled.

On Sept. 24, the Hotel del Coronado will host a flyover of vintage DC-3s, which will drop parachutists, including veterans who are able to participate, onto the beach.

The event’s art festival, at Liberty Station on Sept. 25, includes interactive community art. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joe Pisano will unveil one panel of “The Art of Immortalizing Heroes.” The artwork is a series of panels re-creating memorials to wars Americans have fought in — from World War I to the Global War on Terrorism and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, according to published reports. Pisano’s work has been previously featured at the USS Midway during the 20th anniversary memorial event of 9/11.

Attendees at Force-Con will also have the chance to meet veterans, artists, authors and filmmakers.

Proceeds from Force-Con will benefit veteran organizations, including Honor Flight San Diego to fund flights for veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials. ■

Michelle Delaney is a freelance writer.

COURTESY OF USA GOLDEN KNIGHTS

World War II paratrooper Vincent J. Speranza lands in a tandem jump. The 97-year-old is planning to parachute during Force-Con.

What:Force-Con 22 Where: San Diego Air & Space Museum, Coronado, Liberty Station When:Sept. 23-25 Cost: Opening night, $250; threeday VIP pass, $500; Force-Con and Coronado Film Festival (scheduled for November) combo pass, $550. Coronado and Liberty Station events are free. Information: force-con.com