Wright Museum 2019 by The Weirs Publishing Company

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2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

Wright Times

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A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

RIGHTING A WRONG: Japanese Americans & World War II The Museum’s 25th Anniversary

The Wright Museum has chosen the 1944 Battle of the Bulge for what Executive Director Michael Culver said may be its “most complex lobby display yet.” The inspiration behind the display is the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

The year 2019 is a significant one for the Wright Museum of World War II. First, it is our 25th anniversary. With over 400,000 people from all over the world having visited the Wright since 1994, it is safe to say that David Wright’s vision for educating Americans about the World War II era has been successfully realized. In 2018, Let’s Travel Magazine agreed, saying of the Wright Museum: “Loaded with colorful, well-organized exhibits with visual, auditory and interactive components, the kids will soak up more history by walking around the two-floored building than they would in a year of history classes!” The Museum’s mission of educating contemporary Americans about our nation and about the extraordinary citizens who lived through that worlddefining period is never-ending. And the current Wright Board, staff, and volunteers gladly accept that educational responsibility. However, during this celebratory season, we should not forget what we owe David and the past Board members, staff, volunteers, and donors who have brought us to this moment in the Museum’s history. And, as we celebrate this significant milestone and past contributions, we also look forward to the unlimited promise of the

next twenty-five years in the life of the Wright Museum. Second, 2019 is special because for the first time, the Wright is hosting a Smithsonian Institute exhibition. This is no mean feat for an institution that Yankee Magazine has called, “an under the radar gem.” We are so proud to be partnering with the Smithsonian because it illustrates that although we are tucked away in the small town of Wolfeboro, what we present and how it is presented is worthy of national attention. In 2018, for the third consecutive year, over 18,000 visitors to the Wright affirm our status as a nationally significant educational source for all things relating to World War II. We expect that the Smithsonian exhibition will only enhance our reputation and increase attendance. The Wright Museum presents many offerings this anniversary season – you will read about those in this insert. All of the Wright Board of Directors, the staff, and our nearly seventy volunteers invite you to take advantage of as many of our exhibits, events, and programs as you can. Let’s celebrate together the past, the present, and the future of the Wright Museum of World War II. Mike Culver, Executive Director

May 1st through July 7th

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the nation was overcome by shock, anger, and fear – a fear exaggerated by long-standing prejudice against Asians. Under pressure from military and political advisors, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which sent 45,000 Japanese nationals who were legal residents and their 75,000 Japanese-American children and grandchildren, who were American citizens, to internment camps. Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II, which is on loan from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, traces the story of the incarceration and the people who experienced it. The exhibit presents heart-wrenching stories, fascinating historic objects and documents, stunning photos, original illustrations, and engaging multimedia touchscreens featuring interviews with survivors. Embracing themes that are as relevant today as they were 75 years ago, this exhibit takes a deep look at immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be an American. Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II was developed by the National Museum of American History and adapted for travel by the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Service. The national tour received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, the Teraski Family Foundation, and C.L. Ehn & Ginger Lew. Exhibit Sponsored by The Montrone Family with additional support from Northeast Delta Dental

The Wright Museum • 77 Center Street, Wolfeboro, NH • 603-569-1212 Open May 1st - Oct. 31st • Mon - Sat 10am-4pm • Sunday Noon-4pm To Become A Member Or Make A Donation Visit www.wrightmuseum.org

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2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

The Ron Goodgame and Donna Canney 2019 EDUCATION PROGRAM SCHEDULE Tuesdays from May 7TH - October 29TH

Admission is $8 per person for non-members and $3 for Wright Museum members, unless otherwise noted. Because of limited seating, we strongly encourage you to make reservations by calling 603-569-1212. All programs begin at 7:00 p.m., unless noted otherwise. The museum’s doors open one hour before the program begins. Some programs will be held at the Great Hall in Wolfeboro Town Hall. Those will be indicated before the program des criptions. For more detailed descriptions of the programs, go to our website at www.wrightmuseum.org/lecture-series. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 7- 8PM

Inside the New Hampshire Historical Society: Saving, Preserving, and Sharing New Hampshire’s History Presented by NHHS President Bill Dunlap

Bill Dunlap, president of the New Hampshire Historical Society, shares the story of this nearly 200-year old Granite State institution. Learn about the history of the organization, its major collections, and its current activities as it works to save, preserve, and share New Hampshire’s history.

TUESDAY, MAY 14, 7- 8PM

War Animals: The Unsung Heroes of WWII Lecture and book signing by author Robin Hutton This program will be held in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall

War Animals tells the heartwarming stories of the dogs, horses, mules, pigeons – and even one cat – that did their bit for the war effort. They kept up morale, rushed machine gun nests, and even sacrificed themselves picking up live grenades. American and British families volunteered their beloved family pets to aid the war effort. Many of these gallant animals received the prestigious Dickin Medal, which is the “animals’ Victoria Cross”. Robin Hutton spent her adult life working in event production and the motion picture business. She is the best-selling author of Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse. She also is president of Angels Without Wings, Inc., a non-profit corporation spearheading the dedication of three national monuments to Sgt. Reckless.

TUESDAY, MAY 21, 7- 8PM

Holocaust Postal History

Presented by Justin Gordon

Holocaust postal history examines the Holocaust by studying postcards, letters, and envelopes mailed during the Nazi era in Europe. While it doesn’t answer major questions that still haunt us, the history does offer insight into the personal, unique journeys of victims of the Nazi onslaught. In this presentation, Justin Gordon talks about Hitler’s rise to power, his creation of anti-Semitic laws, and how those laws were reflected in the postal system. Justin Gordon is a Holocaust postal historian who has collected, exhibited and lectured on the subject for 40 years.

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 7-8PM

Solemn Graves, a Billy Boyle Mystery Lecture and book signing by author James Benn This program will be held in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall

In Solemn Graves, U.S. Army detective Billy Boyle investigates a murder that threatens Allied operations. In July, 1944, a month after D-Day Billy, Kaz, and Big Mike are assigned to investigate the deed close to the front lines in Normandy. Besides speaking about his latest novel, James Benn will also talk about the process of writing historical fiction and will preview his new book, due out in Sept. 2019, set during the Liberation of Paris.

TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 7-8PM

World War II Internment of Japanese Americans: A Family’s Journey Presented by Dr. David Sakura.

Shortly after the bombing Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive

Order 9066, which authorized the internment of over 100,000 Japanese nationals legally living in America and their JapaneseAmerican children and grandchildren, who were American citizens. As a third generation Japanese American, Sakura spent over two years behind barbed wire at the Minidoka Internment Camp in Idaho. Based on his own remembrances along with his father’s personal letters and other archival material, Sakura presents a highly personalized account of his family’s internment as well as some personal insights gained from these experiences. New Hampshire resident David Sakura is a third-generation Japanese-American.

TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 7-8PM

Water for the Troops, 1942-1944 Lecture and book signing by author Dolores Beal Stephens This program will be held in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall

William Ross Beal was fortyfive years old when he left his wife of twenty-three years and their four children to volunteer in the US Army during World War II installing water systems for American and British troops. His wife, Florence, worked as a volunteer Red Cross nurse’s aide. Dolores was one of their children. Water for the Troops reflects her memories of the years between 1938 and 1944 and her coping with her father’s absence. The book also contains her father’s surviving v-mail and airmail letters and journals. In addition to Water for the Troops, Dolores Beal Stephens, is the author of Those Who Served/ Those Who Waited and a memoir, Tonetta Lake. Dolores has been a volunteer at the Wright Museum since 2002, and received a lifetime Award in 2017 for her dedication to the Museum.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 7-8PM

Only in America A Concert by the Woodwind Quintet, Quint-Essential Winds This program will be held in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall

Quint-Essential Winds plays works by American composers, including: Aaron Copland, Eric Ewazen, Alec Wilder. Musicians include: Marjorie Hogan, flute; Duane Bateman, oboe; Robert Sinclair, clarinet; Maria Isaak, bassoon; and Stephen Taylor, horn.

The Donna Reed Film Festival will take place on August 13th, 20th, 27th and September 3rd. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 7-8PM

The Enemy Within? Japanese-American Internment and its Legacy Prof. Marion Dorsey This program will be held in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro Town Hall

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1942 Executive Order 9066 relocated Japanese nationals legally residing in the United States and their Japanese-American children and grandchildren to internment camps in inhospitable environments far from their homes. Molly Dorsey discusses the historical and legal factors that inspired and shaped the relocation policy and the policy’s impact on America after the war. Molly Dorsey is an associate professor of history and a core faculty member in Justice Studies at the University of New Hampshire.

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 7-8PM

Patton’s Way: A Radical Theory of War Lecture and book signing by author James Morningstar, U.S. Army, Lt. Col. (Retired)

On December 19, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower convened an emergency meeting of his key officers. The Germans had launched a surprise attack in the Ardennes that resulted in the Battle of the Bulge and the siege of Bastogne in Belgium. Now the Germans not only threatened to rupture the Allied front but to reverse the war in the West. Most of the officers argued it would take months to mount an effective counterattack. However, General George S. Patton astonished everyone by announcing he could attack with three divisions in 72 hours. Patton’s way of war made him the only commander who could rapidly and decisively reverse the situation. Dr. James K. Morningstar is See PROGRAMS on 7

2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

2019 SPECIAL EXHIBIT

The World War II Years July 14TH through September 8TH

Founded in 1933, Esquire began as a men’s apparel trade magazine issued quarterly and distributed free through men’s clothing stores. Arnold Gingrich founded the magazine and named it Esquire after he received a letter addressed to “Arnold Gingrich, Esq.” The name took off, and the magazine eventually became an American icon. By the end of the 1930s, Esquire had evolved into a popular monthly men’s magazine. The magazine had a split personality that helped it gain popularity with men: culture and sex. Besides featuring men’s clothing, Esquire published stories and articles by established authors and helped launch the literary careers of many up-andcoming writers. The first issue (October, 1933) featured stories by Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, and Dashiell Hammett. Golf pro Bobby Jones also wrote an article on golf and boxer Gene Tunny wrote one on boxing. Esquire promoted music as well. Esquire actively supported the war effort. For example, in 1944, the magazine named an All-American Band. Twenty of the twenty-six members were African-Americans, including Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. The band performed at the Metropolitan Opera House

in New York City. The admission was paid in war bonds. Esquire also fostered lively political debates between two of its founders, one who was a

Republican and the other a Democrat. The editors tried to be inclusive in who they published but became the targets of racism when advertis-

ing agencies accused the magazine of being “too Jewish.” To survive, the editors eliminated many Jewish bylines. Esquire had a sexy side too. In the 1930s, the magazine featured artist George Petty’s scantily clad pin-up girls. In 1940, artist Alberto Vargas’ Varga Girls replaced the Petty Girls as featured pin-ups. Both the Petty Girls and the Varga girls graced the sides of many American bombers during World War II, including the Memphis Belle. Esquire also featured risqué stories and poetry. The magazine’s racy content led to a years-long court battle between the postmaster general and Esquire over the right to send “pornography” through the U.S. Mail. Esquire won the case, which opened the flood gates for pornographic magazines such as Playboy, Hustler, and Penthouse to be sent through the mail. Exhibit created by John Frank and curated by the Wright Museum of World War II

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WORLD WAR II HISTORY

BAND OF SISTERS: Women Agents in Britain’s Special Operations Executive In America, women replaced men in businesses and factories during World War II. But in Britain, women from many countries fought alongside men in covert operations in Nazi-occupied countries. The women worked for Special Operations Executive (SOE), the brainchild of Winston Churchill who wanted the agents to “set Europe ablaze.” SOE headquarters were at 64 Baker Street in London, an address made famous by Sherlock Homes, which gave the organization the nickname of Baker Street Irregulars, after the boys who helped Holmes with his cases. Like the men, the women were recruited from all walks of life and social classes, and came from Britain and Nazi-occupied countries. One was even an American. SOE was open minded about their recruits. They accepted lesbians and homosexuals, criminals, Communists, and anti-British nationalists. Agents had to speak languages fluently and be able to pass themselves off as locals in whatever country they operated. (One agent blew her cover when she looked right instead of left when crossing a street.) Female agents were important because in enemy-occupied countries most women didn’t work and could move around freely. Because of stereotypes, the enemy didn’t think women could shoot a gun or perform other “manly” activities such as kill a burly soldier with a single chop to the throat or blow up bridges. The women went through the same brutal training as the men: weapons and explosives, hand-to-hand combat, dirty fighting – including eye gouging and a knee to the testicles, running difficult obstacle courses, making up cover stories on the quick, enduring mock Nazi interrogations, escape and evasion techniques, and parachute jumping. Failing some exercises, like scaling a cliff without safety lines, could end in death – and did for some candidates. The training was designed to assess intangible traits such as a candidate’s flexibility, creativity, leadership skills, and endurance. Many washed out of the training while others dropped out because they couldn’t handle the stress. The men and women who “graduated” parachuted into Nazi-occupied counties to do a specific job knowing they faced a strong possibility of being captured, tortured, and killed. Some women were assigned the most dangerous Stories of three SOE sisters follow.

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2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

WORLD WAR II HISTORY

BAND OF SISTERS: Virginia Hall

2019 SPECIAL EXHIBIT

The Last Good War

Faces & Voices Of WWII

Photographs by Thomas Sanders September 15TH through October 31ST

When the American Virginia Hall was 27, she suffered a hunting accident in Turkey that resulted in her lower left leg being amputated and replaced with a wooden one. Hall was living in France when World War II started. When France fell, she escaped to England and volunteered for the SOE even though America hadn’t entered the war. Despite her missing leg, Hall passed the training and was sent to France. Posing as a New York Post reporter, she spent fifteen months organizing agent networks, assisting escaped POWs, and recruiting men and women to operate safe houses as part of the French undergrounds in Vichy France and in Nazi-occupied France. The Gestapo continually tried to capture her but to their consternation the “limping lady” always managed to elude them. Hall was the only American to serve in SOE. Toward the end of the war, she transferred to the newly created U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was inspired by SOE. After the war, Hall worked as an analyst for the CIA, which grew out of the OSS. Fifty-five women comprised SOE’s band of sisters. Thirty-nine operated inside France. Thirteen of those thirty-nine were captured and executed, giving the ultimate sacrifice to serve their country.

World War II is one of the few events in U.S. History that brought the entire nation together for a common purpose. Almost sixteen million men and women from all walks of life, social classes, religions, and races were drafted or joined the armed forces to defend their country. Most of those people, who comprised “The Greatest Generation” and fought what they called “the last good war,” are gone. And their memories disappeared with them. Almost sixty years after World War II, college student Thomas Sanders worked on a project to photograph World War II veterans. That assignment turned into a post-college mission to photograph as many of the veterans as he could before they all died. Sanders became captivated by the veterans’ stories and realized he also needed to tell those stories before they were lost forever. Teaming up with writer and interviewer Veronica Kavass of StoryCorps, he recorded the veterans’ faces and stories for future generations. The Last Good War lets you experience World War II through the faces and memories of those veterans, many of whom have already died. The exhibit takes you from the home front to the battle fronts – from America to Europe, the Pacific, and Russia. The exhibit gives intimate, first-hand accounts of the horrors of war and the anguish of losing friends in battle as well as the lighter moments and enduring friendships formed in a time of universal crisis. As the last members of The Greatest Generation fade into history, The Last Good War preserves their faces and stories for posterity. Exhibit Sponsored by The Weirs Publishing Company

Free Raffle for New Members T hat Signup In 2019! Join the Wright Museum in 2019 and you’ll automatically be entered in a raffle. At the end of the year, a name will be drawn and the winner will receive a renewal of their membership at the same level they enrolled in. Plus they’ll receive some surprise Wright Museum “swag,” including a ball cap and our new 25th anniversary mug.

2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

2019 SPECIAL EVENT Symposium On RDD-Day Tuesday, July 23

D-Day – June 6, 1944 – marked the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich as the Allies slowly and relentlessly pushed their way from the beachheads of Normandy into Germany. On July 23, the Wright Museum is expanding its educational mission by presenting its first symposium about World War II: A Symposium on D-Day. The presenters are World War II historians and best-selling authors Patrick K. O’Donnell and Alex Kershaw. A question-and-answer session will be held at the end of the symposium. Patrick K. O’Donnell is a combat historian who lives the history he writes about by being embedded with the soldiers and even participating in combat. His eleven books span from the Revolutionary War to Iraq War. Beyond Valor portrays the dangers, hardships, and horrors of World War II’s European ThePatrick K. O’Donnell ater through the eyes of the soldiers. He also shows their courage and sacrifices. Dog Company follows the exploits of the sixty-eight soldiers in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, D Company – Dog Company – from the beaches of Normandy into the German heartland. Alex Kershaw is a military historian whose awardwinning books have topped The New York Times best seller list. The Bedford Boys explores how the deaths of twenty-two soldiers from Bedford, Virginia – most of them in the first bloody minutes during the first wave landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day – affected their hometown. The Longest Winter follows eighteen men who repulsed three powerful German assaults during the Battle of the Bulge and then Alex Kershaw experienced horrible trials during their captivity in a German concentration camp. A Symposium on D-Day will be held on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, in the Town of Wolfeboro’s Great Hall from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Admission is $10 for museum members and $15 for non-members. After the symposium, O’Donnell and Kershaw will sign copies of their books. (Their books will be available for purchase after the symposium.) For additional infor-mation, call the Wright Museum at 603-569-1212. A Symposium on D-Day is generously sponsored by Two International Group

Honor A Loved One With A Brick In The Remembrance Garden Do something special for a loved one this year by honoring them with a brick in our Remembrance Garden. Located in front of the museum facing Center Street, the garden is a restful, beautifully landscaped setting where you can sit on granite benches and think about your loved one whose name is on the wall. This year, more than seventy bricks will be added to the Remembrance Garden wall in time for Memorial Day. You can order bricks anytime during the year. But to have your brick installed by Memorial Day, you must submit your order no later than March 30. Bricks ordered after March 30 will be installed the following year. Bricks cost $100. You can purchase a brick online, print an order form from the Museum’s web site (www.wrightmuseum.org), or call the Museum at 603569-1212. Weather permitting, we will dedicate the Remembrance Garden on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. Please plan to attend this special ceremony.

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WORLD WAR II HISTORY

BAND OF SISTERS: Violette Bushell Szabo

When Violette Bushell Szabo’s husband, Étienne Szabo, was killed in the Second Battle of El Alamein, she volunteered for SOE as her way to avenge Étienne’s death. During her second mission, on June 7, 1944 – the day after D-Day – she parachuted with three other agents into the Limoges area of France. Their objective was to hinder the Germans’ response to the Allied invasion by helping local resistance groups disrupt German communications. When she and a resistance leader were stopped by a surprise German roadblock, Szabo held off the Germans with a Sten submachinegun to give the resistance leader time to escape. After Szabo’s capture, the Germans interrogated, tortured, and sexually abused her in Limoges and the Gestapo questioned and tortured her in Paris. Afterwards she was sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany and forced to work hard labor in freezing temperatures. Finally, Szabo and two female SOE wireless operators – Denise Block and Lilian Rolfe – were executed together while they held hands. Szabo was 23 when she died and the mother of a two-year-old daughter, Tania. Two years later, four-year-old Tania accepted a posthumous George’s Cross – the second-highest award in the United Kingdom – from King George VI for her mother’s service.

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2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

WORLD WAR II HISTORY

BAND OF SISTERS: Eileen Nearne

2019 SPECIAL EVENT

The Donna Reed Film Festival August - September

Actress Donna Reed wholeheartedly supported the war effort publicly by entertaining the troops at the Hollywood Canteen and privately by personally corresponding with servicemen. During her forty-year career, Reed appeared in many notable films. During August and early September, the Wright Museum will host a Donna Reed Film Festival, showing four of her most memorable movies. The first, See Here Private Hargrove, will be shown as TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 5 - 8:30 P.M. “See Here Private Hargrove”

Eileen Nearne fled to England when the Germans invaded France. Nearne joined SOE and parachuted into France with Jean Savy on March 3, 1944. Her assignment was to work as a wireless radio operator for the network that Savy was setting up in Paris to develop ways to fund the resistance networks throughout France. During the next five months, Nearne transmitted 105 messages. In July, her luck ran out when the Germans detected her signals and arrested her. The Gestapo water-tortured her, holding her face down in cold water until she thought she’d drown. Throughout her horrible ordeal, Nearne stuck to her story that she was sending coded messages she didn’t understand for someone she thought was a local businessman. The Gestapo believed her and sent her to Ravensbrück and later to a forced labor camp. She and two French women escaped from the camp, but were arrested by German soldiers. Nearne tricked the soldiers into releasing them by claiming to be French volunteers without papers. Finally, the women made it to Leipswich, where a priest hid them in the bell tower until American troops arrived in the city. Deeply affected by her wartime experiences, in later life Nearne lived as a recluse and never spoke about her SOE work. When she died frail and penniless at age 89, people going through her flat discovered her wartime medals and she was given a hero’s burial.

1944, 101 minutes, directed by Wesley Ruggles. Staring Donna Reed, Robert Walker, and Keenen Wynn This program will take place in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro’s Town Hall

Film begins at 6:50 p.m. Drafted into World War II, journalist Marion Hargrove travels to Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he plans to mine his boot camp experiences for writing material. Hargrove’s inaptitude and lack of discipline tests the patience of his Sergeant. Donna Reed’s daughter, Mary Owen, will introduce the film and talk about her mother’s career.

part of our Tuesday evening lecture series (Page 4). The price is $8.00 for non-members and $3.00 for Museum members. Seating is limited, so be sure to make a reservation by calling the museum at 603-569-1212. The other three movies will be shown in the Museum at 1:00 p.m. and are free with Museum admission. Seating is limited, so be sure to call 603569-1212 to reserve a seat ahead of time.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, AT 1 P.M.

“The Human Comedy”

1943, 117 minutes, directed by Clarence Brown Staring Donna Reed, Mickey Rooney, and Harry Morgan

Homer McCauley remains in a small town to take care of his widowed mother and younger brother, while his older brother is deployed to fight in World War II.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, AT 1 P.M.

“They Were Expendable”

1945, 135 minutes, directed by John Ford. Staring Donna Reed, Robert Montgomery, and John Wayne

The story of the heroism and tragedy surrounding the fall of

the Philippines to the Japanese in World War II; as told through the experiences of one American PT boat squadron. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, AT 1 P.M.

“From Here to Eternity” 1953, 118 minutes, directed by Fred Zinnermann Staring Donna Reed, Burt Lancaster, and Montgomery, and Debra Kerr

At an Army barracks in Hawaii before the attack on Pearl Harbor, lone-wolf boxing champion Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt refuses to box on his unit’s team. He is cruelly punished for his decision while his captain’s wife and second-in-command are falling in love.

Reed’s Secret Wartime Service

Actress Donna Reed put in a lot more than 10% to help the war effort, much of it kept secret from family and friends. Reed was a down-to-earth Iowa farm girl who was born in 1921 and grew up on her family’s farm near Denison. Although she planned to become a teacher, she also acted in college plays, which brought her to the attention of Hollywood talent scouts. Reed was only 19 when she appeared in an uncredited role her first movie shortly before America entered World War II. She was younger than most of the other actresses who became pin-ups and closer to the ages of the men fighting overseas. Soldiers and sailors sent letters to many Hollywood actresses. But the letters they sent to Reed were different because her wholesome manner made servicemen view her more as a sister, sweetheart, or friend than as a sexpot. She reminded them of what they were fighting for. This closeness allowed them to share their feelings with Reed as well as their joys and fears. Almost all servicemen asked for an

autographed photo to use as a pin-up. Instead of having the movie studio deal with the letters, Reed read each one and replied to the young servicemen herself. Reed never spoke to her family or friends about the letters she received or sent to the fighting men. Her three children grew up knowing little about what she did during the war to help the war effort and nothing about the letters from homesick servicemen. After Reed died, her daughter, Mary Owen, opened an old trunk in the garage at Reed’s home. Inside she discovered 341 letters from soldiers and sailors. She had probably kept these because most had been sent by fellow Iowans, including a schoolmate. Now Owen keeps not only her mother’s memory alive but those of the servicemen too. Every year at Christmas time, Owen reads some of the letters before showings of It’s a Wonderful Life in theaters throughout New York and in New York City, where she lives.

2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES PROGRAMS from 2 a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served 23 years on active duty in the U.S. Army as an armor officer.

TUESDAY, SEPT 3 7-8PM

D-Day Equipment and Weapons of the Allied Armies Presented by Randy Cook

TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1-5PM

Randy Cook examines the small arms weapons and equipment used by United States British and Canadian troops in the invasion of France on June 6, 1944. Examples of some of these weapons and equipment will be displayed. Randy Cook is a Wright museum Board member as well as head of the Wright Mechanics. He is an Air Force brat, who has been interested in weapons and military history his entire life.

Wright Museum Symposium on D Day Featuring national best-selling authors Alex Kershaw and Patrick K. O’Donnell This program will take place in the Great Hall in Wolfeboro’s Town Hall (doors open at noon)

Admission $10 for members and $15 for non-members In honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day (Operation Overlord), the Wright Museum presents a symposium on this seminal event in world history. Authors Alex Kershaw (The Bedford Boys and First Wave) and Patrick K. O’Donnell (Dog Company and Washington’s Immortals) will speak about D Day itself, and about issues and personalities before and after D-Day. Attendees can ask questions and share their personal insights about D Day. O’Donnell and Kershaw’s books will be available to buy, and the authors will sign copies of their works.

TUESDAY, SEPT 10, 7-8PM

When and Where? Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, and the Politics of the D-Day Invasion Lecture by Kurt Dorsey, University of New Hampshire History Department

TUESDAY, JULY 30, 7-8PM

My Life as a Marine Carol Moore, U.S. Marines, Major (retired)

Carol Moore, served as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer during the turbulent period from the end of the Viet Nam War through the Cold War., Moore worked in Intelligence and Program Development in Washington, D.C., during the Reagan Years, a critical time when we were rebuilding the strength of our Armed Forces in the midst of spies, defectors, and the daily underlying threat and concern of nuclear war. She will talk about her experiences during those fascinating times.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 5-8:30PM

The Wright Museum’s Donna Reed Film Festival*

See Here Private Hargrove, 1944, 101 minutes, directed by Wesley Ruggles Starring Donna Reed, Robert Walker, and Keenen Wynn This program will take place in the Great Hall at Wolfeboro’s Town Hall

Drafted into World War II, journalist Marion Hargrove travels to Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he plans to mine his boot camp experiences for writing material. Hargrove’s inaptitude and lack of discipline tests the patience of his Sergeant. Donna Reed’s daughter, Mary Owen, will introduce the film and talk about her mother’s career. Film will begin at 6:50.

Dan Schroeder’s popular Three Stooges series will have its sixth and final chapter on Tuesday, October 29th at 7pm. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 7-8PM

Breaking the Secret ENIGMA Codes: The Real Story of the “Imitation Game” Presented by Tom Perera

The movie The Imitation Game shows how British computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing cracked the Enigma cipher machines the Germans were using to send encrypted communications. Breaking the Enigma codes is credited with shortening the war by two years, saving thousands of lives, and perhaps keeping Hitler from producing an Atomic bomb. Tom Perera explains in detail how the Enigma machine works and traces the real story – which is much more fascinating than the movie – of cracking the Enigma Codes. Tom Perera is a retired professor of neuroscience who specialized in research on the coding of information in the human brain and nervous system. He has been collecting, researching, restoring, and writing about Enigmas and their history for over 30 years. He also located, restored, and sold the Enigma machines that appear in the “Imitation Game” and “Snowden”.

TUESDAYS, AUGUST 27, 7-8PM

The Rice Paddy Navy Lecture by author Linda Kush

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy needed vital information from the Pacific and set up weather stations along the China coastline. Besides monitoring the weather, the stations also served as locations from which America could spy on the Japanese. From these beginnings was born the SinoAmerican Cooperative Organization (SACO). SACO consisted of over 2,500 American servicemen (Navy, Marines, and Army), 97,000 organized Chinese guerrillas, and 20,000 “individualists.” This top-secret network worked with the Nationalist Chinese to fight the Japanese occupation of China by building weather stations, cracking Japanese code, blowing up enemy supply lines, destroying bridges, sinking vessels, and much more. SACO was one of the best-kept secrets of World War II, and Linda Kush will share that secret with you. Linda Kush is a freelance writer and reporter whose work has appeared in World War II Magazine and the Boston Globe.

As early as the spring of 1942, the United States and Britain promised the Soviet Union it would open a second front in the war against Nazi Germany. More than two years later, the Soviets finally got what they wanted. In this illustrated lecture, Kurk Dorsey examines the forces that impeded the Western Allies from satisfying Soviet demands and the struggle over what the Second Front was supposed to accomplish. Kurk Dorsey, Department chair, has taught history at the University of New Hampshire since 1994. He is the author of Whales and Nations: Environmental Diplomacy on the High Seas.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 7-8PM

Songs and Stories Honoring American Veterans Presented by Curt Bessette and Jenn Kurtz

Curt Bessette and Jenn Kurtz return by popular demand to the Wright Museum. Their new concert pays tribute to all American veterans and contains new original songs and stories about Korea, Viet Nam, and the PTSD struggles of today’s returning veterans. Curt wrote a song called “I’m Not Me Anymore,” which was inspired by the stories of contemporary veterans. This song and many other songs in the concert are meant to be universal. Even if a tune was written during a certain war era, the message and sentiment are relevant to almost any time. Curt is an award-winning songwriter and guitarist who has performed across the United States. Jen is a respected harmony singer. Together, they have presented concert programs in libraries, museum, theaters, schools, churches, on the radio, and for veterans and seniors.

WRIGHT 7 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 7-8PM

Rally ‘Round the Flag:

A Century of Folk Songs from the American Civil War Presented by The Hardtacks

Join us for an engaging evening of songs, tunes, and stories featuring banjos, fiddles, bones, frying pans, and other period instruments as we explore the diverse experiences and perspectives of the Civil War generation through the songs they sang and played. Then we trace the surprising meanings these songs took on for following generations, from two world wars through the civil rights movement and beyond.; We strongly encourage you, the audience, to participate! The Hardtacks are comprised of Marek Bennett and Woody Pringle. Marek is an award-winning cartoonist and musician who teaches and performs comedy and music at schools and libraries throughout New England and the world beyond. Woody is a musician and educator who teaches at many New Hampshire colleges and organizations. His band, Bradford Bog People, often airs on New Hampshire Public Radio’s Folk Show and many other radio stations throughout the country.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 7-8PM

The Battle of the Bulge: Weapons and Equipment Presented by George Gurick

George Gurick examines the small arms weapons and equipment used by U.S. and German troops during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle ever fought by the U.S. Army. Examples of the weapons and equipment will be on display during the presentation. George Gurick is a wrench turner with the Wright Mechanics, volunteers who keep the Wright’s collection of World War II vehicles operational.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 7-8PM

The Three Stooges Take on the Axis Power Presented by Dan Schroeder

Wright Museum docent Dan Schroeder presents the sixth and final part of his popular lecture series “Three Stooges.” Dan has traveled many long miles since 2009 when he presented the first of his lectures at the Museum throughout New Hampshire and as far as the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. But the end is in sight! Join Schroeder as he brings his popular and entertaining lecturer series to its comic end. Please note: all pies must be checked at the door. Dan Schroeder has been a volunteer at the Wright Museum since 2008.

WRIGHT 8

2019 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES

2019 SPECIAL EVENTS FAMILY DAY! 7TH Annual Antique Car, Sunday, July 14TH 11am - 3pm Hotrod And Motorcycle Show Saturday, August 17TH, 10am - 2pm Bring your blankets and beach chairs, put on your poodle skirts, grease up your duck’s tail hairdos, and cruise into the Wright Museum for our 7th Annual Antique Car, Hotrod, and Motorcycle Show. The popular doo-wop group The Bel Airs will entertain you with live music from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. While you’re walking down Memory Lane with the Bel Airs, you also can enjoy seeing a remarkable variety of antique cars, hotrods, and motorcycles. We’ll hold the event come rain or shine. Don’t wait! Only the first 100 vehicles will be allowed into the show. Register your vehicle online at www.WrightMuseum.org. You also can contact us by e-mailing Donna Hamill at Donna.Hamill@WrightMuseum.org or by calling 603-569-1212. There is a nonrefundable $10 registration fee for each vehicle. Cars and motorcycles must be at least 25 years old, and antique cars should be in authentic condition. Regular museum admission admits visitors to both the Car Show and the Wright Museum. (We are part of the Blue Star program, which gives free admission to all active duty military personnel between Memorial Day and Labor Day when they show their military ID.) Food will be available to purchase. Sponsored with contributions from Laconia Daily Sun, NFP Insurance, Sunday Paving, Calico Graphics

Comedy Night Saturday, June 8TH, 8pm Everybody likes to laugh. On Saturday, June 8, you’ll have plenty of laughs at the Wright Museum’s Comedy Night. The evening will feature three great comedians — Steve Guilmette, Rob Steen, and headliner Tom Hayes. The event takes place in Anderson Hall at 205 S. Main Street in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Tickets are $25. The evening also features a silent auction, with the drawing taking place after the show. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the first act begins at 8:00 p.m. For details, visit our website at www.WrightMuseum.org/comedy-night.

Family Day is one of our most popular events. As usual, you can ride around Wolfeboro in our World War II vehicles. In addition, “Mo” the balloon artist, face painting, and three live animal shows presented by staff from the Squam Lake Natural Science Center round out the entertainment. And don’t forget the live music by the New England Country Boys. Food will also be available to purchase. Familyoriented games will be available for children of all ages. Off-site parking is available in the Wolfeboro Municipal Parking Lot, just a short walk down the Bridge Fall Path. If you prefer to arrive in a World War II military vehicle, park at The Nicholas J. Pernokas Recreation Park (aka The Nick) at 10 Trotting Track Road (Route 28), near the Allen A Motor Inn. Our military vehicles will shuttle you back and forth to your cars approximately every half hour from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission: Adults $12; children 5-17 $10; Museum members $9. Kids 4 and under are free. Sponsored with contributions from: Black’s Paper Store, Doran Independent Insurance, Edward Jones – Kevin J. Lawlor, Financial Advisor, Green Mountain Communications, Laconia Daily Sun, NFP Insurance.

Sponsored with contributions from Matrix Business Concepts, Eastern Propane & Oil, Melanson Real Estate, Linda Matchett,