Friends of the National World War II Memorial presents a Monthly Conference Series to learn more about the spirit of unity and shared purpose that defined the character of our country during World War II. This series of monthly half-day virtual conferences features discussions with WWII veterans, war orphans, published authors, and other experts. New York Times best-selling author and Friends' Resident Historian Alex Kershaw moderates the discussions after each presentation.
Register today, for free, to join this unique digital experience.
September - April
Third Saturday Monthly
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET
Edward "Ted" Aldrich, a Connecticut native and international banker, combined his love of history with his knowledge of management and logistics in writing his first book on the exceptional joint achievements of Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Army Chief of Staff George Marshall for the 17 months from July 1940 to December 1941 as they looked to prepare America for war, and from Pearl Harbor to the end of World War II as they fought it.
Mr. Aldrich will present the dual biography which details the unusually close teamwork of the "Wall Street Lawyer" and "Army Lifer” as they built up and then led the Army and Army Air Force from the skeletal levels that existed when World War II began to the greatest fighting force the world had ever seen.
Lorissa Rinehart writes about women, art, war, and their points of intersection. Her work has been published in Hyperallergic, Perfect Strangers, and Narratively, among other publications and her recent biography of female war correspondent, Dickey Chapelle, First to the Front (St. Martin's Press) was called "an extraordinary story" by the Wall Street Journal.
Dickey Chapelle was one of the only women to cover the Pacific Ocean Theater - and the only one to make it to the front of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Biographer Lorissa Rinehart explores how she got there and what she captured with her camera and pen.
Dave Yoho served in World War II as a merchant marine and later built a highly successful career as an entrepreneur and business leader. Mr. Yoho has authored several books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events, sharing his wealth of knowledge gained from decades of experience.
Mr. Yoho will discuss the the many brave individuals who ensured the safe transport of goods, which was a vital task to support the war efforts. Merchant mariners during WWII faced significant risks including attacks from enemy submarines, mines, and aircraft. Despite the dangerous conditions, they played a critical role in securing victory for the Allies.
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial’s education programs are generously supported by the Jack C. Taylor / Enterprise Rent-A-Car WWII Memorial Education Endowment.