| Label | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates & times |
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| Category | Local Interest |
| Age Groups | Adult |
Sunday, September 15, 2024 Far Hills Speakers Series
Start time: 2:00 PM – Duration: 1 hour
Location: Wright Library’s Community Room or Register to attend virtually
Community Room capacity is 80. Presentations are recorded and can be accessed on Wright Library's Youtube Channel.
On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered on the decks of the USS Missouri ending World War II in the Pacific. Seventy-Nine years later, firsthand accounts of Dayton area veterans; their stories and the impact WW II made on their lives are becoming rare. About 119,000 WW II veterans are still alive today out of approximately 16 million men and women who served during WWII. But what is more shocking is how often we are losing these WWII veterans. It is estimated that each day, 131 of the remaining WWII veterans die. As we lose World War II veterans at a strikingly rapid rate their stories become even more precious. Ken will share the firsthand accounts as told to him from the Pacific Theater veterans- their stories of endurance, survival, courage, and sacrifice made in the name of our country and our freedom as they bravely served in the Pacific. Ken will share stories that might have gone undocumented but now are documented and can be shared for generations to come.
The Far Hills Speakers Series is presented in Partnership with The Oakwood Histoical Society.
About the Presenter
Author of the book “What’s the Story- Dayton Veterans’ Stories” Tipp city resident Ken Serey has a longstanding involvement and commitment to veterans. The child of a World War II veteran, Serey has long had an interest in war stories. While working for Visual Tech Connection, which specializes in helping people with poor vision, Serey met seniors connected to the war as he traveled for work throughout Ohio. He realized their stories deserved to be written and preserved, so when he retired, he got to work. The veterans’ stories in “What’s the Story” are documented accounts and tell what it was like to be at war in the true sense. As Ken says, “It is very important to preserve these stories and to preserve this fading part of the historical record.”