FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL INC
921 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SE NO 316, WASHINGTON, DC 20003 wwiimemorialfriends.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: FOUNDED IN 2007, THE FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL (FRIENDS) IS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO HONORING AND PRESERVING THE NATIONAL MEMORY OF WORLD WAR II AND TO CREATING THE NEXT "GREATEST GENERATION" OF TOMORROW. TO MEET THIS MISSION, FRIENDS SPONSORS AN ANNUAL PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES FEATURING PROMINENT HISTORIANS; HOSTS AN ANNUAL TEACHERS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC; AND COLLECTS AND ARCHIVES VIDEO INTERVIEWS OF WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GREATEST GENERATION. ADDITIONALLY, FRIENDS HAS THE LEAD RESPONSIBILITY IN PLANNING, STAGING, AND FUNDING FIVE OR MORE MAJOR NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS ANNUALLY AND IS CURRENTLY SPONSORING A NATIONAL FOUR-YEAR WORLD WAR II 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION. FRIENDS RELIES ON PRIVATE SUPPORT TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE MEMORIAL AND TO ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A LIVING LESSON FOR ALL AMERICANS.

HONORING AND PRESERVING NATIONAL MEMORY OF WWII AND CREATING THE NEXT "GREATEST GENERATION" OF TOMORROW.

EDUCATION:IN 2019, FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES. TO THIS END, FRIENDS HOSTED ITS FOURTH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL TEACHERS NETWORK AND CONFERENCE AT THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER. THE FIVE-DAY CONFERENCE, HELD FROM JULY 16TH- 20TH AND ATTENDED BY 57 EDUCATORS FROM 27 STATES AND ONE CANADIAN PROVINCE, FOCUSED ON THE THEME: "INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION DURING WORLD WAR II AND FEATURED PRESENTATIONS BY FELLOW EDUCATORS AND OTHER EXPERTS IN THE AREA OF WWII HISTORY, DISCUSSIONS WITH WWII VETERANS, TOURS OF SITES OF WWII SIGNIFICANCE, AND A REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AT THE WWII MEMORIAL. EACH PARTICIPANT WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE FULL CONFERENCE RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE FOR 26 CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS. PARTICIPANTS WERE EXPOSED TO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF WWII HISTORY RESOURCES AND TOOLS AIMED AT EDUCATING CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS ABOUT THE EVERYDAY MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE CHARACTER, COURAGE, CREATIVITY, DETERMINATION, AND INNOVATION NOT ONLY LED TO THE WINNING OF THE WAR, BUT ALSO RESHAPED AMERICA. AT THE HEART OF THE FRIENDS' TEACHERS CONFERENCE PROGRAM IS THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. AFTER THE CONFERENCE, PARTICIPANTS RETURN TO THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES WITH THE ABILITY AND DESIRE TO EMPOWER AMERICA'S YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF COMMUNITY, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RENEW THE SPIRIT OF UNIT AND SHARE PURPOSE, WHICH DEFINED THE CHARACTER OF THE U.S. DURING THE WAR YEARS. THEREFORE, EACH PARTICIPANT IS EXPECTED TO ENLIST THEIR STUDENTS TO FULFILL A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCE.

COMMEMORATIVE:IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, FRIENDS HAS THE LEAD RESPONSIBILITY IN PLANNING, STAGING, AND FUNDING MAJOR NATIONAL COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS AT THE MEMORIAL ON V-E DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, V-J DAY, VETERANS DAY, AND PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY. THE CEREMONIES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ADDITIONALLY, FRIENDS IS CURRENTLY SPONSORING A NATIONAL FOUR-YEAR WORLD WAR II 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION.V-E DAY CEREMONY: IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 74TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALLIED FORCES VICTORY IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR II, THE MAY 8TH V-E CEREMONY PAID SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ALL WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER DURING THE WAR. AS PART OF THE COMMEMORATION, 11 WORLD WAR II VETERANS PRESENTED WREATHS AT THE FREEDOM WALL IN REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR FALLEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. ABC7/WJLA ANCHOR JONATHAN ELIAS SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES. FRIENDS CHAIRMAN, JOSIAH BUNTING III, SPOKE ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS, AND ACTING SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS, JEFFREY REINBOLD, SPOKE ON BEHALF OF NPS. THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT. MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY: THE MAY 27TH MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE AT THE WWII MEMORIAL PAID SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ALL THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE DURING WORLD WAR II AND MARKED THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL. AS PART OF THE COMMEMORATION, 13 WORLD WAR II VETERANS PRESENTED WREATHS AT THE FREEDOM WALL IN REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR FALLEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THE CEREMONY FEATURED A KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY REPRESENTATIVE MARCY KAPTUR OF OHIO. REP. KAPTUR WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL. ABC7/WJLA ANCHOR JONATHAN ELIAS SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES. FRIENDS' CHAIRMAN JOSIAH BUNTING III AND JEFFREY REINBOLD, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS, OFFERED WELCOME REMARKS. THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT.D-DAY 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION: TO COMMEMORATIVE THE 75 YEARS SINCE 160,000 ALLIED TROOPS LANDED ALONG A 50-MILE STRETCH OF HEAVILY-FORTIFIED FRENCH COASTLINE TO FIGHT NAZI GERMANY ON THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY, FRANCE, FRIENDS HOSTED A SERIES OF COMMEMORATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OVER TWO DAYS. ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5TH, FRIENDS HOSTED A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY AUTHOR ALEX KERSHAW ON HIS NEW BOOK THE FIRST WAVE: THE D-DAY WARRIORS WHO LED THE WAY TO VICTORY IN WORLD WAR II AT THE ARMY AND NAVY CLUB AT FARRAGUT SQUARE. FOLLOWING HIS PRESENTATION, KERSHAW MODERATED A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH WORLD WAR II VETERANS WHO TOOK PART IN OPERATION OVERLORD AND BARBARA GEORGE, DAUGHTER OF CAPTAIN MALCOLM L. GEORGE WHO DIED ON JUNE 7, 1944 AFTER LANDING WITH THE INVASION FORCE ON D-DAY. ALSO ON JUNE 5TH, FRIENDS HOSTED A READING OF THE NAMES AND REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AT THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL TO HONOR ALL THOSE WHO DIED DURING OPERATION OVERLORD (JUNE 6 AUGUST 30, 1944). VOLUNTEERS READ THE NAMES OF NEARLY 9,000 INDIVIDUALS BURIED AT NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY WHO PERISHED DURING OPERATION OVERLORD OVER EIGHT HOURS, UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT. ON JUNE 6TH, FRIENDS HOSTED THE OPERATION OVERLORD (D-DAY) 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION AT THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL. AS PART OF THE CEREMONY, NEARLY 40 WORLD WAR II VETERANS INCLUDING SEVERAL D-DAY AND OPERATION OVERLORD VETERANS ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE ALLIED NATIONS THAT TOOK PART IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN PLACED WREATHS AT THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF THE MORE THAN TWO MILLION ALLIED SERVICE MEMBERS WHO TOOK PART IN OPERATION OVERLORD AND TO REMEMBER THE MORE THAN 225,000 ALLIES WHO WERE KILLED, WOUNDED, OR MISSING. RENOWNED AUTHOR ALEX KERSHAW SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES AND EXPERT HISTORIAN. FRIENDS CHAIRMAN JOSIAH BUNTING III AND JEFFREY REINBOLD, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS, OFFERED WELCOME REMARKS. STUDENTS FROM SALK STEM MIDDLE SCHOOL MAGNET IN ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA, ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE CEREMONY. MUSICAL TRIBUTES WERE PERFORMED BY THE UNITED STATES ARMY BAND (PERSHING'S OWN). MILITARY SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED BY THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON.V-J DAY CEREMONY: IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 74TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALLIED FORCES VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC AND THE END OF WORLD WAR II, THE SEPTEMBER 2ND V-J DAY CEREMONY PAID SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ALL WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER DURING THE WAR. AS PART OF THE CEREMONY, 10 WORLD WAR II VETERANS WERE INTRODUCED AND RECOGNIZED BEFORE PLACING WREATHS AT THE FREEDOM WALL IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MORE THAN 400,000 AMERICANS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING WWII ABC7/WJLA ANCHOR JONATHAN ELIAS SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES. FRIENDS VICE CHAIR, JANE DROPAA, SPOKE ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS, AND SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS, JEFFREY REINBOLD, SPOKE ON BEHALF OF NPS. THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT. VETERANS DAY CEREMONY: THE NOVEMBER 11TH VETERANS DAY CEREMONY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE MORE THAN 16 MILLION MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMED FORCES DURING WORLD WAR II. AS PART OF THE CEREMONY, 14 WORLD WAR II VETERANS PLACED WREATHS AT THE FREEDOM WALL IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MORE THAN 400,000 AMERICANS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN WWII. ABC7/WJLA-TV NEWS ANCHOR, JONATHAN ELIAS, SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES. ACTRESS/SINGER & HELEN HAYES AWARD NOMINEE MARY MILLBEN PEFORMED SEVERAL MUSICAL TRIBUTES. FRIENDS CHAIRMAN JOSIAH BUNTING III AND JEFFREY REINBOLD, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS, OFFERED WELCOME REMARKS. THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT.PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY: IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECEMBER 7, 1941 ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, THE DECEMBER 7TH PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY REMEMBERED AND HONORED ALL WHO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II BOTH ON THE BATTLEFRONT AND THE HOME FRONT AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO KILLED IN THE ATTACK. AS PART OF THE CEREMONY, MORE 16 WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS, AND OTHER SPECIAL GUEST, PLACED WREATHS AT THE FREEDOM WALL IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MORE THAN 400,000 AMERICANS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING WORLD WAR II, INCLUDING THE MORE THAN 2,400 WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. ABC7/WJLA-TV NEWS ANCHOR, JONATHAN ELIAS, SERVED AS THE EVENT'S MASTER OF CEREMONIES. PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR AND WWII VETERAN THE REVEREND RICHARD YOUNG PROVIDED A THOUGHTFUL AND POIGNANT INVOCATION. FRIENDS' CHAIRMAN JOSIAH BUNTING III AND NATIONAL MALL AND MEMORIAL PARKS CHIEF OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MIKE LITTERST OFFERED WELCOME REMARKS AND THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT.WWII 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIONS: IN 2019, FRIENDS HOSTED 24 VERY SPECIAL 75TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS AT THE WWII MEMORIAL (INCLUDING THE THREE D-DAY PROGRAMS LISTED ABOVE) AS PART OF THE FRIENDS' FOUR-YEAR WWII 75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION, FROM DECEMBER 2016 TO SEPTEMBER 2020, WHICH WILL FEATURE MORE THAN 80 COMMEMORATIONS AT THE WWII MEMORIAL MARKING EVER MAJOR BATTLE IN WHICH AMERICANS TOOK PART DURING WWII. EACH OF THESE CEREMONIES FEATURED WREATH PRESENTATIONS BY WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR ALLIED NATIONS, FRIENDS BOARD MEMBERS, AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. THE CEREMONIES WERE LED BY GUEST EMCEES. THE MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON PROVIDED MILITARY SUPPORT FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS. THE CEREMONIES CONCLUDED WITH THE PLAYING OF TAPS BY A MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON BUGLER.

LEGACY LECTURE:HAYDN WILLIAMS WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL LEGACY LECTURE SERIESON NOVEMBER 13TH, FRIENDS HELD THE SEVENTH ANNUAL HAYDN WILLIAMS WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL LEGACY LECTURE AT THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY'S LINCOLN HALL AUDITORIUM. HISTORIAN AND UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA WILLIAM C. CORCORAN PROFESSOR OF HISTORY WILLIAM HITCHCOCK PRESENTED THE LECTURE TITLED, "EISENHOWER, WORLD WAR II, AND THE MAKING OF THE WESTERN ALLIANCE." THE HAYDN WILLIAMS WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL LEGACY LECTURE IS AN ANNUAL PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES THAT FEATURES PREEMINENT HISTORIANS AND OTHERS SPEAKING ON THE LASTING SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF WORLD WAR II ON AMERICA AND THE WORLD.

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