KCET Commemorates Veterans Day with a Special Line-Up of Documentaries in November

Burbank, CA - October 28, 2013 - In honor of Veterans

Day on Nov. 11, 2013, KCET will showcase several inspiring programs dedicated

to those who have served in the United States military. With emotional journeys

that include stories of adversity, friendship, and heroism, KCET celebrates the

selfless individuals who had the courage and strength to fight for our country.

James Megellas, affectionately known as

"Maggie," led H-Company of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment

through some of the most horrific battles and deadliest missions of World War

II, including the Battle of Anzio, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of

the Bulge. Maggie's War chronicles

the evolution of a citizen into a fearless platoon leader, and the

transformation of a young man into the most highly decorated officer in the

history of the famed 82nd Airborne Division. Seven decades later, cameras

follow Megellas, now a retired Lieutenant Colonel, on an emotional return to

Europe with a small group of family, friends and 82nd Airborne veterans.

Together they visit old battlefields and war memorials and encounter Dutch citizens

still grateful for their sacrifice. 

Killing Memories - Friday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

follows five American war veterans who served together in Vietnam 40 years ago

as they reunite to tour battlefields, meet former enemies and confront ghosts

of their past. Though the film is focused on overcoming old wounds, it

resonates loudly in the present, as America continues fighting wars and sending

her children into battle.

Ted Bell and the Ridge - Friday, Nov. 8 at 9:30 p.m.

Retired Col. Ted Bell became The Citadel's

most decorated World War II veteran for his valor in holding a rugged ridge on

the Pacific island of Okinawa.  But the

deaths of so many of his men in his Easy Company of the 77th Infantry Division

weighed on his mind as the decades passed. Holding the place near Ishimmi Ridge

over a tortuous three days of combat proved to be a decisive moment in the war

in the Pacific, puncturing a hole in the Japanese's Shuri Line and clearing the

way for the United States to win the island and use it for the planned invasion

of Japan. Two months later, Japan surrendered after the bombing of Hiroshima

and Nagasaki. 

This is a story of a group of young,

determined and courageous women during World War II who broke through barriers

and shattered stereotypes: the Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs). They

were the first women pilots to ever fly for the United States military.

However, after an aggressive campaign by male pilots who wanted the WASPs jobs

during World War II, they were the only wartime unit that was denied military

status by Congress and were sent home before the war was over and their job was

done. Because the women were denied military status, the WASPs received no

insurance or benefits during or after the war, and if a WASP died during

training or while on a mission, their families were not allowed to put a

service star in the window, nor could the WASPs receive a military burial. It

wasn't until the middle of the 1970s that they would be recognized as World War

II veterans, and it wasn't until 2010, that the United States government would

recognize those women who died during their service and the surviving WASPs

would receive the congressional gold medal. We Served Too provides a firsthand account from WASPs who tell

their story and discuss their experiences during the three pivotal periods that

make up the WASP history. WASP experts and family members also share their

personal stories and expert knowledge. 

The Last Ridge - Monday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m.

On a freezing winter night in February 1945, the U.S.

Army's 10th Mountain Division accomplished the impossible: they scaled a

2,000-foot cliff in northern Italy to knock the seemingly invincible Germans from

their impenetrable perch. The Last Ridge

recounts the remarkable story of the legendary 10th Mountain Division, whose

extraordinary efforts turned the tide for the Allied forces in Italy,

revolutionized winter mountain warfare abroad, transformed winter sports and

inspired an entire generation of soldiers. Narrated by National Public Radio's

Scott Simon, the documentary traces the 10th Mountain Division's history: from

their uphill battles in World War II to their current campaigns in troubled

Afghanistan.  

ABOUT KCET

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