BCC to honor World War II veterans
BY JOSH DAVIDSON

MIDDLETOWN — The Center of World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution of Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, will honor distinguished local veterans for their roles during the D-Day Allied attack on German military forces at Normandy Beach, France.

The May 20 event at Brookdale’s Collins Arena commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Allied attack on June 6, 1944 — also known as D-Day.

"In essence, it’s our way of passing the memories of the veterans on to the current generation, and hopefully the current generation will pass its knowledge on to future generations," said Paul Zigo, the center’s coordinator.

In an effort to preserve those memories, members of the center have interviewed and recorded 53 World War II veterans for its archives, he said. About 25 more veterans are expected to have their war-time memories recorded over the summer.

The former soldiers are found through mailings to veteran’s organizations and self-referrals by men who served.

Many of the interviews are broadcast on Brookdale’s Comcast cable channel 21 on Wednesdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. during the "Triumphant: America’s World War II Generation Speaks" program.

Zigo has been asked to speak with representatives from the state Department of Education about incorporating a World War II curriculum module and conflict resolution in the state’s public high schools.

Zigo said he encourages audio or videotaping interviews of World War II veterans. He also said he would like students to interview their own relatives who served in World War II.

It is important for students to learn about the World War II era, which is the most significant era of the 21st century and a time when the rights of women and minorities increased, he said.

"It’s important to have this understood because, quite frankly, if we are to understand where we are now, we need to know the basis for it all because it all began at World War II," he said.

Tolerance was also learned through that war, which included the Holocaust and creation of the United Nations, he said.

"All of these things to me, as a historian, are extremely important to teach in the classroom," he said. "You need to know what took place at this time."

Albert Meserlin, of Sea Girt, is a veteran U.S. Army photographer and served as former President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s personal photographer during World War II. Meserlin will be honored at the event for his work during the war.

The former war-time photographer has over 100 photos taken during the war, including photos of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. Army Gen. George Patton.

"We carried a camera instead of a gun," Meserlin said.

Meserlin said that when he arrived at Utah Beach, France, during the second day of the Allied attack, things were organized but chaotic.

"We were 20 years old; we never realized what we were going through," he said.

Meserlin was in a small photography unit that lost two men in the battle, he said. His unit was responsible for taking photographs for newspapers and military archives.

Meserlin received a Bronze Star for his photography work. He said his job was to capture on film anything newsworthy.

"I traveled a lot," he said. "We never knew where we were going to be one day to the next."

When in England, Meserlin said the English were very brave during German air attacks on their homeland. Ten years ago, Meserlin returned to England and said he was astonished at how well it was rebuilt.

Meserlin was free to photograph what he wanted during the war, but he had to follow military laws.

"No one was to interfere with us and our work, not even a general," he said.

Meserlin said he speaks to students at schools in an effort to keep World War II history alive.

"I think it’s very important that we preserve the history of any war we’ve had for democracy," he said.

Recalling those days are not easy for him, he said.

"My feelings are mostly with the guys who were on the front lines laying in the mud," he said. "You see some terrible things. When I think of it, I start to break down, it’s hard."

Local students will read statements at the Brookdale event, to be held from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., by honored veterans including Meserlin, Peter Rubino, Leonard "Bud" Lomell, Jack Campbell and Deputy Director of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders Theodore Narozanick.

The event’s keynote speaker is Kevin Coyne, author of "Marching Home: To War and Back Again With the Men of One American Town," which provides detailed accounts of the experience of veterans from Freehold.

From: http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2004/0512/Front_Page/070.html