Thanks to historians and Hollywood, we know about the Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo code talkers. We’re less familiar with the Philippine Scouts, whose World War II story is at least as stirring as the once-unsung efforts of the Airmen and the Native American tactical communicators.
With “Forgotten Soldiers,†a new documentary debuting at 7 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 22) on WYES-TV, filmmaker Donald Plata is attempting to correct the record.
The film made its world premiere Wednesday (Jan. 18) at the National World War II Museum, with several Scouts in attendance. It repeats on WYES at 10:30 p.m. Monday. It will air on WLAE-TV at 8:30 p.m. January 29, and there’s hope of further distribution to public-TV stations around the country.
The Scouts’ story is epic but little-known. They fought the first major battle of the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Eventually overrun by the Japanese after a withering blockade, many suffered through the Bataan Death March and captivity at the notorious Camp O’Donnell. Surviving Scout guerillas eventually participated in the liberation of the islands, and were training to invade Japan at the war’s conclusion. Watch the trailer here.
Chris Schaefer, writer on the film, said the Scouts’ story is so poorly understood in part because other war events – the Battle of Midway, Doolittle’s raid – overshadowed their heroic service.
http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/01/forgotten_soldiers_tells_the_s.html
With “Forgotten Soldiers,†a new documentary debuting at 7 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 22) on WYES-TV, filmmaker Donald Plata is attempting to correct the record.
The film made its world premiere Wednesday (Jan. 18) at the National World War II Museum, with several Scouts in attendance. It repeats on WYES at 10:30 p.m. Monday. It will air on WLAE-TV at 8:30 p.m. January 29, and there’s hope of further distribution to public-TV stations around the country.
The Scouts’ story is epic but little-known. They fought the first major battle of the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Eventually overrun by the Japanese after a withering blockade, many suffered through the Bataan Death March and captivity at the notorious Camp O’Donnell. Surviving Scout guerillas eventually participated in the liberation of the islands, and were training to invade Japan at the war’s conclusion. Watch the trailer here.
Chris Schaefer, writer on the film, said the Scouts’ story is so poorly understood in part because other war events – the Battle of Midway, Doolittle’s raid – overshadowed their heroic service.
http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/01/forgotten_soldiers_tells_the_s.html