Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Open Call- "WRITERS HONORING VETERANS 2017"

From: Brian Michael Miga
            315 724-4545
            BMiga41@aol.com

To: Local Writers
Re: Veteran’s Stories

I hope you will consider using your talents to honor local veterans. Please take a look at this brief introduction. This will be a rewarding project for all involved. - BMM

                                               
                                    WRITERS HONORING VETERANS 2017

Sam had moved a few feet to aid in the navigation of the plane while they were taking fire; he looked back and could see that that place he had been standing seconds ago was now riddled with bullet holes. Half of the mission crew had parachuted out. Sam stayed to help navigate, hopefully back over the Channel.
            This is all we will ever learn of the 29 bombing missions over France that Sam made. The mission referenced hereinabove was one of the fiercest but the skeleton crew left in the plane was able to limp back over the Channel.
            Sam has passed and took so many stories with him; we are losing our veterans (at rate of 492 per day for WW2 vets alone!) and their personal stories every day.
            Are you a writer willing to spend some time and talent to help great people like Sam preserve their stories for all purposes? I was fortunate to be able to put together one soldier's story that of a Silver Medal Recipient who saved his company when it wqas pinned down by machine gun fire near Cherbourg.  His family (my family) saved his letters and even torn postcards for seven decades.  His relatives and friends are very appreciative to have a written account of his exploits.  His story is even in the World War II Museum in New Orleans, local libraries, Utica college and two historical societies.
             Our veterans deserve to be honored; their stories should not pass with them. You have the talent to tell their story. It takes some commitment. What commitment did the veterans have? We have started a program - Writers Honoring Veterans 2017- which is briefly outlined here. We have met with several veteran group leaders (we will be contacting more soon) and they are quite excited about the possibilities and were throwing one name after another at me.  If you are a writer who can give some of your talent and time to help a very worthy cause, please email or call. Their stories should not perish. Their families will receive copies and we will ask the Oneida County Historical Society to preserve their stories.  We will set deadlines for writer commitments, veteran applications, writing completion (rough), printing of booklets and presentation to veterans and families on Veterans Day.  This is a worthy way to use your talent.

 Brian Michael Miga
315 724-4545
BMiga41@aol.com


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