SSMA Mission 2012
Greetings to members of the SSMA:
It is with great pleasure that I relay the information to you from our recent meeting in New Orleans. We have lots of GREAT news, so let me first present the news:
We had a GREAT meeting with the Directors and Historian of National WWII Museum
They told us the Second Schweinfurt Mission will be one of the few featured missions in the museum’s new Boeing Center. It will showcase artifacts of the war, representing America’s legendary production of airplanes, artillery, tanks and other equipment that helped to fuel Allied victory in World War II. Exhibited artifacts will include a Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress,” an SBD Dauntless, a B-25 fuselage and the TBM Avenger.
This wing opens 11/11/2012.
Then after the SSMA board presented to them, they are strongly considering adding the story of the reconciliation between former enemies – now “Friends by Choice” in a separate area of the museum and more about our airmen in the POW section of the museum.
The SSMA has voted to have our 2012 annual meeting in New Orleans to correspond with the dedication and opening of the new wing and exhibits - More information will be coming in the next BL.
I hope you agree, exciting news for the SSMA!
Now here is an opportunity for each of you and your families. The National WWII Museum is looking for individual pictures, crew photos, photos of events, artifacts, shrapnel, manuals, flight books, gear, uniforms, medals, etc that would depict the life of our serviceman while they served. They are looking for POW information, keepsakes, telegrams, Red Cross packages, letters, notes, and escape maps, etc.
In the new museum, they will use “Dog Tags” with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device). This will let visitors attach (if they choose) their email address to the “Dog Tag”. The visitor will also be able to select a random serviceman – might be Air Force, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, etc or they can select a certain position, like a Submarine captain or Ball Turret gunner or a specific man to follow through the museum. The visitor could swipe the card on any display and have a link emailed to their email address that would give them more in-depth information. The museum is focused on the men and women of the war. They want visitors to relate and get a real glimpse and feel of what those individual people experienced. They also want there to be a way to dig down into more data and information. The connection to the visitor’s email address and the museum’s archives will be really strong.
So here is another opportunity. If you would like to package up your serviceman’s information, collectables and submit them as a whole experience, the museum will look at those and consider including them in whole or part. If in whole, maybe people can follow him through his WWII experiences from enlistment to retirement and possibly his role in the reconciliation.
The National World War II Museum opened in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and has been designated by Congress as the country's official National WWII Museum.
What an opportunity to make a lasting impression and place of education to hundreds of thousands of people. This is an opportunity to memorialize the service men and women that served our country so well and so proudly. Please consider how you would like to participate, what you would like to contribute and how the SSMA can best be represented in the displays of the museum. We have an awesome story…help us tell it the best we can.
Here are action items:
Please consider the opportunity and how you and your family can help tell the great story
Consider looking in the garage, attic, basement, closet for those things about your serviceman and decide what you would like to contribute – pieces or a complete story. Remember, a photo or document that will turn to shards or dust unless it is preserved professionally, which the museum will do, then it will last for eternity!
Consider joining the museum and supporting them with your financial donations directly or through the SSMA. Send you contributions to our treasurer - Dick Fox - 13 Wicklow Court, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648 and mark them for National WWII museum. We will donate all collected contributions to the museum in the name of the Second Schweinfurt Memorial Association.
Plan on joining us for the SSMA reunion in 2012 in New Orleans. It will be over the Veterans Day weekend and we will be at the dedication and opening of the Boeing wing.
Think about the lasting memorial we can make and the education you can help with at this amazing museum. It is truly one of the best museums in the country today and with the expansion in progress, it is a real tribute to our National History and all those affected by WWII.
So there it is…GREAT news and a number of great opportunities. But now is the time for action. The new wing of the museum opens in 13 months! We need you to take action and decide how you want to participate. So please consider that now and make a pledge to you, your family and your serviceman. Let us know how you can help, what you want to do by checking the items you want to do and returning this to us via mail to: SSMA - 336 West Rolling Hills Drive, Conroe, Texas 77304 or via email to Julee MacDonald at juleemac@suddenlink.net :
______ I want to know more. Keep me informed by mailing information to me
______ I have items I want to contribute. Tell me how
______ I want to attend the reunion. Let me know the details
______ I want to bring more people to the reunion. Send information to my friend:
______ I am going to send money to help the museum
Thank you in advance for all your help and support. Your board and the members that met in New Orleans believe this is an awesome opportunity to make a lasting impression, deliver great education and experience on those that served us so well. It provides a quality place to leave the SSMA story of service, strength, gratitude and reconciliation for generations to see. I hope you join me in this new “SSMA Mission 2012” and help make the contribution from the SSMA powerful and meaningful to all.
God Bless you and God Bless America,
Rob Klint
President SSMA
