VIETNAM IN HD
In early November, HISTORY will premiere Vietnam in HD, a documentary presented in full HD color. Similar in style to HISTORY’s Emmy Award winning WWII in HD, this miniseries will bring never before seen footage and gripping personal accounts to the story of the Vietnam War. First person accounts from those who served will immerse viewers into their experiences in the terror of battle as well as their mixed emotions on returning home. The series tells the story of a war that was won on the battlefield but lost at home.
OVERVIEW
History will be working with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) and The Honor Flight Network (Honor Flight) on an initiative that will honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans while making a permanent contribution to the legacy of those that made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
HISTORY will be supporting this initiative through an on-air and online promotional campaign as well as a series of local events that will culminate with a national ceremony on Veterans Day:
1) Call for Photos Events
VVMF and HISTORY will co-host a series of Call for Photo events in four cities. The Call for Photos initiative is a VVMF campaign to collect a photo for all 58,272 names on The Wall. These photos will be featured in an interactive exhibit in the VVMF Education Center – anticipated to open in 2014.
Events are scheduled to take place in:
· New York
o Times Square on Tuesday, October 11, 2011
o This event will feature The Wall That Heals
· Philadelphia
o Independence Hall National Historical Park on Thursday, October 13, 2011
o This event will feature The Wall That Heals
· Atlanta
o Centennial Olympic Park on Tuesday, October 25, 2011
o This event will feature The Wall That Heals
· Chicago
o Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Plaza on Thursday, November 3, 2011
HISTORY and the VVMF will be reaching out to local veterans groups to locate photos of service members from each of these cities. Each ceremony will feature a symbolic “handing of the photos” to the VVMF.
In addition to kicking-off a multi-city Call for Photos tour, the VVMF is also looking to raise awareness for its Education Center initiative. The Education Center is a visitor center that will be built adjacent to The Wall, which will give context to the names on The Wall and enhance the Memorial experience for current and future generations. The effort to build the Education Center is reliant on voluntary corporate and public contributions to reach its goal of raising $80MM for the construction and operational expenses of the Education Center.
The events in NYC, Philadelphia, and Atlanta will consist of two parts:
a. 10:00AM – 11:30AM: Call for Photos Event (closed to public)
Executives from the VVMF and HISTORY will be inviting the local media, elected officials, community leaders and local veteran/military organizations to attend a special ceremony in support of the Call for Photos and Education Center campaigns. The event will feature remarks from special guests and a military ceremony honoring those that served in Vietnam. In addition, there will be a ceremonial “handing of the photos” to the VVMF for photos collected in advance of the ceremony through local outreach.
b. 11:30AM – 7:00PM: VVMF Wall That Heals, Traveling Museum, and Information Center Opens to Public
The Wall That Heals is a traveling, half-scale replica of The Wall in DC and contains all 58,272 names. The Wall That Heals provides an alternative to those who have found the war’s legacy too painful to confront or are unable to make the journey to DC. For the NYC, Philadelphia, and Atlanta Call for Photos events, The Wall That Heals will be present. It will form the backdrop to the ceremony and then be opened after the ceremony ends to the public. Since The Wall That Heals is not able to travel to Chicago, the Chicago event will consist only of a morning Call for Photos ceremony.
The VVMF Traveling Museum and Information Center accompanies The Wall That Heals, providing a comprehensive educational component to enrich and complete the visitor experience. The Museum exhibits tell the stories of the names on the Memorial, the Vietnam War, and the history of The Wall. The Information Tent allows people to learn about friends and loved ones lost in the war and is equipped with a scanner so visitors can submit photos and remembrances of loved ones on-site.
2) Veterans Day “Honor Flights” to The Wall
During each Call for Photos event, HISTORY will announce its plans for an Honor Flight for Vietnam veterans from that city. HISTORY will be work with Honor Flight to bring a group of Vietnam veterans to The Wall for the first time. Joining these veterans will be family members of those whose names are etched on The Wall, as well as local students and teachers participating in the VVMF’s Call for Photos initiative (approx. 200 total guests).
These Honor Flights will take place November 10 – 12, 2011 to coincide with the VVMF’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony at The Wall – one of the most heavily attended Veterans Day ceremonies in DC. Honor Flight guests will receive seating at the Ceremony, which is typically attended by over 3,000 people and broadcast live on C-SPAN.