(DURHAM, May 20, 2004) - In 1940, the rural farming community of Goshen, New Hampshire, numbered 342 citizens; 45 of these men and one woman went to serve in World War II. Some enlisted and some were inducted. Some lied about their age in order to enlist. They came from all walks of life and entered every branch in the military. Some were high school graduates and some had gone to college. Nine sets of siblings served, including a brother and sister.On Sunday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m., New Hampshire Public Television will air the documentary Stories from Silence, Witness to War, in which these veterans describe, in their own voices, their experiences during World War II. The stories of these 46 people are personal and universal, illuminating powerful, private experiences and history-making events. Billy Harold Sr., a machine gunner in the 34th Infantry Division, lost his entire squad at the notorious battle of Monte Cassino, Italy. He also participated in the brutal 1944 Anzio Campaign. His childhood best friend Clyde Childs was one division over from him.Donald Hurd, a weapons specialist in the 95th Infantry Division, fought for 100 days on the front lines without rest before his infantry unit won the fortified French city of Metz. Bob Jennison hit a minefield in Germany as his 3rd Armored Division unit was advancing. Wounded, he spent months recuperating in military hospitals before returning to American soil.While these Goshen natives were at war, Goshen, like many New Hampshire towns, remained unchanged. But these young people, who brought back visions of the world beyond, would never be the same. One by one, all but one of the 46 soldiers, sailors and code-breakers came home, found jobs, got married and had children. A few years after they returned, their names were added in bronze to a tall gray memorial stone planted outside the Olive G. Pettis Library.Nine generations of filmmaker Deborah Scranton van Paassen's family have lived in Goshen. She took seven months to track down the 46 people whose names are inscribed on the bronze war memorial in front of the town library. She was able to trace all but two. "From these veterans I learned profound lessons in dignity, grace, and timeless friendship," says van Paassen. Stories from Silence, Witness to War recently was selected as a semi-finalist feature documentary film at the 2004 Moondance International Film Festival. The film was supported, in part, by a project grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council.Beyond its award-winning local and national television programs, NHPTV is a leader in education and community outreach. NHPTV provides instructional services for 220,000 students from kindergarten through high school; offers Ready To Learn programs and services for children preschool to age 8, parents, and early education professionals; and provides professional development programs and advanced technology training for educators in New Hampshire and neighboring states. For more information about NHPTV programs that entertain, educate and enrich, visit www.nhptv.org.
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