On Sunday, September 23, Americans will begin watching Ken Burns’ new PBS documentary, The War, which chronicles the experiences of those who lived through World War II both on the warfront and on the homefront.  That same afternoon of Sunday, September 23, 2007, the Santa Monica Public Library will present its own special event looking back at the war, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium.  

Introduced and moderated by former Santa Monica Mayor Nathaniel Trives, "The War: Santa Monica Looks Back at World War II" will feature a large number of local guests, who will share their World War II experiences and memories with audience members.  Among the guest speakers are the Library’s own Cynni Murphy, who will present a look at historical WWII-era photographs in the library’s Image Archives collection; Helen Gilbert, a feisty grandmother who was one of our nation’s first Navy WAVEs; Curt Lowens, a German Jew who served in the Dutch Resistance and moved to Hollywood to be an actor following the War; and Becky James, a tireless young veteran who is a local volunteer for the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, and her guests: Army PFC Peter Howenstein, Marine Sgt. Phyllis Capelle, U.S. Army Combat Medic Ed Pepping, Army Sgt. “Bazooka” Joe Pietroforte, U.S. Army soldier Houston Turner (an ex-POW), U.S. Marine Dave Swerdlow, U.S. Coast Guard veteran Vern Peters, and Army Air Force pilot Wayne Mayotte.  Program attendees will also get a brief preview of Ken Burns’ The War, courtesy of PBS, the California State Library and the California Center for the Book.

This free public program is open to all ages.  Auditorium seating is limited, and seating is on a first arrival basis.

For more information, contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600; or visit the library’s web site at www.smpl.org.