CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A couple of West Virginia film makers plan to debut the first in what will eventually be a series of documentaries on West Virginia veterans. The series, entitled, “West Virginia Standing Together: The Humanities and the Experience of War”, will begin with a spotlight on West Virginia vets from World War II.
“We went around the state and interviewed three World War II veterans,” said co-prouder Calvin Grimm. “The youngest of which was 92 and the oldest was 97.”
Grimm and his partner Tyler Miller are both veterans of Iraq and Miller served a tour in Afghanistan. They own Lost Valley Studio and began their film making during their time at West Virginia State University. Grimm said they are dedicated to finding and telling the stories of West Virginians who have served.
“We got stories from these three veterans which are first hand accounts of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge,” said Grimm. “Brigadier General J. Kent McGlaughlin was one of them and he was one of the longest serving bomber pilots in World War II. He did dozens of missions over Nazi Germany.”
McGlaughlin was a squadron leader who led the raid on Schweinfurt, one of the largest bombing runs of all World Warr II. McGlaughlin revealed his group took off with 22 aircraft and returned with five.
“You can watch all the ‘Saving Private Ryan’ type movies you want,” Grimm said. “But you never really understand what happens in these military conflicts until you talk to the veterans who were there.”
Grimm said the World War II veterans will be the first of a six part series. Upcoming productions will focus on West Virginians who served in Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and finally the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“There’s so much history in West Virginia with our military heritage,” said Grimm. “I know that’s a cliche statement, but when you really get into it and talk to these vets of different generations, especially the World War II vets who aren’t going to be here in five or ten years.”
The first documentary will premier at The Empty Glass in Charleston at 7 p.m. on Veterans Day. It will later be released on the Lost Valley YouTube channel for all to see.