In partnership with The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, Cunard will again pay tribute to the forgotten heroes of World War II, honoring our nation’s veterans with a unique enrichment program on board a Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing that will travel from New York to London on July 20-27, 2018.
On this 7-night voyage, guests will have the opportunity to attend lectures and interact with several WWII veterans, hearing first-hand about their experiences during America’s involvement in the war. From the “Battle of the Atlantic,” to the conflicts in Normandy and Pearl Harbor, these distinguished war heroes will engage in discussions and Q&A’s, giving guests a very personal glimpse into the human elements of wartime service.
“Last year our guests were spellbound by the veterans’ moving personal accounts of their wartime service, resulting in standing ovations every day,” said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice president, Cunard North America. “Cunard prides itself on offering one-of-a-kind, world class entertainment and enrichment programs, and we are honored to welcome back The Greatest Generations Foundation on the July 20th Transatlantic Crossing.”
World War II veterans scheduled to be on board will include:
• Steve Melnikoff, who experienced the full horrors of Normandy when he served in 1st Battalion, 175th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division and who earned three Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts for his service.
• Stuart Hedley, who served in the United States Navy and recalls leaping from his ship and into the water during Pearl Harbor and coming up amid debris and burning oil and swimming for his life towards the shoreline.
• Harold Angle, who served as First Sergeant E-5 in the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, and who marched down the Champs-Elysées on August 29, 1944 in the Liberation of Paris.
• Michael Ganitch, who served as a Senior Chief Quartermaster in the United States Navy and witnessed Pearl Harbor.
• James Blane, Corporal of the 4th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps and served in the battles of Kwajalein (Roi-Namur), Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.
• Peter DuPre, who served as a medic in the 114th General Hospital Unit in Kidderminster, England during WWII, where he treated wounded servicemen from all areas of Europe, including those who had been wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.
• John Foy, who served in the 87th Infantry Division joining General George Patton’s Third Army in liberating Europe. John served as a front-line machine gunner in the Battle of Northern France and later the Battle of the Bulge
• Kenneth Barclay, who served as Lieutenant Colonel O-5 in the “Fighting 69th” Regiment, where he served in Hawaii, Saipan and Okinawa during the war.
Q&A’s and other discussions with the World War II veterans will cover topics including:
• D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944
• The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge, 1944
• I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
• Miracle at Midway, 1942
• Blood Sand: The Battle for Iwo Jima, 1945
• Okinawa 1945: The Last Epic Struggle of World War II
Jeremy Hubbard, current co-anchor of FOX31 Denver News will join the voyage and act as a moderator of the panels and lectures. Prior to joining the FOX31 Denver News team, Hubbard, a native of western Colorado, worked as a New York-based correspondent for ABC News where he contributed and reported for all ABC News broadcasts including: Good Morning America, World News with Dianne Sawyer and Nightline.
