Francis Scott Key Post 11 hosts annual WWII luncheon in conjunction with Library of Congress to record veteran stories

Francis Scott Key Post 11 hosts annual WWII luncheon in conjunction with Library of Congress to record veteran stories

Every year the gathering of World War II veterans and their families takes place at American Legion Francis Scott Key Post 11 in Frederick, Md. Frederick County, in conjunction with the Library of Congress, has launched the Veterans History Project where they record interviews with World War II veterans about their wartime service.
James Hubbard is the director of the Frederick County branch, where he and his team do the in-depth interviews that are preserved and recorded not just for the National Archives but for the veterans' families. “It’s very frequently the veteran really hasn't ever had a chance to discuss what they had lived through and their memories, their impressions and so forth, and their contributions, and we just want to make sure they're recognized in that way.”
Francis Scott Key Post 11 honors veterans from every war with an annual luncheon, but Past Commander Wayne Kaikko says that “honoring the last of the Greatest Generation is my honor. These guys went through the worst war in in history and came back, and they volunteered they served their country. They're just outstanding veterans and pretty soon they won't be able to share those stories with anybody, so share them now so that the younger generation gets to know what they did. You can't share everything, but you sure can share some of the stories, so their sacrifices will never be forgotten.”
Kaikko and Auxiliary Chairwoman Sylvia Wood coordinated the effort and invited Maryland Public Television to record the event. This may be viewed at: https://youtu.be/rWTDbRu1TMQ
Francis Scott Key Post 11 is the largest, and one of the oldest, posts in the great state of Maryland.