Where History and Heroes  Meet

INDIANAPOLIS WORLD WAR II ROUNDTABLE - ERNIE PYLE CHAPTER

"Corporal Don Graves, USMC, Ret. was a flamethrower operator who fought on Iwo Jima in World War II. The aver- age life expectancy of a flamethrower on the battlefield was less than ten minutes." More in July & August 2023 Newsletter article, Page 2 by Kathryn Lerch. 

Featured Program

Featured Program:

"Eva Kor & the CANDLES Museum" 

Guest speaker: Alex Kor, Vice-President of Community Engagement

Alex is the son of Michael and Eva Kor. Both parents were Holocaust survivors. 

Eva Kor was founder of the CANDLES Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana.

WWII Roundtable Dinner Program​​​ - Monday, February 27, 2023

​​WWII Roundtable Dinner Program - Monday, May 22, 2023

Featured Program

Featured program:

“History in Your Own Backyard”
Sergeant Major Robert Brown, born in Rushville, IN in 1927, enlisted in March 1945; he intended to go into the Merchant Marines, but by accident became a Marine. Post-WW2, he was a drill instructor in Korea as well as in Vietnam!


Guest speaker:

​Sgt. Major Robert Brown, US Marine Corps
with interviewer, Karl Kleinbub (not shown here)

Story of “Don Graves and the Battle of Iwo Jima”—honoring a living veteran

Presenter: Steve Hogan, WWII Roundtable Member 

Featured program:

"Our Service Our Stories, Indiana Veterans Recall Their World War II Experiences," Volume 3


Two guest speakers:

1. Ron May, author of "Our Service Our Stories" highlighted the stories of Indiana Veterans whom he had interviewed and written about in his latest book. 


2. World War II Marine William A. Branic gave a summary of his service in the Pacific during WWII.


WWII Roundtable Dinner Program - Monday, April 24, 2023

"Finding a monument for fallen WWII Soldier
​Pvt. Robert J. Whalen" 

Guest speaker: Catherine Whalen Purdy, Pvt. Robert J. Whalen's niece

..."How a family in Indiana discovered the final story of "Pvt. Robert J. Whalen, who was the only American soldier killed in action on August 29, 1944, during the liberation of Vailly-sur-Aisne in northern France."...

Featured Program: ​​

"He Never Complained: Stories of an Everyday Man" 

Guest dinner speakers:​ David and Evan Humphrey

The speakers shared the story of their family member, the late Pvt. George Humphrey, who served in the 36th Infantry Division in North Africa, Italy and France and who was a recipient of numerous medals.

Featured Program:

"Lt. John G. Wallace & Guadalcanal" 
Hosted by:
John Shively,

WWII Roundtable member & WWII Pacific historian

Guest Speaker: CDR Jack Wallace, USNR (Ret),

son of Lt. John G. Wallace, U.S. Navy

Jack gave a slide presentation about his father’s experiences on the USS San Francisco during the WWII battle of Guadalcanal. Jack reported on enemy and friendly strategies and attacks and their wins and losses during their battles.

WWII Roundtable Dinner Program​​​ - Monday, January 23, 2023

Featured Program

​​WWII Roundtable Dinner Program - Monday, June 26, 2023


(L-R) Kathryn Lerch, VP WWII RT Exec. Board and 

Ronald P. May, US Navy Reserve, author

(L - R:) WWII Roundtable member (and WWII veteran) Bob Begeman shown with our guest speaker, Sgt. Major Robert Brown,
​U.S. Marine Corps, Feb. 27, 2023.

"2nd Battalion,7th Cavalry & la Drang Valley" 

Guest speaker: Bud Alley, U.S. Army Vietnam War Veteran and author of "The Ghost of the Green Grass"​​

​​WWII Roundtable Dinner Program  - Monday, August 28, 2023

​​WWII Roundtable Dinner Program - Monday, July 24, 2023

WWII Roundtable Dinner Program - Monday, March 27, 2023


William A. Branic, WWII Marine