MECC History Department Presents World War II Forum

On April 5, the History Department at Mountain Empire Community College will present a World War II Forum in the Goodloe Center, located in Phillips-Taylor Hall on campus. Three guest speakers will give their personal accounts and recollections about the Second World War.  Scheduled to appear are veterans Jack Carpenter, Terry Smith, and Darrell Fleming.

Carpenter is a Dickenson County native and was a member of the Army Air Corp. He flew 21 combat missions over Germany and Italy as an Ariel Gunner from a B-24 bomber.  Smith is a native of Appalachia and served in the United States Navy. He saw action in most of the major battles of the Pacific Theater.

Fleming, who grew up in Clintwood, served two years in the U.S. Army as a cryptographer.  He later had a 30-year career in education and retired from Fairfax County, Virginia in 1988.  Fleming is also the author of Family, Friend, and War Heroes, which tells the story of his father who served aboard a fighting ship in both the Atlantic and Pacific.  This work also gives an account of the challenges faced by his family back on the home front. 

The program will begin at 11 a.m.  A question and answer session will follow the presentations and copies of Fleming's book will also be available.  The forum is free and the public is invited to attend.  For more information, contact History Instructor Mike Strouth at (276) 523-2400, extension 234 or mstrouth@me.vccs.edu.