GRANITE FALLS, Minn. – Pioneer PBS and Fagen Fighters WWII Museum will be co-hosting screenings of “Remembering WWII: Heroes and History” at Fagen Fighters WWII Museum on Friday, May 26 from noon to 4 p.m. Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is located at 2450 540 St. in Granite Falls and the event is free and open to the public.
“Remembering WWII: Heroes and History” will be screened three times: at 12:15, 1:30 and 2:45 p.m. in the Voices of Valor Theater in the museum.
This half-hour documentary will feature riveting first-hand accounts from veterans who served in a diverse array of positions during WWII. In this documentary, viewers will hear interviews from Fagen Figher’s WWII Museum’s Chief Pilot Evan Fagen and 10 WWII veterans:
Harlan Rosvold of Oak Park Heights was a Marine Corps veteran who served in Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. Rosvold was a tank driver of amphibious tanks and saw the famous flag raising on Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi.
Paul Fynboh of Pine River is a Navy veteran who served in the Liberation of the Philippines as an electrician and first loader on a destroyer ship.
Fay Hendricks of Alcester, South Dakota is a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Liberation of the Philippines as a rifleman.
Willis “Bill” Friberg of Big Lake is a Marine veteran who was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa in Hawaii. Friberg was an airplane mechanic and served for over four years during the war.
William Homan of Montevideo is a WWII U.S. Air Corps veteran. He was a mechanic on a B-17 Bomber and witnessed the aftermath of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, months after the bomb was dropped.
David Wooden of Grand Rapids is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Wooden flew a variety of WWII aircraft under instruction of WWII pilots and took many of the planes to their final resting place at the "boneyard" in Arizona.
Bob Brix of Minneapolis is a WWII U.S. Marine veteran who traveled to China and Japan, and visited Admiral Nimitiz's headquarters in Guam.
Delvin Owen of Park River, North Dakota is a WWII U.S. Naval Reserve veteran who operated test flights on a variety of WWII aircraft during the war.
Paul Wojahn of New Ulm, MN is a WWII US Marine. He fought as a pioneer soldier in the Pacific on various islands including Pavuvu, Peleliu and Okinawa.
Dennis Boldt of Mankato is a WWII U.S. Army veteran. Boldt worked as a M7 gun director which helped aim 90mm artillery fire in an anti-aircraft unit.
All of these stories were recorded at the Ray Fagen Memorial Airshow in Granite Falls in 2022.
The four-hour event will also include opportunities to explore Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, to see restored fighter planes in action and to talk with some of the people featured in “Remembering WWII: Heroes and History.” Those visiting the museum between noon and 4 p.m. will have their museum entrance fee waived, but a goodwill donation to the Fagen Fighters WWII museum is welcome.
Refreshments will be served. RSVP is requested so adequate seating can be arranged. Please RSVP by visiting the registration form or by calling Pioneer PBS at 1-800-726-3178.
“Remembering WWII: Heroes and History” will broadcast on Pioneer PBS on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 at 12:30 p.m. The program will be repeated on Thursday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. and Monday, June 19 at 9 p.m. The program will also be available to stream at video.pioneer.org/show/postcards/ and on Pioneer PBS’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@PioneerPBS.
Pioneer PBS and Fagen Fighters WWII Museum are committed to capturing and sharing stories from veterans from the region. If you are a veteran or know a veteran who would like to share a story, please contact yourtv@pioneer.org or call 1-800-726-3178.
This program is made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and members of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station, dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.
About Fagen Fighters WWII Museum
Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is home to a pristine collection of fully operational, active aircraft and vehicles from WWII. Also featured are fine art, bronze sculptures, interactive multimedia displays and an ever-growing library. The facility is designed as a self-guided experience, and gives a rare look into the lives and legacy of the Greatest Generation.