World War II Veterans Set To Speak At West Chester University

WEST CHESTER, PA — As the nation prepares to celebrate its silent heroes, the grim realities of World War II, West Chester University is preparing for a special program and exhibit to honor World War II veterans.

A discussion with two veterans will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday Nov. 10 on the university’s campus in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre, located at 817 South High St.

At 5 p.m. the public is invited to the opening of “For Reel: The Cinematic Art of the Second World War,” an exhibit in the Knauer Gallery in the same building.

The exhibit features rare WWII memorabilia, including original WWII posters and press materials from the collection of Stephen “Mr. Movie” Friedman, a renowned Philadelphia-based film critic.
Both the discussion and the exhibition’s opening reception are free and open to the community.

Discussion with World War II veterans

World War II veterans Robert P. Gibson and Ernest Mogor will discuss life on and off the battlefield with Professor of History Robert Kodosky, author of Tuskegee in Philadelphia: Rising to the Challenge and Psychological Operations American Style.

Sharing riveting stories, both men will speak about the sacrifices that veterans have made for their country.

Serving with the 116th AAA Gun Battalion, Gibson landed with his unit on Utah Beach in Normandy on June 4, 1944 (D-Day).

Gibson and his unit fought nearly all the way to Berlin before the Nazis surrendered. Also experiencing combat, Ernest Mogor served with the 76th Infantry Division, 417th Infantry Regiment, Co. E, U.S. Army.

Mogor was shot by a sniper and received the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.

Original posters and press materials from WWII will bring the era to life through the rare collection of Stephen and Michell Friedman.

A renowned Philadelphia-based film critic, Stephen “Mr. Movie” Friedman hosted a radio program on CBS that reached 38 states and Canada.

Running for 25 years, Friedman’s Mr. Movie Show was the first all-Movie Talk Show in the U.S.

In 2010, he received posthumous induction into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame of Philadelphia.

“‘For Reel: The Cinematic Art of the Second World War’ enables visitors to explore the ways that film posters conceptualize the stories that WWII movies convey,” said Professor Robert Kodosky.

“They reflect an immense filmography that covers every genre, from propaganda to satire, while varying widely in their historical accuracy.”

“For Reel: The Cinematic Art of the Second World War” is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 7 to Dec. 9 at the gallery, 817 South High St.