NJN and the Bank of America, a national sponsor of Ken Burns’ THE WAR documentary series, hosted a luncheon to recognize the contributions made by New Jersey WWII veterans and their families, who sacrificed so much to protect this country in its time of need. The luncheon was held at the War Memorial inTrenton, NJ on October 1, 2007.

The luncheon featured keynote speakers Lynn Novick, co-director/producer of THE WAR and Sam Hynes, a WWII Marine Corps pilot featured in the film. Other speakers included Governor Jon Corzine, former Governor Brendan Byrne. Click here for a complete list of speakers and to watch some speeches online.

This luncheon honored NJ WWII veterans and kicked off year long activities with students to collect oral histories of WWII veterans and use 21st Century learning skills and tools. Students from Eastern Regional HS in Voorhees, NJ conducted student interviews of WWII veterans, Lynn Novick, and of Governor Jon Corzine.

Ken Burns’ THE WAR
This seven-part documentary series, directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women caught up in the greatest cataclysm in human history. Viewers will travel with the individuals from four American towns through their own personal and often harrowing journeys into war, painting vivid portraits of how the war dramatically altered their lives and those of their neighbors as well as the country they helped to save for generations to come.