Stories by Media
Stories by Location
The War, Ken Burns’ seven-part documentary series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, was the most-watched PBS series of the past 10 years. It explored the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women who become caught up in one of the greatest cataclysms in human history.
WILL-TV’s Central Illinois World War II Stories was developed in conjunction with the Ken Burns’ series.
Visit The War web site on PBS.org
Share Your Story
PBS is gathering WWII stories from viewers across the United States. Upload your story to PBS for sharing with all other viewers. If you need assistance, contact Mary Barrineau or Jack Brighton at 217-333-1070.
This project supported in part by:
Clark Lindsey Village
Ecowater Systems
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers #601
Strawberry Fields
Steamatic
WETA
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
WILL Stories
In stories on WILL radio, television and the Web, WILL looks at the war from many perspectives: men in battle on land and at sea, Japanese-American families in internment camps, conscientious objectors, women in the service, African-Americans at Chanute Air Force Base, German POWs in Hoopeston.
Rantoul's 99th Pursuit Squadron
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Sixty people attended a community conversation September 20, 2007 at the Rantoul Business Center in Rantoul, IL about the all-black 99th Pursuit Squadron formed during World War II at Chanute Field. Speaking were Col. Elmer Jones, one of six original aviation cadets to be trained at Chanute; Edith Roberts, widow of George “Spanky” Roberts, who was the first commander of the 99th Pursuit Squadron at Tuskegee; and Mrs. Eunice Dansby Gingery of Decatur, wife of Ellsworth Dansby, who was one of the first enlisted volunteers to arrive at Chanute Field in 1941. The event was co-sponsored by WILL and the Chanute Air Museum. The panel and audience discussion were moderated by Howard Piggee of Rantoul.
RealVideo archive:
Tuskegee Airman Elmer Jones
Aired on WILL-TV's "Prairie Fire" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21
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Producer Denise La Grassa talks with Tuskegee Airman Col. Elmer Jones, one of six original aviation cadets for the Tuskegee Airmen trained at Chanute Field in Rantoul. Jones, who became ground crew commander, was proud to serve his country in aircraft engineering during World War II, even though he served in an all-black unit. He maintains that being in a segregated unit provided an unexpected opportunity for the Tuskegee Airmen. They were able to prove their abilities at a time when people questioned whether African Americans should be allowed to fly and maintain planes. “They proved they were as good as white fighter pilots,” said LaGrassa. “World War II was really the beginning of the civil rights movement.”
RealVideo archive:
Audio archives:
Play Now:RealAudio archive | downloadable MP3
Illinois' Tuskegee Airmen
Aired on Feb. 19, 2008, on WILL-AM
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen began as an experiment and ended by proving the ability of many African-American servicemen. The military’s first black pilots withstood animosity to fight America’s enemies overseas while continuing to fight racism on the home front. This story by WILL-AM’s Jeff Bossert looks at the paths taken by two of the first members of the Army Air Corps’ 99th Pursuit Squadron. Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul was the first training ground for these officers. AM 580’s Jeff Bossert spoke with the widows of two men, Bill Thompson and Ellsworth Dansby, who helped pave the way for many others:
Audio archives:
Play Now:RealAudio archive | downloadable MP3
Theodore Freeman of Rantoul
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Freeman was a steward, serving officers in the mess hall on the USS Missouri. But when the enemy struck, he had to man his position on a gun mount and defend the ship. He was on board the USS Missouri when a Japanese kamikaze pilot crashed his plane into the ship very near to where Freeman was standing. He talked with WILL-TV producer Denise La Grassa about the challenges he faced as an African-American on board ship and about the conflict between his life as Pentecostal pastor before Pearl Harbor and his life as a sailor pledged to defend the country.