Click to Check Out These Films and More from the American Revolution through WWII.
The Reviews Are In Serving for Justice is a Winner on Prime Video
Serving for Justice: The Story of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion
Our latest WWII film has only been in release a week and has received over 15, 5 Star Reviews on Prime Video.
The Story:
Amidst the horrors and indignities of Jim Crow America, one million African Americans served their country to protect democracy abroad and expand it at home during World War II. This documentary tells of a combat unit struggling to succeed in battle, proving their full-citizenship when their lives seemed to matter less. Here is a story of fortitude, brotherhood, and faith in America's ideals.
Serving for Justice: The Story of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion was produced by Ebony Doughboys, and written and directed by Robert Child.
"Serving for Justice is about the history of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion. It covers a wide swath of black history from the early Jim Crow laws and how the African American experience unfolded in America and how it shaped the men who would go on to fight in World War II," said Director Robert Child.
"Originally produced for the American Embassy in Belgium, this project has grown from that original mission. To say it is timely would be quite an understatement but it goes to show that racial inequality has been with us a long while and has not been addressed properly. Perhaps now more voices are speaking up and positive change will come about. Time will tell. I am pleased, however that the work I have done in this area has continued to be noticed."
The film was produced by Ebony Doughboys, a group of African American living historians who are focused on telling the story of the outstanding record of service of African Americans during the First World War. Founded in 2014, the group is the offshoot of other African American re-enactors who for many years educated and enlightened the public on the involvement of African Americans in World War I. Today, the group forms an overarching structure for African American reenactors who hail from the east coast, the mid-west and the southern United States.
Ebony Doughboys statement:
"As a basis of our historical interpretation, we engage in the extensive research of the role of African Americans during this period by studying and reading personal accounts, archived sources, photographs and other source material. We examine photographs and original garments, accoutrements and weapons to gain a thorough understanding of the original Ebony Doughboys. We strive to reach a consistent, high level of authenticity in our appearance, realizing that as our knowledge grows, our standards for authenticity will also evolve. Members are expected to present themselves to the public with military deportment, an open-mindedness for learning, and a commitment to educating, dispelling myths, and building bridges of understanding."
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About Ghost Carrier:
Frank Rusk hasn’t been sleeping well lately. He’s approaching his milestone 70th birthday. Each night for the past two weeks indescribable scenes of horror have awakened him. He is on an exploding ship in WWII, which is sinking fast. Men are burning alive all around him. He hears sailors cry out, “A Japanese torpedo hit the bomb bay! We are all going to die!”
In these nightmarish visions Frank realizes he is not a spectator watching but a sailor living them. Everywhere he turns he sees buddies he knows taking their last breaths. Frank decides this horrifying scene must be what his father Joe Rusk experienced in his last moments alive before perishing on an aircraft carrier in November 1943. The sinking occurred just two months after Frank was born.
At his 70th birthday party before blowing the candles out on his cake Frank makes a wish he has kept secret his entire life; an impossible wish that defies time and the laws of the Universe. Frank yearns to rewrite history and have his Dad in his life. As Frank blows out the candles his father Joe's face materializes in the flames. Joe Rusk looks terrified and screams to Frank for help.
Unbeknown to Frank his father did not die in 1943 but entered a parallel dimension when his ship sank. Joe Rusk and the crew of the carrier are trapped in time on a parallel earth fighting a far superior Japanese naval force and America is losing the war. Outnumbered and out gunned the crew’s only hope is the unbroken soul connection Joe and Frank share. But will the father and son bond be strong enough to bring the doomed crew home?
Serving for Justice Debuts this Friday Nov. 6th on Amazon Prime
Synopsis:
Amidst the horrors and indignities of Jim Crow America, one million African Americans served their country to protect democracy abroad and expand it at home during World War II. The new documentary tells a unit struggling to succeed in battle, proving their full-citizenship when their lives seemed to matter less. Serving for Justice: The Story of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion is a story of fortitude, brotherhood, and faith in America's ideals.
I hope you can check out the new film, which will debut on Amazon Prime this Friday November 6th.
Serving for Justice Releasing in November
Just wrapped another project about African American soldiers I am very proud of. I was asked by Art Collins and Steve Jones of The Ebony Doughboys and the 5th Platoon reenacting unit to write and direct, Serving for Justice.
Synopsis: Amidst the horrors and indignities of Jim Crow America, one million African Americans served their country to protect democracy abroad and expand it at home during World War II. The new documentary tells a unit struggling to succeed in battle, proving their full-citizenship when their lives seemed to matter less. Serving for Justice: The Story of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion is a story of fortitude, brotherhood, and faith in America’s ideals.
I hope you can check out the new film, which should be available on all the major streaming platforms in November. I will add a link to this post and on the website when it becomes available.
Father Damien of Molokai is a character in Ghost Carrier
When I wrote the book I was very moved by Father Damien's work and life story in the leper colony in Hawaii. Part of the reason I made him a main character was to bring attention to him and his self-sacrificing (literally) work with the lepers of Molokai.
He was an outstanding servant to humanity and his work should be celebrated as an example of the goodness in men and women. Damien is similar to Mother Teresa and her work with the less fortunate in India and around the world.
Using a racial slur against Saint Damien is no different then if one used it against Saint Mother Teresa, which is beyond the pale.
The only positive I can see from this is Father Damien's work becoming better known and held up as an example of love for one's fellow man. Perhaps in an odd way a fool's hateful comment meant to destroy may instead only strengthen Damien's legacy. Time will tell but what is certain is Saint Damien's name will live on for centuries while his vile detractor will not even merit a footnote in history
Ghost Carrier is available in ebook, paperback and audiobook at major online retailers.
Tag :
Father Damien,
WWII
Serving for Justice Project Coming to Television
This project was originally produced for the American Embassy in Belgium but has grown from that original mission and now we are preparing a version for television. To say this project is timely would be quite an understatement but it goes to show that racial inequality has been with us a long while and has not been addressed properly. Perhaps now more voices are speaking up and positive change will come about. Time will tell. I am pleased, however that the work I have done in this area has continued to be noticed.
THE LOST ELEVEN was selected as a Memorial Day Pick by the Baltimore Public Library System alongside such notable works like UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand. My coauthor, Denise George and I were very honored to have been selected. You can read about the selection HERE.
"This nearly forgotten story of eleven young African American GIs captured and massacred by the Nazis in 1944 is an important piece of our World War II history. Gripping, graphic and tragic, the story of the Wereth 11 is as fast paced as it is compelling and thought provoking."
I hope you will pick up a copy of the book if you have not done so already. It is an eye opening read and provides great context for what we are seeing unfold in America right now. Purchase HERE.
Big War Box Set in Amazon Countdown Deal Tomorrow Feb 23rd
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| Military History Must Have |
PURCHASE HERE
A compelling collection of nonfiction military history titles by Robert Child. several full books in all with photographs and detailed maps. This is a keepsake multi-volume set you want to have on your digital bookshelf.
It includes:
#1) Washington's Crossing: America's First D-Day
A ragged Continental army has now put an icy river between themselves and the pursing British army. The men in blue and buff uniforms have known nothing but defeat and had once again made a narrow escape while the Congress at Philadelphia reflecting no confidence in their troops prepare to evacuate to Baltimore.
Washington’s besieged men reflect the state of a nation weary of war and a cause on the brink of extinction. They are an army in waiting - waiting for ammunition, blankets and reinforcements. But others, nearly half, are simply waiting for their enlistments to be up on January 1, 1777. Within days Washington would have no men with which to fight and the cause and the dream of independence would be over. Against this backdrop George Washington decides to go on the offensive.
#2) Rush On Boys: Hamilton at War
As the story opens, young Alexander Hamilton marches with the Continentals at Fort Lee, New Jersey. He is frustrated by being relegated to the end of the line and missing out on the action. He desperately wants to make a name for himself. His fortunes soon change at the Raritan River when the vanguard of British infantry catches up to Washington's army.
Hamilton, and his cannons are the only defense line available to prevent the army from being destroyed. Successfully protecting the Continental army and allowing their escape with his rear-guard action, Hamilton catches the attention of George Washington.
The future President asks the twenty-year-old Hamilton to join his staff. Sent on one daring mission after another Hamilton s stature grows, creating great political mistrust among his rivals. When ambition overtakes Hamilton, he threatens to overthrow Congress, which he sees as corrupt. Challenging a Congressman to a duel who views Hamilton as treasonous immigrant his world nearly self-destructs.
With the end of the American Revolution looming and his visions of his own glory fading, Hamilton becomes determined to leave Washington s staff and return to the battlefield. Washington, the only man who can help him, does all in his power to deny him. One daring assignment remains, however, that will determine the outcome of the final battle and the entire war. It is at a place called Yorktown.
#3) Gettysburg: Voices from the Front
A stirring collection of first-hand accounts from Privates on up to the commanding Generals at the Battle of Gettysburg woven into a dramatic and compelling narrative. The reader is transported back to the chaos and uncertainty of the sweltering first three days of July 1863 when Lee's Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North threatening Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington itself. Soldiers on both sides gave everything they had believing that Gettysburg would be the final epic battle in an already long and terrible war.
#4) How Canada Won the Great War
For nearly 100 years Canada's role in ending WWI sooner than anyone thought possible has gone largely unrecognized. The Canadian Corp led by citizen soldier, Arthur Currie, became the premiere fighting force on the Western Front. The fact that Canada was not yet a formalized nation but a Dominion at the close of the war may be the reason for the absence of recognition yet the record of the Canadian WWI military accomplishments is irrefutable.
And more!
The Amazon deal starts tomorrow at 8AM.
UK-based Film Producer Secures Option on Robert Child's Lost Eleven Screenplay
The screenplay, which is based on the true story of the “Wereth Eleven,” retraces the steps eleven black GI's from the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion took when Germans at the start of the Battle of the Bulge overran their unit. Their 10-mile trek from their battery position to Wereth, Belgium would be the last journey of their lives as a resident turned them into an SS scouting party.
British Executive Producer Jamie Hobbis Founding Partner Venturi Film Ltd.
Jamie Hobbis the British, Emmy® Nominated Director of Photography and Founding Partner Venturi Film, Ltd., who optioned the script has enjoyed a career in film and television spanning more than 20 years. Having had a hand in some of the most groundbreaking drama docs and factual television shows for the likes of Nat Geo and Discovery such as ‘The Great Martian War’ and ’T-Rex Autopsy’, for Jamie, the transition into feature film was the obvious and natural route to take.
Jamie was the cinematographer for the American docudrama, The Wereth Eleven.
“I love nothing more than telling a great story about
amazing people. If that story is a true story then
everyone should hear it. The story of The Lost
Eleven has captivated me for nearly ten years. Of
all the tales I’ve had a hand in telling over the past
twenty years, never have I wanted to tell a story
more than this one.” J. Hobbis
For more information, reach out to the producer at the contact information below.
Memories of Being in New York City on September 11, 2001
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| September 11, 2001 New York |
9/11 Reflections
I almost did not write this post as I had second thoughts but I felt I wanted to share my memories before they faded. On 9/11/2001 I was right in the thick of it in a production studio in Manhattan. It was a beautiful cloudless Tuesday which on occasion I can recall as vividly as if it were yesterday.
As I mentioned I was at a TV studio preparing to do The People's Court television show before all hell broke loose. In the control room we watched the mayhem unfold. In fact I vividly recall watching Channel 4 News in a live report from the World Trade Center area when during the actual live report the second plane hit the second tower. The shocked reporter just took off running and so did the cameraman.
Cell phones did not work. Neither did landlines for that matter. The only way I got word to my wife about my situation was sending an email via AOL. Does anyone have AOL anymore? I had no idea if the email would reach her.
In the studio we simply did not know if we should stay or go. What was safer choice? After the plane hit the Pentagon the director turned to me and waved goodbye adding, "Good luck, get home safe." Home for me at the time was Bucks County, PA, 90 minutes to the south via Penn Station. So I headed in that direction. The studio was at 37th Street and 5th Ave. and I could look south and see the brown smoke rising above the towers. As I walked toward Penn Station I passed by several churches with hastily posted signs on which someone scrawled with a sharpie, "Come in and Pray." At one church I saw people actually kneeling on the sidewalk praying.
As I got to Penn Station it was bedlam but I saw a line of people going down an escalator onto a train. I joined them. I didn't care where the train was going - just out of Manhattan. As I got on and actually got a seat before the aisles filled up there came an announcement, "Attention all passengers by order of the NYPD, Penn Station is now closed. All must exit to street level and exit the building."
A collective groan was heard on the train as we all made our way out. My next thought was - water. There must be a boat I could get on. So I headed up 8th Ave. then onto 10th. Coming toward me down the avenue were thousands of people headed to Penn Station. As I made my way up 10th my next thought was cash. I was going to take as much cash out of an ATM as I could before they too were shut down. I dashed in a deli and took out as much as I could and then continued north.
Once I got to 12th Ave. I saw a line of about 500 people waiting to get on a Circle Line boat. I jumped right in behind them. We all boarded. The stuffed to the gills ship slowly pulled away from the dock. At that moment there was almost an audible sigh of relief. The boat was headed over to Weehawken, NJ and you could turn and look across the Hudson and see the Towers engulfed in brown smoke. You could also smell it. It smelled like an electrical fire. People on the boat were actually joking around trying to mask their fears. No one knew what the hell was going to happen next but at least we were off Manhattan.
When we docked at Weehawken I ran to a payphone to see if it had a dial tone. It did. I dialed my voicemail and heard a message from my now ex-wife that I will never forget. I will not detail it just to say it was filled with tears. I was able to call her back, tell her I was safe and would try to grab a train from Hoboken.
I headed down there with thousands of others and the trains were going nowhere. At the station they had set up hundreds of gurneys with IV poles awaiting trains from the Trade Center. Trains that would never come. It was an image I'll never forget. But that was not the final enduring image I would remember from that day....the one that still gives me chills and I will never forget.
After leaving the train station I headed up to a Cuban bar / restaurant. I thought a beer was just what I needed at that point. There were actually only a few people in the place and at the bar. After a few moments a near hysterical woman who had to be 8 months pregnant ran in with someone who had to be her mother. Through her tears I overheard her say to her mother, "his last words were he'd meet us here." I turned to the bartender and he looked back at me, we were both speechless. The pregnant woman then headed into the Ladies room as the Mom stood by the bar.
As I turned to continue watching Peter Jennings anchor the coverage on the TV behind the bar a man bolted in who was covered with the dust. It was the same dust which had covered people who were seen on TV running from the towers. As the man came in the Mom started crying and they embraced. The bar fell silent. Then the pregnant woman emerged from the bathroom, saw her husband and ran towards him crying, overjoyed. No one in the place moved and many including myself teared up. It was a scene I will remember till I die.
Several hours later the trains began to operate and I was able to get one to Montclair where my wife met me. I don't remember what we said to each other we just held each other tight for a long moment before heading back to Pennsylvania.
Did the world change that day? Without a doubt. Did it change for the better? For a short while it did in the aftermath. In New York City in the days following it was as silent as the grave. The city din of honking taxi cabs and sirens was gone. The streets were nearly empty. The people who were out went about their business in somber reflection. Upon meeting another person's gaze on the street a warm nod was often exchanged; an acknowledgement of our shared humanity. As a nation we seemed to unite as one people who were wounded and hurting.
Can we look back from today and say that we have have remained united or grown or are safer as a nation? I am not certain we can. In many ways the world is much less certain and certainly much less innocent than before 9/11/2001. And the political divisiveness of today is a scourge that cuts deeply in one's heart.
But it remains up to us to make it the world in which we all want to live. And by live I mean live in peace. I am a spiritual person and I believe that the dark forces in this world have increased the level of terror and violence that they spread because they know their days are numbered.
More and more common everyday people especially those in the Middle East simply want to live their lives and raise their families in peace. The time is coming soon when killing in the name of God or Allah will not be tolerated, promoted or accepted by people of any faith on the planet. When that day comes...and I truly believe I will see it in my lifetime then finally there will be lasting peace on earth.
