A friend whom I like, respect, and admire has been telling the stories of Armenians–and Armenian Americans–for decades. His knowledge and intimate understanding of the Armenian Americans who came before us, their histories and their lives, far exceeds anything I’ll be able to acquire in my remaining lifetime. His name is Roger Hagopian. Now he has released a video created 15 years ago, and it’s worth a look. In his own words:

“Our Boys is the film that Tom Spera and I put together in 2005-6 interviewing the World War II veterans. We felt that it was long past the time to share this with the public at large. Sincerely, Roger Hagopian.”

OUR BOYS, ARMENIAN-AMERICAN VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II AND THE WOMEN OF THE HOME FRONT – YouTube

Like all of Roger’s videos, this one tells a story focused on the experiences of Armenians and how they recalled them. It also reflects how that generation coped with whatever came their way. Many thanks to all the Armenians and others who stepped up to defend our nation. Those who survived and the family members who kept the home fires burning were role models for generations to come.