Feature Lecture:

John Corbett was born on January 13, 1926 in South Philadelphia. He grew up in South Philadelphia and dropped out of Olney High School shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942 to enlist in the United States in Coast Guard. He served in the Coast Guard for one year. In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Merchant Marine. He visited over 100 ports and 38 foreign countries in his six years in the United States Merchant Marine. He served on two liberty ships that were damaged in combat and one that was sunk in combat. In Antwerp, Belgium, John was wounded in Combat. He was hospitalized with a head injury and sent back to the United States to recover. After the war and serving in the Merchant Marine in peacetime, John worked for Frank Ball Building Company until the time of his retirement. John has five children, fourteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He is the founder and commanding officer of the United States Merchant Marine Veterans – High Seas Chapter and has been elected as the Regional Vice President of the United States Merchant Marine Veterans. This September he was selected to represent the United States Merchant Marine Veterans as a guest of the British Merchant Navy Association.
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Invocation – The Old Soldier’s Dream by R.C. Grinnell                       George Stiftinger

As I walked hillside trail to view a sunset of glorious hue, I saw a man ahead facing the orb of the dying day. As I approached, he smiled pensively, but stood straight and tall, his coat of military style. Then could I see that, indeed, he was of that ancient brotherhood’s creed. And so I asked him, with greatest respect, Soldier, old soldier, please tell me true, In wars’ terrible times were you there too? Through mists of memories he answered, speaking in tones of steel, Yes I was there – at Shiloh, bloody Shiloh, at Verdun, the Marne and Normandy, Bastogne, Okinawa, Seoul, Saigon and more – always more, he continued. His voice drifting away, but won’t it always be that those who know, but do not go. The old soldier faded into the golden sunset, leaving his dream, that someday those who know would learn enough to see when there is no need to send those who must go.
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Tuesday, Dec  19th, 2006   Battle in Stalingrad                          Mikhail Rabinovich
Tuesday, Jan 16th, 2007     Wars of my Life, book by…               Frank Senko
Programs are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM and at 7:00PM. Please contact Brandon Traister at BrandonTraister@aol.com or 856-296-9256 if you have any ideas for future lectures at the Abington Township Library.Please note that we are not only looking for WWII Veterans, but also for veterans and survivors who lived and served during any armed conflicts to share their memories and experiences with our audience.
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Reservations for the Abington WWII Lecture Series                        Coordinator - Karen Burnham
There are many different ways to reserve a seat for a future lecture. You can reserve a seat online by e-mailing Karen Burnham at kburnham@mclinc.org or visiting the Abington Free Library website (*see web address below). You may reserve a seat by calling Karen Burnham at the Abington Free Library at 215-885-5180, extension 15. There is also a sign up sheet in the back of the room at each lecture. *http://abg.mclinc.org/calendar/WWIILS.htm.
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War Veterans Oral History Project                                         Founder – Brandon Traister
For those who still would like to participate without speaking to the public I invite you to share your experiences privately. Please contact Brandon Traister by phone at 856-296-9256 or by e-mail at Brandon.Traister@us.army.mil.
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Programs are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00PM at the Public Library on Pine St in Doylestown. If you have any ideas for future lectures please contact Kevin Brown at Kbrown@nni.com or 215-822-6601.