“EDUCATION BUILDS KNOWLEDGE, STRENGTHENS FREEDOM, AND INSPIRES DUTY TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.”

— Sgt. Harold RADISH, WWII Veteran

THEIR FINAL WISH

A Gift to the Next Generation

For most of our lives, we have carried the memories of World War II with us—the friendships, the sacrifices, the losses, and the freedoms for which so many gave everything. We have returned to the places where history changed our lives, remembered those who never came home, and shared our stories in the hope that future generations might understand what was asked of us and why it still matters.

As our generation passes from living memory, our final wish is to give something meaningful back. Through Connecting Generations, we want students and educators—especially those whose financial circumstances would otherwise place an opportunity like Normandy beyond their reach—to experience this history for themselves. We want them to stand on the ground where freedom was defended, study the decisions and sacrifices that shaped their world, and understand that the freedoms they inherit came with an extraordinary human cost.

This is more than an educational opportunity. It is the passing of memory from one generation to another. We entrust these young people and educators with the stories we have carried, the values we tried to live, and the responsibility to preserve them when our voices are no longer here to tell them. We ask only that they learn deeply, remember faithfully, and carry these stories forward—with respect for those who served, gratitude for the freedoms they inherited, and a commitment to ensure that what happened here is never reduced to a distant chapter in history.

THIS IS OUR GIFT TO THE NEXT GENERATION—AND OUR FINAL WISH THAT THE MEMORY, SACRIFICE, AND VALUES OF OUR GENERATION WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE THROUGH THEM.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES —

  • An elderly man wearing glasses and a woman with dark hair having a conversation. They are in close proximity, possibly at a gathering or event.

    ACCESS

    Exceptional education should not be limited by financial circumstance. Connecting Generations removes barriers that place international study beyond reach, giving selected students and educators access based on curiosity, character, potential, and purpose—not their ability to pay.

  • American flag planted in a grassy field at sunset with a sky of clouds and sun rays.

    EDUCATION

    Connecting Generations combines scholarship, primary-source research, historical inquiry, and field study to create a rigorous World War II learning experience. Students are challenged to question, interpret, and think independently while connecting academic knowledge with place, evidence, and human experience.

  • A United States passport placed on top of a flight ticket, with the ticket displaying information for a flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, including date, gate, and seat details.

    MEMORY

    Many students come from environments with limited opportunities, yet this initiative empowers them to rise beyond those constraints by fostering confidence, resilience, and leadership. Through travel and encounters with World War II heroes, they gain lessons in courage, patriotism, and service that inspire them.

  • STEWARDSHIP

    To inherit history is to inherit responsibility. Connecting Generations prepares students and educators to preserve, interpret, and share the stories and lessons entrusted to them, carrying knowledge from one generation to the next with accuracy, dignity, understanding, and purpose.

  • SERVICE

    Service connects the World War II generation with those who follow. Through courage, duty, sacrifice, citizenship, and love of country, students examine what it means to serve something greater than themselves and consider their own responsibilities to community and nation.

Seal of the University of Ohio State, featuring a shield with an open book, a cannabis leaf, and the motto 'Disciplina in Civitatem' underneath the year 1870.
Official seal of the United States Coast Guard, featuring an eagle, a shield with a book displaying 1876, and a rope border with the phrase 'SEMPER PARATUS'.
Seal of Hillsdale College in Michigan, with blue and gold colors, featuring an open book, a pen, and Latin motto 'Virtus Gaudet Tentamine'.
Seal of the U.S. Department of the Air Force featuring an eagle, a shield with lightning and a sword, and the inscription 'Department of the Air Force' and 'United States of America'.
Seal of the University of Southern California with a sun rising over water and three torches, surrounded by the university's name, founding year 1880, and the Latin motto 'Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat'.
Seal of the U.S. Department of the Army with weapons, flags, and a red Phrygian cap, containing the phrase 'This We'll Defend' and the year 1775.

“Experiencing Normandy in person reshaped my understanding of history—it’s not merely something learned from a textbook; it’s real, moving, and profoundly impactful.”

— Emmett FLEISCHER, Class of 2025

THE GENERATION THAT INSPIRED OUR MISSION

  • An elderly man wearing a black cap with a military patch and a navy jacket with a division badge, standing outdoors.

    Malvin WALKER (Class of 2002)

    Walker, a United States Army soldier in the 29th Infantry Division, 115th Regiment, fought on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

  • An elderly man wearing sunglasses, a cap with patches, and a leather jacket with military-style badges, standing outdoors with a classical building and partly cloudy sky in the background.

    Elmer McGINTY (Class of 2002)

    McGinty, a US Army Air Corps Airman with the 95th Bomb Group, flew 29 missions with a confirmed combat kill in Germany.

  • An elderly man wearing a maroon military uniform with multiple medals and insignias, a matching maroon hat, glasses, standing against a brick wall.

    Robert BALL (Class of 2002)

    Ball flew 9 missions as a bombardier with the 401st Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. Shot down over Gelsenkirchen on Aug 12th, 1943.

  • An elderly man in a suit with military medals and a veterans' hat is holding a framed black and white photograph of a young military man in uniform. He stands outdoors with trees and greenery in the background.

    Steve MELNIKOFF (Class of 2014)

    Melnikoff, a United States Army soldier in the 29th Infantry Division, 175th Regiment, fought on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

  • An elderly man in military uniform and a cap with an Airborne patch, holding a framed black and white photo of a young soldier in uniform.

    John CIPOLLA (Class of 2007)

    Cipolla parachuted into combat on D-Day, 16 miles beyond enemy lines with the 101st Airborne, 501st HQ Company.

  • An elderly man wearing a US Naval Amphibious Forces hat, glasses, a blazer with military medals, and a checkered shirt, standing on a ship with the ocean in the background.

    Joseph SCIDA (Class of 2007)

    Scida served as a LCVP coxswain on Omaha Beach, transporting soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division in to Battle of D-Day.

  • An elderly man with gray hair and a serious expression, wearing a white polo shirt with a red rocket and gold plane embroidered on the chest, stands inside a wood-paneled courtroom with chandeliers overhead.

    Cy MERMELSTEIN (Class of 2004)

    Mermelstein served with the First Special Service Force 3rd Company, 1st Regiment in North Africa, Italy, and France.

  • Black and white photo of an elderly man wearing a cap that says 'World War II Veteran' and a dark zip-up jacket, standing outdoors in front of a field.

    Arthur MEYERS (Class of 2004)

    Meyers, a navigator with the 446th Bombardment Group, flew 24 missions and spent 20 months as a POW in Germany.

  • A man wearing a black cap and navy blue jacket with USS Murphy DD603 patches on it, standing outdoors with a blurred sandy or rocky background.

    Donald COBB (Class of 2008)

    Cobb, a D-Day veteran in the US Navy, served as a Radio Man, Second Class, in Normandy during World War II.

  • An elderly man wearing a military hat and glasses holding a framed black and white photograph of a younger man in a military uniform.

    Clayton NATTIER (Class of 2002)

    Nattier flew 16 missions with the 369th Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group, before being shot down on Sept 13, 1944.

  • Elderly man smiling outdoors wearing a beige jacket and a black cap with military and Airborne patches, and embroidered text 'No 1st Airborne Screaming Eagles'.

    Joseph REILLY (Class of 2009)

    Reilly parachuted into combat on D-Day, 16 miles beyond enemy lines with the 101st Airborne, 501st HQ Company.

  • An elderly man wearing a black cap with patches and medals, a leather jacket with patches, and a striped shirt, holding a framed black and white photo of a young woman in pilot gear. The background is warm and dimly lit.

    Homer GOODMAN (Class of 2006)

    Goodman started as Ball Turret Gunner with the 418th Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, flying 25 missions.

  • An elderly man wearing a navy blue cap with 'USS Samuel Chase AP-26' embroidered on it, and patches indicating he served in the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Merchant Marines, dressed in a beige jacket with a U.S. Merchant Marine patch.

    Frank DEVITA (Class of 2014)

    Served as a Gunner’s Mate Third Class aboard the USS Samuel Chase (APA-26), a Coast Guard–manned Navy attack transport.

  • An elderly man in a vintage U.S. Army uniform with medals and insignia, outdoors with a cloudy sky and greenery in the background.

    Floyd WIGFIELD (Class of 2019)

    Wigfield was as drafted to serve with the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division, landing on Utah Beach and severely wounded on D+5.

  • Close-up of an elderly man smiling, wearing a navy cap with embroidered text and patches, and a dark jacket with a zip, in front of metallic background.

    Bob GOLDSTEIN (Class of 2012)

    Goldstein served aboard the USS Alexander J. Luke (DE-577), a destroyer escort that saw action during the Battle of the Atlantic.

  • An elderly man in a maroon hat with a veteran emblem, wearing a suit with a red tie, smiling outdoors.

    Harold RADISH (Class of 2018)

    Radish, a reconnaissance sergeant with the 90th Infantry Division, was captured by German forces in February 1945.