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World War II colonel breaks concentration camp silence
Hear for the first time U.S. Army Col. Edward
Shames’ personal account of what he experienced as a member of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) and later Easy Company, the unit made famous by the 2001 HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers.” The 89-year-old Jewish-American war hero will address a live audience at 6:30 p.m. Tue., April 17 at the Chandler Center for the Arts (CCA).
“We specifically hope that veterans, active duty military members and their
families join us at this once-in-a-lifetime event,” says host Steve Tepper, executive director of the East Valley Jewish Community Center.
During the presentation, “Never Forget: Colonel
Edward Shames,” the Virginia resident will speak for the first time about what he went through at the Dachau concentration camp, Nazi Germany’s oldest forced labor camp, which opened in 1933. “Ed’s own family hasn’t heard this story,” says Beth Archer, an East Valley resident and Shames’
family friend who is helping bring his story to Chandler. “I think he knew it was about time to document his history. To support a remarkable project like the East Valley Jewish Community Center’s Holocaust Museum project in the process was the right way to do it.” As part of this official City of Chandler Centennial event, which falls during the week of
Yom Ha’Shoah, the public is invited to view for the first time one of the museum’s cornerstone pieces. Beginning at 4:30 p.m., visitors can see at the CCA an 11-ton, 30-foot, World War II-era rail car, which travelled nearly 11,000 miles to get to Chandler. Tickets, at $5 for the general public and $2 for veterans, are available online at
www.evjcc.org or 480-897-0588.
BREAKING SILENCE: World War II veteran Col. Edward Shames speaks for the first time at the CCA on his Dachau concentration camp experience. Submitted photo
FIRE STORIES: Some of the first members of the Chandler Fire Department were honored at a recent luncheon and given a book that tells about the department. From left, Richard Dawson, Wanda Ellen, Ruby Renfro, Fred Renfro and Marsha Gertsch, with Melinda Gertsch in front, all received copies of “The Chandler Arizona Fire Department, History of Service and Tradition” that tells about operations from the beginning to present day. Some books are still available for purchase by contacting Tom Carlson at
Tom.Carlson@
Chandlerfireaz.gov. STSN photo
Community Honoring the first
April 7 – 20, 2012
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