The Speaker's Bureau

The Speaker’s Bureau is a speaking/lecture series made up of veterans and historians. Our World War II veterans discuss their first-hand experiences in fighting the war, while our historians share amazing stories of bravery and courage uncovered through the process of researching the primary sources. Speakers are available to present to different groups; these speaking engagements can be scheduled by contacting our Museum Education Office.  Each program is 90 minutes.

 

Programs Offered:

Saving the SLATER
The USS SLATER DE766 is a CANNON class destroyer escort that served in the United States Navy during World War II.  One of 563 similar ships constructed between 1943 and 1945, the SLATER is the last destroyer escort remaining afloat in the United States today.  Destroyer escorts were built as a result of a critical shortage of anti-submarine vessels in the Atlantic and were a vital component of the Allied strategy for victory.  The USS SLATER served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters during and immediately after the war. See the USS SLATER’s unique history and the ongoing massive restoration process as we return her to her 1945 configuration.  (90 minutes)

The Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest battle of World War II. During the six years of war in Europe, no battle was more crucial than the struggle to safely ship supplies and soldiers from the United States to her allies in Europe. American shipyards produced thousands of merchant ships to carry the food, ammunition, and supplies that England needed to survive and fight the war. Learn how the allied hunter-killer groups of destroyer escorts finally beat the German U-boats called wolf packs.  (90 minutes)