The Friends of Fort Trumbull State Park to present Rick Maynard and the film-Never Forgotten.

The Friends of Fort Trumbull will continue their series presentation on World War I, by presenting Rick Maynard, the Director of Parks, Recreation and Seniors in Guilford, CT. Mr. Maynard will discuss the three dozen letters, written from the battlefields of World War I, by his great-uncle Sgt. Paul Maynard to Rick’s grandfather, Glen Maynard.

Rick will tell the poignant story of 21 year old Sgt. Paul Maynard who survived some of the most brutal fighting American forces endured, including the Battle of Belleau Wood, the Saint-Mihiel Campaign, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In a terrible irony, during the last day of battle in 1918, he died. In one of his pencil- written letters to his family, he said that he had not slept in 10 days. Rick Maynard has said, “I can’t imagine it. I can’t fathom that.”

These letters, 100 years old, became the basis of an acclaimed short documentary film, Never Forgotten, which was released in 2015. In addition to showing the film, Mr. Maynard will discuss its inaugural public presentation in 2015 at American University in Washington, D.C. In the film, Paul’s grandniece, Lisa Maynard, and World War I expert, Dave Bedford, tell Paul’s story.

Michael Shipman, the filmmaker, has said, “The generation that fought his war has long since passed… The stories of their lives… need to be told and preserved now; otherwise they will be lost to time. I hope Never Forgotten inspires the public to take a renewed interest in learning the history of this generation of service men and women.”

The meeting will take place on Thursday, June 29, 2017, at the Fort Trumbull Conference Center, 90 Walbach Street, New London, CT at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend this free presentation, and new members are always welcome. Come early as seating is limited. More information- about the Fort, the 2017 Speaker Series-World War I - the War to End All Wars, and the Friends of Fort Trumbull- is available at www.fortfriends.org

Photo 1: June 1918 photo provided by Rick Maynard, showing a letter sent by his great uncle, Sgt. Paul Maynard to his family from France during World War I.

Photo2: Rick Maynard