This Memorial Day, AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL (AHC) in partnership with The Bob Woodruff Foundation, The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and Got Your Six, honors our nation's heroes with the third annual SALUTE TO SACRIFICE event. In its third year, SALUTE TO SACRIFICE is a multiplatform campaign dedicated to celebrating the heroes who selflessly defend our freedom, while creating a national dialogue for issues our veterans and troops face each day. Through a series of PSAs, on-air and digital resources, and a special primetime programming marathon, SALUTE TO SACRIFICE kicks off this Saturday, May 27 at 8 PM ET continuing nightly through Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.
"This Memorial Day, I urge viewers everywhere to take pause and appreciate the incredible valor, heroism and sacrifice of our troops and veterans," said Kevin Bennett, general manager of American Heroes Channel. "These men and women are true American heroes, and we are proud to partner once again with incredible veteran and active duty organizations to show our continued support and gratitude for their service."
In addition to the special on-air and digital SALUTE TO SACRIFICE activations,
AHC has partnered with veteran owned clothing company Nine Line Apparel to create a limited-edition SALUTE TO SACRIFICE t-shirt in honor of our nation's heroes. The co-branded t-shirt is available for purchase here through June 5.
SATURDAY, MAY 27
· 8 PM ET/ 7 PM CT - AGAINST THE ODDS: The Heroes of Tarawa
Everything went wrong in America's first test of whether the Japanese-held islands of the Pacific, the key steppingstones to the doorstep of Japan, could be captured by across-the-beach infantry assaults. History's lessons were grim and indicted the tactic as disastrous. But,
THE MARCH back from Pearl Harbor had to begin, and the testing ground would be heavily fortified Tarawa, proclaimed by a Japanese commander to his emperor that, "Tarawa could not be
TAKEN by a million men in a million years." If he was right, the Japanese had won the Pacific war.
· 9 PM ET / 8 PM CT - AGAINST THE ODDS: The Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill
Taking an otherwise nondescript hill on the embattled island of Okinawa proved to be one of the most incredible battles of WWII. The young weary marines of Charlie Company strained against the searing Pacific sun to see the top of Sugar Loaf Hill. The epic battle would come down to the sheer courage, ingenuity and guts of the young men of Charlie Company who went mano-a-mano against their foe.
· 10 PM ET / 9 PM CT - AGAINST THE ODDS: A Chance in Hell: The Battle of Ramadi
When Colonel MacFarland arrived in Iraq's deadliest city, Ramadi, the odds could not have been worse. Al-Qaeda had arrogantly declared Ramadi to be the capital of a new caliphate. The boys of MacFarland's Ready First Combat Team would fight to give America a clear victory. Like their brothers off the coast of Normandy, or the shores of Iwo Jima, the freezing mountains of the Chosen Reservoir, or in the deadly streets of Hue City, they would overcome the odds by taking care of each other.
SUNDAY, MAY 28
· 8 PM ET/ 7 PM CT - AIR ACES: 'Gabby' Gabreski
During WWII, American pilots race to shoot down the most enemy planes and be crowned the countries' top flying ace. US Air Force Pilot Francis 'Gabby' Gabreski, the child of Polish immigrants, makes his mission personal, seeking to avenge his families' devastating losses during the war. But despite his passion, the young wannabe is accident prone and incompetent behind the controls. The ultimate underdog, Gabreski squeaks by his flying test. Fired up, he makes a brave request to join one of the famed Polish fighter units in England's Royal Air Force, but he struggles to shoot down a single Nazi plane. Everything changes when he is transferred back to the US Air Corps 61st Squadron; escorting bombers over occupied France, Gabreski scores his first victory. When the top brass shift tactics to protect allied ground troops storming Normandy,
THE FIGHTERS are ordered to shoot down the enemy. Gabreski and his ace competitors all see this as a golden opportunity to make history as the best that ever flew.
· 9 PM ET / 8 PM CT - SURVIVING D-DAY
This is the epic story of the twelve-hour battle for Omaha Beach, which changed the course of World War II - D-Day. But one of the biggest turning points in modern history hinges on some surprising factors. It is a battle where strategy was decided by stage magicians. Where conventional weapons were used alongside outlandish inventions like floating tanks and exploding paratroopers, and where spies sent paintings with hidden messages. It is a battle where skill and cunning sit alongside leadership and bravery. D-Day: who survives and why?
MONDAY, MAY 28
· 8 PM ET/ 7 PM CT - STORMING NORMANDY: Preparing for War
Beginning with the summer of 1941 when President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill first discuss the invasion, to the touchdown on June 6, 1944, see how the Allies come together to create a master invasion pland to take down the Nazi Empire.
· 9 PM ET / 8 PM CT - STORMING NORMANDY: Launching the Assault
June 6, 1944 - the D-Day Invasion begins. See first hand, through combat camera footage, the brave men who risked their lives while storming the Normandy beaches and their march onward to liberate Paris. Their heroism saves the world from Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Empire.
· 10 PM ET / 9 PM CT -
COMMANDER IN CHIEF: INSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE -
KENNEDY and the Cuban Missile Crisis ***Special Airing in Commemoration of JFK's 100th Birthday***
October 2012 marks 50th anniversary of the most dangerous moment in human history - the Cuban missile crisis. In every presidency there comes a moment, a decision to be made, when the president becomes the Commander-in-Chief. For thirteen days in October 1962, the US and the Soviet Union stood paralyzed on the brink of nuclear war. Using rare images and declassified audio recordings, this behind-the-scenes story takes us deep into chambers of power where President John F.
KENNEDY resisted the forces pushing him towards war and pulled the world back from the edge of total destruction.
About AHC's 2017 SALUTE TO SACRIFICE Military Support Groups and Partners:
The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) is the nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that post-9/11 injured service members, veterans and their families thrive long after they return home. A national organization with grassroots reach, the Bob Woodruff Foundation complements the work of the federal government - diligently navigating the maze of more than 46,000 nonprofits providing services to veterans - to find, fund and shapre innovative programs and hold them accountable for results. To date, BWF has invested more than $30 million in solutions, reaching more than 2 million service members, support personnel, veterans and their families. The Bob Woodruff Foundation was co-founded in 2006 by award-winning
ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff and his family, whose experiences inspired them to help make sure the nation's heroes have access to the high level of support and resources they deserve, for as long as they need them. For more information about the Bob Woodruff Foundation, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org or on Facebook and Twitter at @Stand4Heroes.
Got Your 6 is a campaign that unites nonprofit, Hollywood, and government partners to empower veterans to lead a resurgence of community. Got Your 6 believes that veterans are leaders, team builders, and problem-solvers who have the unique potential to strengthen communities across the country. As a coalition, Got Your 6 works to integrate these perspectives into popular culture, engage veterans and civilians together to foster understanding, and empower veterans in their communities. Since 2013, Got Your 6 has distributed grants totaling more than $5 million to a dozen veteran-focused non-profit partners. For more information visit www.gotyour6.org. Be the Change, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the organizing body of Got Your 6.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American (IAVA) is the leading post-9/11 veteran empowerment organization (VEO) with the most diverse and rapidly growing membership in America. Its mission is to connect, unite and empower post-9/11 veterans. IAVA has repeatedly received the highest rating - four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator. For more info please visit www.IAVA.org.
Additional information about the SALUTE TO SACRIFICE initiative and this year's partners is available at http://www.ahctv.com/sacrifice. On social media, please follow and join in on the conversation using the hashtag, #SalutetoSacrifice.
ABOUT
AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL American Heroes Channel (AHC) is television's home for high-quality history content. Embracing the totality of history through the incredible, brave and infamous characters that have fought for what they believe in and have driven change,
AHC provides a rare glimpse into major events that shaped our world and the great defenders of our freedom. After all, heroes make history. Currently in nearly 60 million U.S. homes,
AHC is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 pay-tv programmer, reaching 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For more information, please visit AHCtv.com, facebook.com/AHCtelevision, or Twitter.com/AHC_TV.
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