Jazz Radio Personality on Long Island University’s WLIU 88.3 FM to Be Heard at Brooklyn Historical Society’s Oral History Exhibition, ‘In Our Own Words: Portraits of Brooklyn’s Vietnam Veterans’
-- Show opens on December 14 --

Brooklyn, N.Y. – A regular voice on WLIU 88.3 FM, radio host Ed German soon will be heard, as well, with an extraordinary oral and visual exhibition about Brooklyn Vietnam War veterans. German is one of 16 individuals being featured in the show, entitled, “In Our Own Words: Portraits of Brooklyn’s Vietnam Veterans.” Opening at the Brooklyn Historical Society on December 14, it is scheduled to run through December 2008.

The host of “The Urban Jazz Experience” and “Friday Night Soul,” which air on Long Island University’s National Public Radio-affiliated WLIU, German served as a marine in the Vietnam War. He recounts his experiences in a recording that is among the oral histories, portraits and personal artifacts presented in this oral installation, which explores, from a first-person perspective, the impact of the Vietnam War on the lives of Brooklyn’s diverse residents.

“I’m very proud of my service,” noted German shortly before the opening of the show. “One of the sad things about the Vietnam experience,” he added, “is that many of us came home individually and lost contact with those we served with.” Now, the Riverhead, N.Y., resident speaks about Vietnam annually to a history class at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue.

German left high school in November 1967 to join the Marines. In 1968, he was sent to Vietnam where he joined Bravo Company, 1st Battalion and was later transferred to the 4th Marines in Quang Tri Province, where he took part in intense combat and was wounded in May of 1969.

The Historical Society’s exhibition features a combination of striking life-sized photographic portraits and audio clips that vividly recount the memories and experiences of the local Vietnam veterans. Artifacts, including diaries, letters and personal effects belonging to these veterans, will also be on display, and a computer kiosk will provide further stories of these and other Brooklyn-based veterans.

For information about “In Our Own Words: Portraits of Brooklyn’s Vietnam Veterans,” visit www.brooklynhistory.org or call (718) 222-4111. Brooklyn Historical Society is located in Brooklyn Heights at 128 Pierrepont Street.

Long Island University opened its Brooklyn Campus in 1926, welcoming a diverse population at a time when other major universities enforced quota systems against racial and ethnic minorities. Located at the corner of Flatbush Avenue Extension and DeKalb Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, the Campus is accessible to all major bus and subway routes and the Long Island Rail Road.

Posted: December 10, 2007