Sat Dec 19, 2009
Award wining film maker Steven C Barber and WWII Vet Leon Cooper along with Ed Harris will be featured on Larry King Live on CNN December 19th at 9:00 pm EST and 6pm Pacific. Mr. Barber's film, http://www.ReturnToTarawa.com http://www.RETURNTOTARAWA.com which debuted in April of 2009 on the Discovery/Military Channel is still going strong and is shaking things up in Washington, DC. This amazing documentary follows the 90-year-old WW II Vet Leon Cooper as he returns to Tarawa after 65 years. In 1943, Cooper, along with a US Naval Fleet of 100,000 men and machines stormed the heavily fortified beaches of Tarawa where the Imperial Japanese Army were laying in wait for over three years. Cooper was a 22-year-old Higgins Boat Commander in 1943 and made several trips to the beach that fateful day as he watched wave after wave of young marines get cut to pieces my murderous Japanese gunfire. The heavily fortified pill boxes still stand today as a testament of the Japanese commitment to hold the island. After three days of bloody savagery, the Marines of the 2nd Division finally took the island and secured it for the United States as the naval armada began its island hopping campaign to bomb Tokyo. This film has been able to get Congressional legislation though Congress initiated through Congressman Lipinski out of Chicago. Larry King upon meeting filmmaker Steven C. Barber at several events and hearing of the exploits of Leon Cooper, was so moved that he invited Leon Cooper, Ed Harris (who narrates) and Steven C. Barber to join him at the famous desk for a segment on the legendary interview program. Also along for this event in the wings was co-producer Tamara Henry who has been on board every step of the way on this two year project to tell the Leon Cooper. Ms Henry, known to millions in Los Angeles with her series of monthly reports on Santa Monica City TV and her own web portal, www.GREENTWITHTAMARA.TV is also one of the producers on Mr. Barber's up coming film, http://www.UNBEATENTHEMOVIE.com about the triumphs and setbacks of 31 paraplegics as they roll their wheelchairs 267 miles in 6 days in the longest and hardest race in the world, Challenge Alaska. Mr. Cooper and Mr. Barber are in a full campaign to get the attention of the "usual suspects" in Washington to go back to Tarawa and other South Pacific battle sights and clean up these beaches where these Marines fought so bravely and bring back any MIAs that still are buried there. Mr. Cooper is the last WW II Vet in the fight. The mere fact that there has been coverage on ABC World News Tonight, CBS with Katie Couric, FOX National and now the Legendary CNN with Larry King Live shows the staying power of this small but mighty film, and the appetite of the public when it comes to the interest level of this and other WW II stories. Saturday evening Dec the 19th is when Larry King will interview these men.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
