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WWII Heroes Honored for D-Day Anniversary ARTICLE RUKSANA HUSSAIN | PHOTOGRAPHY J KING IMAGES
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he 70th anniversary of D-Day on June 6th will be celebrated by many, but one group in Atlanta is doing something different to honor the occasion. “This is a project that is near and dear to my heart,” says Harriet P. Adams, a member of the Buckhead Bomber Girls – a group of women volunteers who are committed to preserving the stories of World War II heroes. Their mission is simple: honor the heroes of the “Greatest Generation.” The group is recognizing WWII, Vietnam and Korean veterans that reside in Atlanta by creating an 18-month calendar for 20142015. The idea centers on veteran war pilots and their most prized possession: their bomber jackets. The intricate artwork on the jackets is special to their owners, signifying not only the accomplishments of their missions but also transporting them back to a time only they know of best. Several group members as well as veterans’ families highlighted in the calendar are from the Perimeter area. Each month features the daughter or granddaughter of an Atlanta veteran wearing his bomber jacket. The photographs are vibrant and powerful, telling an amazing story of heroism and character. Most of the images have been shot across aviation-related venues like airports and hangars predominantly in Georgia but also in locations across the country. 14 PerimeterNorthLifestyle.com | June 2014
For Harriet, heading this effort has been a rewarding exercise especially since a call for applicants to feature in the calendar yielded 60 responses and growing – three times more than what she had anticipated. The owner of a physical therapy practice in several locations across Atlanta including the Perimeter area, Harriet found her inspiration in her own clients – the veterans she sees every week at work. “I had this idea to create a calendar like no other as it is filled with stories of remarkable acts of heroism by mere 18-yearold boys,” she explains. “Many of these veterans have been my physical therapy patients and have reminded me of my foundation. My father was a JAG so I grew up with awareness of the air force and huge respect for the military, knowing that our freedom was not free. Honoring them was ingrained in my mind since I was a child.” The calendar will be FACEBOOK - Facebook.com/ released on the 70th BuckheadBomberGirls anniversary of D-Day, DONATIONS - MightyEighth.org/ June 6, to pay tribute buckhead-bomber-girls-calento these men and their dar-donations/
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