Military Channel Commemorates Veterans Day With Weekend of Programming Honoring Our Armed Forces

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Each November 11th, Military Channel proudly commemorates Veterans Day with programming that honors the legacy of America's armed forces. This year, Military Channel extends its programming through the weekend with two classic Hollywood military films in AN OFFICER AND A MOVIE; plus the world premiere of FALLEN: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, a moving documentary about the search for the missing in Vietnam; and daily marathons of Military Channel's most compelling documentary series celebrating what many call "the Greatest Generation."  AN OFFICER AND A MOVIE features PT 109 and 633 Squadron, both of which star award-winning actor Cliff Robertson, who passed away this past September.  Robertson himself was a veteran of the Merchant Marine during World War II where he saw action in the South Pacific, Mediterranean and North Atlantic.

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"Honoring the unparalleled spirit, skill and devotion of the men and women who have served in our armed forces is part of the Military Channel's mandate every day. However, it is vitally important for us to pause each November 11th to remember the heroes who continue to put themselves in harm's way to fight for freedom around the world," said Ed Hersh, senior vice president of content strategy for Military Channel. "The heroic stories of these men and women help us understand the peril faced when safeguarding our nation's interests across the globe."

MILITARY CHANNEL'S COMMEMORATIVE VETERANS DAY PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:

FALLEN: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN – Saturday, November 12 at Noon ET

In October 1969, then-Lieutenant Mike Sprayberry received the nation's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his heroic efforts during a harrowing nighttime rescue in Vietnam's A Shau Valley. But over the four subsequent decades, Sprayberry has remained determined to find the six lost men from this mission and bring them home, returning twice to Vietnam in search of evidence to initiate a formal recovery effort by the U.S. Army. FALLEN: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN is a moving chronicle of Sprayberry's most recent trip to Vietnam. Comrades and family members of the six men killed in action share the loss and immense frustration but also the undying hope that one day these fallen soldiers may finally come home. This documentary is produced by award-winning filmmaker and retired CBS News cameraman Norman Lloyd and his foundation, the Commitment and Sacrifice Foundation (candsfoundation.org), which are both also responsible for critically acclaimed military-focused documentaries including Shakey's Hill, Commitment & Sacrifice and Cover Me.

AN OFFICER AND A MOVIE: 633 Squadron – Saturday, November 12 at 8 PM ET

In this premiere installment of AN OFFICER AND A MOVIE, Lou Diamond Phillips sits down with General Ronald Keys, a retired Air Component Commander of the U.S. Join Forces Command and U.S. Northern Command, as they discuss air combat tactics, keeping cool under fire and, specifically, the famed Mosquito aircraft featured in 633 Squadron. Audiences can enjoy this classic film, which features actor Cliff Robertson in the tale of an RAF squadron assigned to knock out a German rocket fuel factory hidden within the Norwegian Fjords.

AN OFFICER AND A MOVIE: PT 109 – Friday, November 11 at 8 PM ET

With a special Veterans Day encore presentation, Lou Diamond Phillips discusses themes from PT 109 with Captain Paul Rinn. A retired Navy commander, Capt. Rinn's heroic leadership prevented the U.S.S. Samuel Roberts from sinking in the Persian Gulf in 1988 after striking an Iranian mine. PT 109 dramatizes President John F. Kennedy's war-time experiences, during which he captained a PT boat that was sunk by a Japanese destroyer, leaving Kennedy and the other survivors stranded on an island before being rescued by the U.S. Navy. It is believed that President Kennedy personally selected Cliff Robertson to portray the young Kennedy and this role catapulted Robertson to stardom.

"GREATEST GENERATION" PROGRAMMING:

SECRETS OF WORLD WAR II – Friday, November 11 from 6 AM – 8 PM

SECRETS OF WORLD WAR II examines the untold stories of the Second World War with the benefit of newly-discovered archive footage, maps and computer graphics. Pulling from more than 300,000 hours of archive material, each episode of SECRETS OF WORLD WAR II highlights the behind-the-scenes events that changed the course of history.

CLASH OF WINGS – Saturday, November 12 from 1 PM – 8 PM

CLASH OF WINGS is an exciting series detailing the great air battles of World War II. Featuring rarely-seen aerial combat footage of all the major combat aircraft, CLASH OF WINGS profiles the expert pilots who experienced the famed dogfights and aerial encounters of World War II.

WORLD AT WAR – Sunday, November 13 from Noon – 11 PM

Narrated by legendary actor Sir Laurence Olivier, this 26-episode documentary BBC mini-series covers the entire history of World War II, spanning from the causes taking root in the 1920s to the aftermath of the Cold War in the 1950s.

About Military Channel

The Military Channel brings viewers compelling, real-world stories of heroism, military strategy, and significant turning points in history.  Currently available in more than 57 million homes, the network takes viewers "behind the lines" to hear the personal stories of servicemen and women and offers in-depth explorations of military training, aviation technology and cutting-edge weaponry.  As the only cable network devoted to military subjects, it also provides unique access to this world, allowing viewers to understand the full spectrum of experiences intrinsic to the armed forces, as well as the long-held traditions of the military. Military Channel is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit military.discovery.com.

Please visit the Press Website at http://press.discovery.com/us/mil/programs/officer-and-movie/ for additional press materials, online screeners, and photography.

SOURCE Military Channel