Developed to fit the middle school curriculum, these original stories written by Camille are popular with students and adults alike.

A Story of Love and War: Edwin Gorak and the Thunderbirds

This story is based on the written romance between a soldier and his girl. Ed Gorak snuck a camera into the front lines, and Lillian Lis sent him the film and chemicals he needed to develop the negatives in his helmet during nights in his slit trench. Their love grew during their long correspondence. Beginning in 1941, the story takes you from Chicago to US Army training camps, through the battles on Sicily, in Italy, France and Germany – including the liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp. The story ends with a new beginning when Ed returns home in 1945. It is told against a projection of Ed’s original photographs, many of which have never been published, and will make you feel you have been on the front lines.

The story was developed to give history students the feel of Army life and war from one soldier’s perspective and can be told in varying lengths. It can also be adapted for different age groups; it is a popular program for adults and seniors. It is an excellent program for not only for American history studies but also Veterans Day, Holocaust Memorial Month, Memorial Day or even Flag Day, which is Ed’s birthday.

Liberation of Dachau

Ed Gorak’s unit of the 45th Division was among the first of the Allied troops to enter the Dachau concen­tration and SS training camp. The story is told against a background projection of the 11 photos Ed took of what he saw. Listeners hear of the men’s approach, Ed’s poignant moment with the internees, and what the camp workers told him. The reactions of other men to the atrocities they found and what happened later are also described. This program is recommended for ages 11 and up but can be adapted for different age groups and sensitivities. Originally developed for history studies, it is very appropriate for any Holocaust studies as well.