Free Programs at New York State Military Museum discuss Lucky Lindy, local history and secret capture of Tojo

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (01/10/2017)(readMedia)-- The New York State Military Museum will host programs dealing with topics ranging from Charles Lindbergh to President James Madison to Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo this winter and spring.

The weekend programs generally begin at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and are free to the public. They are sponsored by the Friends of the New York State Military Museum and the Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield.

The programs for winter and spring 2017 include:

• Jan. 28, 2 pm – Charles Lindbergh: An American Aviator – Tim Clark, a retired US Air Force pilot and Lindbergh enthusiast, presents a first-person account of one of America's greatest heroes and aviation pioneers. Lindbergh is forever associated with New York State for his famous 1927 cross-Atlantic flight which departed from Roosevelt Field, outside of New York City.

• Feb. 4, 2 pm – War on the Middleline – Local historian Jim Richmond recounts the 1780 raid by British soldiers, Loyalists, and Mohawk Indians on the (then) recently settled Middleline Road in Ball's Town and its impact on those taken prisoner and their families. The raid took place in what is now Ballston Spa, New York, in Saratoga County.

• Feb. 11, 2 pm – Saipan: The Friction of War – Retired National Guard officer and historian Pat Chaisson will discuss this key World War II battle fought from June 15 – July 8, 1944. At Saipan, the largest military operation in the Central Pacific Theater so far, 49,000 US Marines and soldiers hit the beach expecting to fight a handful of poorly-armed enemy castaways. Instead, over 30,000 well-armed and entrenched Japanese combat troops awaited them. The six weeks that followed were among the bloodiest of the war.

• Feb 25, 1-4 pm – American Bombshells USO Show – In a tribute to America's veterans, the New York City-based American Bombshells give a modern day twist on the Andrews Sisters to provide a USO type show from the Korean and Vietnam War eras. $30 in advance, $35 at the door, $25 active military with ID.

• March 11, 2 pm – The War of 1812 from President Madison's Perspective – Professional historical interpreter Kyle Jenks portrays President Madison discussing the latter part of the War of 1812. From the attack on Fort McHenry that inspired our future national anthem and the Burning of Washington to the Battle of Plattsburgh to the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, President Madison reveals his insightful rendition of the story of America's First Invasion.

• March 18, 2 pm – The Tammany Regiment – Civil War historian Fred Wexler traces the history of the 42nd New York Volunteer Infantry from its recruitment under the infamous New York City political organization through its three years' service in some of the most brutal battles of the Civil War.

• April 1, 2 pm – The Man Who Captured Tojo - Associated Press reporter Chris Carola will give a presentation on the key role John "Jack" Wilpers, a bookie's son from Saratoga Springs, played in capturing-and keeping alive-one of World War II's most wanted war criminals, Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. Wilpers attended public school in Albany and a Roman Catholic high school in the Saratoga area before joining the Army Air Corps in 1942. He later transferred to an intelligence unit. He passed away in 2013.

Carola will also discuss his 20-year quest to get Wilpers, a CIA retiree, to talk about his place in history for the first time since 1945.

• April 8, 2 pm – Over There with O'Ryan's Roughnecks: The 27th Division under British Command, 1918 – The 27th Infantry Division, New York's Own, was one of two U.S. Army divisions to serve under foreign command during World War I. John Bessette will give an overview of the formation of the 27th Division, its training in America and with the British in France, its deployment in the trenches, and its role in breaking the Hindenburg Line. He will also discuss the experiences of several representative New York State doughboys, particularly their interactions and relationships with their British and Australian counterparts.

The museum will also host the "Night at the Brewseum" fundraiser on April 21 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Ticket bearers will be able to sample a selection of craft beers along with food from local restaurants and caterers. Tickets must be ordered by calling the Museum Gift Shop at 518-226-0490. This event is co-sponsored with Saratoga Lions Club.

The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center is housed in the historic New York State Armory in Saratoga Springs. The mission of the museum and research center is to preserve, interpret and disseminate the story, history and records of New York State's military forces and veterans. The collection is divided into the museum and the library/archives holdings.

The museum has permanent exhibits telling the story of New York's men and women in the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Revolutionary War and as members of the state militia in the 19th Century. The museum has more than 10,000 artifacts ranging from the Revolutionary War to the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The New York State Military Museum is also responsible for the historical exhibits and artifacts at New York's 41 Army National Guard armories. These artifacts and displays, which include historic armored vehicles once used by the Guard, connect current Army National Guard Soldiers with those who served in the past.

More information about the museum can be found at dmna.ny.gov/historic/about.htm