Free Programs at New York State Military Museum discuss books, invasions, dare devils, and the USS Virginia Free programs offered during January, February, March and April

SARATOGA SPRINGS , NY (01/07/2016)(readMedia)-- The New York State Military Museum will host programs dealing with topics ranging from Navy ships named Virginia to the invasion of Makin Islanduring World War II, a Civil War naval hero and the paperback books issued free to GIs during World War II this winter and spring.

The weekend programs generally begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday 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 2016 are:

• Jan. 23, 2:00pm – One of Thousands: A Navigator in the European Air War – Military historian Frederick Foy and US Army Lt. Col (ret) Lance Wang recount the experiences of Jules Lasner, a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress who flew twenty-seven missions over occupied Europe during the final phases of the Allied strategic bombing campaign against Germany during World War II.

• Feb. 20, 2:00pm – Makin Taken: The 27th Infantry Division's Baptism by Fire November 20 - 24, 1943. Pat Chaisson, author and retired New York Army National Guard officer, will trace the course of the four-day Battle of Makin, the first clash between US Army troops and their Japanese opponents in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.

• Feb. 27, 2:00pm – USS Virginia: From Sail to Nuclear Power – Ray Misciewicz, a nuclear engineer and expert on nuclear submarines, discusses the ten US Navy vessels named Virginia, from the 28-gun sailing frigate built in 1776 to the nuclear powered attack submarine commissioned in 2004.

• March 5, 2:00pm – Saratoga Springs and the Civil War – Lance Ingmire, a Civil War enthusiast and contributing author to Saratoga Springs: A Centennial History, provides an overview of the contributions of Saratogians to the Civil War and identifies significant local sites, buildings, and landmarks associated with the war and Saratoga's veterans.

• March 19, 2:00pm – The Life and Wars of John Stark – Richard and John Polhemus discuss one of the America's greatest, yet least celebrated heroes of the Revolutionary War, John Stark, a captain with Rogers Rangers during the French and Indian War and a general during the American Revolution who defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington.

• April 2, 2:00pm – She Called Him Raymond –Ray O'Conor, a Pulitzer Price-nominated writer, shares the compelling story of love and loyalty between Helen Gregg, daughter of Irish immigrants in New York City, and Clarence Raymond Stephenson, a B-17 pilot during World War II.

• April 9, 2:00pm – Commander Will Cushing: Daredevil Hero of the Civil War – Jamie Malinowski describes the thrilling life and exploits of Will Cushing, exploring the psychology of the daredevil soldier and what Cushing's heroics and tragic death can tell us about the ways we remember the glories of war.

• April 16, 1:00pm – When Books Went to War – Lawyer, historian, critically acclaimed author and Latham native, Molly Manning recounts how during World War II the War Department teamed with librarians and the publishing industry to create the Armed Services Editions, pocket-sized paperbacks for millions of GI's fighting throughout Europe and the Pacific.

The museum will also host the "Night at the Brewseum" fundraiser on April 8 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 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.