America’s “Top Gun” Fighter Aces, An Endangered Species, to be Honored

A HERO’S ACTION IS ALWAYS EXTRAORDINARY

“The ordinary air Fighter is an extraordinary man and the extraordinary air Fighter stands as one in a million among his fellows.” – PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Above is a sampling of some of the Aces who will be featured in the commemorative book, Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces. This historical project is being created under the auspices of the American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA) based in Seattle, WA; Nick Del Calzo (Executive Producer & Lead Photographer) in Denver, CO; and Peter Collier (Book Author) in Nevada City, CA. For more information about the project and to view the Aces Gallery, go to: http://www.wingsofvalor.us. (PRNewsFoto/American Fighter Aces Associatio)

America’s “Top Gun” Fighter Aces are the newest endangered species. These fighter pilots, who earned Ace status by destroying at least five enemy aircraft during aerial combat missions in both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, are a vanishing breed and most likely an endangered species. A hero’s action is always extraordinary because it is so contrary to the basic human instincts of self-preservation and survival. For the Ace fighter pilot it was often kill or be killed.

The American Fighter Ace stands alone as an extraordinary man who has distinguished himself among the elite in aerial combat. Throughout aviation history during World War II, Korea and Vietnam these heroic pilots possessed the skill, fortitude and courage to survive combat missions and return home. To fly in combat may seem exciting and noble, but it was also extremely dangerous and deadly. All fighter pilots, regardless of their personal victory tallies, are deserving of great respect and credit for what they endured.

While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact qualities that separate a good fighter pilot from a great fighter pilot; it has been said [that] “it takes a fighting inner spirit and a motivation and determination to survive and succeed at any cost, with a measure of opportunity and luck added to the mix”.

Of the hundreds of Aces who have served their country since the early days of flight, fewer than 90 remain alive today. In a short few years their historic lives will be a memory – a footnote to our nation’s rich aviation heritage; and many feels that now is the time to enshrine these aviators so that their legacy might live on. A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign has been launched to enshrine these men in a photographic book entitled, Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces. The men whose images and stories will be included in Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces reflect the courage and determination it takes to get no less than five enemy “kills” in aerial combat. These men distinguished themselves as Navy, Marines, U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force pilots who had the courage to pursue their enemy with aggression, agility and precision.

Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces cover art

 

Author Peter Collier and documentary photographer Nick Del Calzo term this project as “a race against time” because of the advanced age of these heroic Aces. Nearly all of them are in their 90s. Due to their high mortality rate, other professional photographers were recruited to assure that as many of the living Aces as possible can be included in this commemorative book. Del Calzo and Collier previously collaborated on the award-winning, New York Times best seller, Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond The Call of Duty, now in its third edition. This book features similar portraits of Medal of Honor recipients and their courageous stories.

Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces will immortalize the men whose incredible bravery and skill flying fighter planes is the very embodiment of the term Ace. Their images and stories are as diverse as America itself. Today, these men will tell you that they are proud Americans who are caretakers of freedom. They have been to the edge and have lived to tell their story.

It is very rare that a media project comes along that so fully conveys the human qualities that characterize America’s aviation elite. Through exceptional images and poignant stories, Wings of Valor: Honoring America’s Fighter Aces, speaks to the very core of enduring American experiences.

“If there’s an elite among fighter pilots, it’s these men. It’s probably unlikely, based on the lack of today’s air-to-air combat, that there will be another designated Ace,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles “Chick”Cleveland, president of the American Fighter Aces Association. “They helped shorten the wars and saved lives. A new book is being created to preserve their legacy so young Americans can be inspired and educated about their actions. This will be America’s book” Cleveland is a Korean War Ace who flew F-86 Sabre jets in MiG Alley.

As the May 3 Kickstarter deadline nears, General Cleveland and his fellow Aces are hopeful Americans will respond by pledging $10 or more to help reach the$65,000 goal to produce the book’s content and assure that these Aces will be fully recognized.  (To contribute, Go to www.Kickstarter.com, “Wings of Valor.”)

One World Observatory Announces Friday, May 29 Opening Date

Tickets Available for Purchase Beginning on Wednesday, April 8, at 10 a.m. EDT

Observatory at Top of One World Trade Center Will Provide Unparalleled Panoramic Views of New York City and Three Floors Filled with Innovation and Inspiration

One World Observatory has announced that its official public opening date will be Friday, May 29, 2015. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning tomorrow,Wednesday, April 8, at 10 a.m. EDT at www.OneWorldObservatory.com or by calling 844-696-1776.  One World Observatory is located at One World Trade Center, New York, New York 10007. The entrance to the Observatory is located on the West Plaza located alongside West Street at the Northwest corner of the World Trade Center site near the intersection of West and Vesey Streets. The Observatory is open year round. Starting May 29^th until September 7^th operating hours will be 9 a.m. until midnight seven days a week with the last ticket sold at 11:15 p.m. Non-summer operating hours of One World Observatory are from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week with the last ticket sold at 7:15 p.m.  Throughout the course of the year operating hours will be expanded during holiday periods such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

One World Observatory Opening May 29, 2015 (PRNewsFoto/One World Observatory)

Positioned on top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere – on levels 100, 101, and 102 of the One World Trade Center building – One World Observatory will provide guests with unique, panoramic views of New York City, its most iconic sites, and surrounding waters from above 1,250 feet. A customized guest experience will complement the seemingly endless views – which evoke feelings of the City’s signature pride, hope and determination – and include exhibits and dining options, including a sit-down restaurant.

The experience will invite guests to explore all three levels, each equipped with the latest in innovative technology. Upon entry, guests will be greeted in the Global Welcome Center, where a large video board will feature salutations in an array of languages, and a dynamically generated world map will highlight the hometowns of

One World Observatory Logo: One World Observatory Opening May 29, 2015 (PRNewsFoto/One World Observatory)

visitors. Guests will then proceed to a pre-show program, titled Voices, which tells the personal stories of the men and women who built One World Trade Center, and Foundations, which displays facts about the very bedrock on which the building stands. Visitors will board one of five dedicated elevators, termed Sky Pods, to ascend to the 102^nd floor in under 60 seconds.  Immersive, floor-to-ceiling LED technology in each cab invites guests to experience a virtual time-lapse that recreates the development of New York City’s skyline from the 1600s to present day.

The Sky Pod elevators, among the fastest in the world, will bring passengers directly to the See Forever™ Theater on the 102^nd floor. The See Forever™ Theater will present a two-minute video presentation that combines bird’s eye imagery, time-lapse shots with abstract textures and patterns to present the unique rhythm and pulse of New York City to dramatic life in three dimensions.

The Main Observatory space on the 100^th floor will include an interactive skyline “concierge” – City Pulse – that allows guests to deeply connect with the landmarks and neighborhoods they observe from above. At City Pulse, global ambassadors will be stationed under a ring of HD video monitors and outfitted in gesture recognition technology, summoning imagery to the screens and providing guests with close-up views and personalized recommendations.

The Main Observatory also features the Sky Portal where guests are invited to step onto a 14-foot wide circular disc that will deliver an unforgettable view, using real-time, high-definition footage of the streets below.

One World Observatory will also offer three distinct dining options on the 101^st floor available to guests with Observatory tickets, including access to selective eateries from casual cafe fare to seated fine-dining. Catering will be available on the 102^nd floor, which will operate as a 9,300 square foot special event space with a maximum capacity of 300. The premier space will include floor-to-ceiling, uninterrupted views, high-end decor and an exclusive, customizable experience with a state-of-the-art sound system and HD projection capabilities. A start-to-finish visual representation of the guest experience is depicted in the latest video, available for viewing at https://oneworldobservatory.com/groups/#groups-take-tour.

In the days leading up to the official public opening, One World Observatory will say a special thank you to New York City by hosting multiple free preview days. On Tuesday, May 26, One World Observatory will invite local school students to see the observatory, and on Wednesday, May 27, the workers that helped build One World Trade Center will be invited.  On Thursday, May 28, One World Observatory will host an open house for the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. The exact details surrounding each event will be announced at a later date.

“On May 29, One World Observatory will officially open its doors to the public – offering visitors an inspiring and unparalleled opportunity to experience New York City,” said David Checketts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Legends, operator of the Observatory. “From sweeping panoramic views, to innovative interactive exhibits, to world-class dining options, we expect One World Observatory to be the premier destination and attraction in New York City for both tourists and local residents.”

As previously announced, One World Observatory will offer complimentary admission to 9/11 family members and the rescue and recovery workers who responded on 9/11 and in the months after. Admissions will be administered by the 9/11 Tribute Center, a project of the September 11th Families’ Association that brings together those who want to learn about 9/11 with those who experienced it.  Visit tributewtc.org/observatory for more information.

Special discounts will also be offered to active and retired members of the U.S. military, with full details to be released at a later date. Special group rates, for 20 or more, may also be available to travel professionals, corporate groups, organizations, schools and camps. (Submit your inquiry online at www.OneWorldObservatory.com/groups.) The Observatory experience will also offer a variety of Priority and Flex ticket options, available for an additional charge. For more information on tickets, please visit www.OneWorldObservatory.com. Tickets will be on sale for all dates through January 3, 2016. Tickets for days after January 3, 2016, will become available at a later date.

Now The Force Will Be With You – Everywhere!: Disney, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox Announce The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection

As anticipation builds for the December release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first new film in the Star Wars Saga in a decade, The Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd., and 20th Century Fox today announced the upcoming release of The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection. For the first time ever, all six epic films in the Saga, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi, will be available in Digital HD on digital video services such as iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, and Xbox Video beginning Friday, April 10. With Star Wars: Episodes I-VI available for purchase as a complete digital movie collection and individually, fanboys (and girls) as well as other viewers will have the Rebel forces at their beck and call across their favorite devices anywhere – sunbathing at the beach, relaxing in their living room with friends, or waiting to board a flight to Endor (or elsewhere).

The STAR WARS Digital Movie Collection Available for the First Time Ever April 10th. © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

“Since the debut of the first film nearly 40 years ago, Star Wars has become a worldwide phenomenon with legions of fans from every generation,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s only fitting

Available for the first time ever April 10th, The STAR WARS Digital Movie Collection © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

that audiences enjoy this legendary Saga and its many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories on a wide variety of platforms, and we’re very excited to finally bring all six films to Digital HD for the first time.”

“We’re thrilled that fans will be able to enjoy the Star Wars Saga on their digital devices wherever they go,” commented Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “These films broke new ground in technology, design, sound, and visual effects, and we’ve created some very special bonus material which delves into the Saga’s rich history, including new and never-before-released conversations between legendary Star Wars artists – the masters who helped George bring his iconic universe to life.”

Enhancing the movie collection are a host of never-before-seen special features including Star Wars: Discoveries from Inside and insightful Conversations between key contributors from across this celebrated film franchise, plus a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each film. Bonus features include:

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace
—  Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back
—  Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures
—  Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit;
plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE II:  Attack of the Clones
—  Conversations: Sounds In Space
—  Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed
—  Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects
Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE III: Revenge of the Sith

—  Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was
—  Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers
—  Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A New Hope (20th Century Fox)
—  Conversations: Creating A Universe
—  Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber
—  Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE V: The Empire Strikes Back
—  Conversations: The Lost Interviews
—  Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled
—  Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back 1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE VI: Return of the Jedi
—  Conversations: The Effects
—  Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt
—  Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.

Celebrating A Century Of Lady Day: Universal Misuc Enterprises Honors Billie Holiday’s 100th Birthday With The Digital Release of 17 Vintage Albums

Billie Holiday Turns 100 (PRNewsFoto/Universal Music Enterprises)

Hot on the heels of the release of the new book, John Szwed‘s Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth, and just in time for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Billie Holiday on April 7, 2015, Universal Music Enterprises honors the iconic artist with the simultaneous digital release of 17 classic Holiday albums. These vintage titles–originally released on the Commodore, Decca, Clef, Verve and MGM labels–were recorded between 1939 and 1959, and represent a substantial portion of the seminal vocalist’s storied two-and-a-half-decade body of recorded work, which ended with her death at the age of 44 on July 17, 1959.

In a career that was marked by equal amounts of personal tragedy and musical triumph, Billie Holiday became a massively popular star, bridging racial and genre barriers at a time when such crossovers were rare.  In the decades since, she has remained an immensely influential artist whose innovative, emotionally expressive vocal approach influenced multiple generations of singers.

Photo Credit: http://www.facebook.com/BillieHoliday?_rdr

After making her recording debut at age 18 with Benny Goodman‘s big band, Holiday made her first recordings under her own name in 1936.  She began scoring mainstream hits, many of them self-written, almost immediately, recording on her own as well as working with such prominent bandleaders as Teddy Wilson, Count Basie, Artie Shaw and Paul Whiteman.  Holiday remained popular with audiences for the rest of her life, despite her ongoing problems with drugs and alcohol, which contributed to her declining health and early death.

Photo Credit: http://www.facebook.com/BillieHoliday?_rdr

More than half a century after her passing, Billie Holiday’s recordings continue to inspire listeners around the world.  The classic albums gathered for this 100th-birthday celebration include much of Holiday’s greatest and most enduring work, demonstrating why her music continues to speak so powerfully to new generations of fans.

Photo Credit: http://www.facebook.com/BillieHoliday?_rdr

The anniversary release encompasses 17 Holiday albums, with six being issued digitally for the first time including: Billie Holiday, The “Lady” Sings, The Blues Are Brewin’, Lover Man, Velvet Mood, and Billie Holiday With Ray Ellis and His Orchestra (her final recording session). Other albums have been Mastered for iTunes (MFiT): Billie Holiday At Jazz At The Philharmonic, Stay With Me, Music For Torching, Lady Sings The Blues, Body And Soul, Songs For Distingué Lovers, All Or Nothing At All, Recital, Solitude, Ella Fitzgerald And Billie Holiday At Newport, and the posthumously released The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live.

Included on these albums are timeless Holiday classics, including “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” “My Man” and “Lover Man,” along with her distinctive readings of such jazz, blues and pop standards as “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “What Is This Thing Called Love,” “He’s Funny That Way,” “It Had To Be You,” “Stormy Weather” and “Prelude To A Kiss,” as well as a pair of duets with Louis Armstrong.  In addition to Armstrong, these recordings find Holiday collaborating with jazz greats Kenny Burrell, Benny Carter, Cozy Cole, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Wynton Kelly, Barney Kessel, Red Mitchell, Jimmy Rowles, Charlie Shavers and Ben Webster.

THE WHITNEY’S INAUGURAL EXHIBITION IN ITS NEW BUILDING PRESENTS FRESH NARRATIVES OF AMERICAN ART

America Is Hard to See Features Work by 400 Artists and Fills Every Indoor and Outdoor Exhibition Space in the Whitney’s New Meatpacking District Location, Opening on May 1, 2015

The Whitney Museum of American Art – view from the Hudson River, October 2014. Photograph by Tim Schenck.

The Whitney Museum of American Art will open its new Renzo Piano–designed home at 99 Gansevoort Street between Washington and West Streets on May 1, 2015, with an ambitious exhibition that reexamines the history of American art from 1900 to today. America Is Hard to See presents new perspectives on the Whitney’s collection, reflecting on art in the United States with more than 600 works by some 400 artists. The exhibition—its title taken from a Robert Frost poem that was also used by the filmmaker Emile de Antonio for one of his political documentaries—is the most extensive display to date of the Whitney’s collection.

Robert Bechtle (b. 1932). ’61 Pontiac, 19681969. Oil on canvas, 59 3/4 × 84 1/4in. (151.8 × 214 cm).
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from the Richard and Dorothy Rodgers
Fund 70.16. © Robert Bechtle

Running People at 2,616,216 (1978–79) by Jonathan Borofsky installed on the West Ambulatory, 5th floor, the inaugural exhibition, America Is Hard to See (May 1–September 27, 2015). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Photograph © Nic Lehoux

Drawn from the Whitney’s holdings, America Is Hard to See examines the themes, ideas, beliefs, visions, and passions that have preoccupied and galvanized American artists over the past one hundred and fifteen years. The exhibition’s narrative is propelled by a dynamic sense of invention and conflict, as artists struggled to work within and against established conventions and often directly engaged their political and social contexts. Works of art across all mediums will be displayed together, acknowledging the ways in which artists have engaged various modes of production and broken the boundaries between them. Numerous pieces that have rarely, if ever, been shown will appear alongside familiar icons, in a conscious effort to challenge assumptions about the American art canon.

Georgia O’Keeffe, 18871986
Music, Pink and Blue No. 2, 1918
Oil on canvas, 35 x 29 15/16in. (88.9 x 76 cm)
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; gift of Emily Fisher Landau
in honor of Tom Armstrong 91.90
©2014 Georgia O’Keeffe Museum / Artists Rights Society ( ARS), New York

America Is Hard to See is organized by a team of Whitney curators led by Donna De Salvo, Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Programs, which includes Carter E. Foster, Steven and Ann Ames Curator of Drawing; Dana Miller, Curator of the Permanent Collection; and Scott Rothkopf, Nancy and Steve Crown Family Curator and Associate Director of Programs; with Jane Panetta, Assistant Curator; Catherine Taft, Assistant Curator; and Mia Curran, Curatorial Assistant.

Robert Henri, 18651929
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, (1916)
Oil on canvas, Overall: 49 15/16 x 72in. (126.8 x 182.9 cm)
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York;
Gift of Flora Whitney Miller 86.70.3

Eva Hesse (19361970). No title, (19691970). Latex, rope, string, and wire, Dimensions variable
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the
Mrs. Percy Uris Purchase Fund, and the Painting and Sculpture Committee 88.17ab
© Estate of Eva Hesse; courtesy Hauser & Wirth.

Adam D. Weinberg, the Whitney’s Alice Pratt Brown Director, commented: “The DNA of the Whitney Museum—and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s vision to champion the art and artists of the United States—is encoded in its collection. Accordingly, to display a larger portion of our unparalleled holdings of American art was a key impetus for the new building. The opening exhibition offers an unprecedented occasion to display one hundred and fifteen years of American art, throughout the new Whitney. This will be the first of many opportunities to show the complexities, subtleties, and glories of the art of our country in a new light and to share aspects of the breadth and depth of our collection in all mediums.”

Edward Hopper, 18821967
Early Sunday Morning, (1930)
Oil on canvas, 35 3/16 x 60in. (89.4 x 152.4 cm)
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds from
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney 31.426
© Whitney Museum of American Art

Miss De Salvo noted: “The title America Is Hard to See points to the impossibility of offering a tidy picture of this country, its culture and, by extension, its art. The exhibition takes up this challenge through the lens of the Whitney’s collection, re-examining well-known art historical tropes, proposing new narratives, and even expanding the definition of who counts as an American artist. We did not conceive of this exhibition as a comprehensive survey, but rather as a sequence of provocative thematic chapters that taken together reflect on American art history from the vantage point of today.”

Cindy Sherman (b. 1954). Untitled Film Still #45, 1979. Gelatin silver print, Sheet: 8 × 10in. (20.3 × 25.4 cm)
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; promised gift of Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner
P.2011.357 © Cindy Sherman; courtesy artist and Metro Pictures, New York.

Edward Ruscha (b. 1937). Large Trademark with Eight Spotlights, 1962. Oil, house paint, ink, and
graphite pencil on canvas, Overall: 66 15/16 × 133 1/8in. (170 × 338.1 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art,
New York; purchase, with funds from the Mrs. Percy Uris Purchase Fund 85.41 © Ed Ruscha

R. H. Quaytman (b. 1961). Distracting Distance, Chapter 16, 2010. Screenprint and gesso on wood,
24 5/8 × 39 7/8in. (62.5 × 101.3 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase, with funds
from the Painting and Sculpture Committee 2010.54. © R. H. Quaytman

Installed throughout the building, America Is Hard to See is organized as a series of twenty-three “chapters”—sections that build on a particular theme through related artworks. Each chapter is named after a work of art that appears in that section of the show. The exhibition unfolds chronologically, beginning with a display relating to the Whitney’s origins on Eighth Street, on view in the first-floor gallery (a space which is open to the public free of charge), and proceeding with works from the first decades of the twentieth century on the Museum’s top gallery floor on Eight. The exhibition continues on Floors Seven and Six with work from the mid-twentieth century, and concludes on Five, where works from the late 1960s to the present will be displayed in the Museum’s largest space, an 18,000-square-foot column-free gallery with floor-to-ceiling windows and striking views to the east and west. The show will also occupy the Museum’s terraces, which provide nearly 13,000 square feet of additional exhibition space. The majority of the exhibition will be on view through September 27, 2015, with some floors closing on a staggered schedule before and after that date.