Videographer captures Alle-Kiski veterans' stories

A World War II veteran dies about every two minutes, and videographer John Bailey is determined not to let the stories of Alle-Kiski Valley veterans follow them to the grave.

Bailey on Saturday will premiere “Duty, Courage, Honor: The Alle-Kiski Valley Goes to War” at the Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society in Tarentum. The 75-minute documentary features 11 firsthand accounts of wartime service from Valley veterans of various conflicts.

An Arnold native, Bailey spoke on Sunday about the video-making process at the historical society's annual Veterans Day event.

“These 11 stories are just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “There are literally thousands of untold military stories in the Valley, and it's something I felt like I had to tap into.”

Bailey said the rapid rate at which World War II veterans are dying was the impetus for the project's undertaking.

The video was scheduled to debut at Sunday's event, but technical issues pushed the premiere back to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Jamie Stoner, curator at the historical society, said the organization recruited Bailey for this year's Veterans Day event because he's “preserving an important part of the area's history and makeup.”

“Every year, more and more of these stories are lost,” she said. “We're running out of time to get personal accounts directly from the source for a lot of significant events, and when they're gone, they're gone forever.”

Among the Valley residents who shared personal stories for the project was Steve Jager of New Kensington.

Jager was stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1941 when the Japanese launched their strike on the naval base. He told Bailey that the planes were flying so low, he could make out the pilots' faces during the attack.

“There's a situation where someone can lend a unique perspective on such an impactful event,” Bailey said. “It's those types of stories that can add so much to an area's history and that we can't afford to lose.”

Bailey's project also sheds light on the story of Leonard and Leo Kijowski, twin brothers from Ford City.

The latter had a close brush with death during his service when an explosion covered a significant portion of his body in third-degree burns. The injuries would have been much more devastating had his brother not donated some of his own skin to cover the wounds.

“That's a story that speaks to the kind of place the Valley is,” he said. “When I think of the area, I think of hardworking people with a strong sense of community.”

Dorothy Rogers of Brackenridge, also a subject of Bailey's video, belongs to a rare class of women who have served in the Marines.

Her service from 1966 to 1970 took her all over the world, from boot camp in South Carolina to working as a supply officer in Okinawa, Japan.

One assignment had her stationed in Memphis, when growing racial tensions culminated in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

“We weren't even allowed to leave the base because of all the riots,” she said. “It was a crazy time.”

Rogers' military experience also exposed her to a lighter side of Memphis. On one spontaneous trip to Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion, Rogers met the King and shared a brief conversation with him.

“That's what's great about the military,” she said. “It gives you a chance to get outside your comfort zone and experience the world. I think (Bailey's) documentary helps bring some of those experiences home.”

A retired radio broadcaster, Bailey spent more than a year working on the project. He said the extensive research necessary to verify the subject's statements and the distance between the Valley and his current home in Maryland accounted for the lengthy production.

Bailey's sources were diverse, ranging from the internet to the Library of Congress to Valley Daily News archives.

“The best sources are the people that lived through it,” he said. “But verification is so important. If it's not done right, then you're really doing a disservice to the veterans.”

Bailey's speech on Sunday was preceded by the presentation of the colors by the Marine Corps League, Allegheny Valley Detachment 827 of Springdale, and the singing of the National Anthem by Curt Marino.

Society President Dolly Mistrik said Bailey was chosen for this year's event to inspire residents to contribute to the organization's mission of preserving the Valley's past.

“It demonstrates to people that it's possible to capture history on your own,” she said, “and it shows people the importance of passing along your stories. For everybody around here, we are all ears.”

“Duty, Courage, Honor: The Alle-Kiski Valley Goes to War” is available through the historical society, at all four Health Mart Pharmacy locations in the Valley, and at Gene's Shoe Services in New Kensington.

After its premiere on Saturday, Bailey plans to begin work on a follow-up project in early January with 11 more Valley veterans.

“Like I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

Braden Ashe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4673 or bashe@tribweb.com.