CLERMONT, Fla. — As a fifth grader, stories of World War II fascinated Clermont’s Benjamin Mack-Jackson. But the sparse two pages in his history book did not.
“At the time, I just knew there had to be more,” he said.
So at the age of 13, he set out to learn all he could about the iconic battle in Normandy, France known as “D-Day” – starting with the soldiers themselves.
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One interview became hundreds. Now, five years later, there are dozens of D-Day veterans in Mack-Jackson’s hour-long documentary “Normandy Revisited.”
The documentary features nine servicemen from Central Florida, and is a collection of oral histories telling their story like never before.
His World War II veterans history project took Mack-Jackson thousands of miles, including to the battlefield twice, and all over the U.S.
Back at school, attending class like any other freshman, he calls the work a labor of love to seal and share the voices of the greatest generation.
“I’m just honored to be able to bring these stories to everyone,” Mack-Jackson said. “Of course it was a lot of work, but it’s all worth it to be able to share these stories and keep them alive for generations to come.”
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Mack-Jackson is working on another documentary about the Battle of the Bulge. His D-Day documentary is available to watch for free on YouTube. Watch it below: