Summer 2022 Issue
Formation of Tuskegee Airmen topic of Sept. 10 presentation
The Fighting for the Right to Fight Speaker Series at Heroes Hall Museum will present its final installment on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Chauncey Spencer II will tell how his father, Chauncey Spencer Sr., helped convince the US government to form the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black fighter pilots in the US military. Spencer will share personal, behind-the-scene stories about his father's fight to bring about equal opportunity for African Americans in World War II.

The speaker series is presented in conjunction with our current exhibit, Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in WWII, which will run through Sept. 16, 2022.
SPEAKER SERIES
Formation of the Tuskegee Airmen: The First Black Fighter Pilots of World War II
When: Saturday, September 10, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Where: Heroes Hall Museum at the OC Fairgrounds
Admission and parking are free.
About the speaker:
Chauncey E. Spencer II is the son of Chauncey E. Spencer Sr., who helped bring about the formation of the Tuskegee Airmen, the First Black Fighter pilots to serve in the US Armed Forces. Chauncey II is the former President of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Central Region, and a member of the Detroit Chapter Speaker’s Bureau. Since 2005, the Chauncey Spencer Project has helped advance the public’s understanding of the history of African Americans in aviation. His youth aeronautical program and traveling museum bring STEM education to at-risk students around the country.

For more information about the Speaker Series, contact Carol Singleton at 714-397-7300.
Armed Only with a Camera: World War II Photography of Stanley Troutman
October 15, 2022 through September 2023
While most men carried weapons into battle during World War II, war correspondent Stanley Troutman, a Los Angeles native, was armed only with a camera. He served his country by photographing the war in the South Pacific Theater including the devastated cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the dropping of the atomic bombs.

Troutman’s images were published in newspapers and magazines around the world and helped to tell the story of the horrors of war as well as the service and sacrifice of American troops.

The upcoming exhibition Armed Only with a Camera: World War II Photography of Stanley Troutman will feature photographs, letters, artifacts and memorabilia from Troutman’s tour in the South Pacific including his time on mainland Japan. 

The exhibit will run from Oct. 15, 2022 through September 2023. An opening ceremony will take place on Oct. 15, 2022 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information to come.

Content Warning: The exhibit will contain graphic images of war.
Huey on Display at Heroes Hall During Fair
The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1024 displayed their Huey helicopter at Heroes Hall during the 2022 OC Fair. Kids and adults climbed in the cockpit to take a photo as a dust-off pilot and learned the important role the Huey played in the Vietnam War. Thank you to all our Vietnam veterans for their great sacrifice.

The OC Fair ends Sunday, Aug. 14, so there is still time to purchase tickets online at OCFair.com and come check out the Huey!
Note: Heroes Hall Museum will be closed from Sept. 17 through Oct. 14, 2022 for the installation of our new exhibit.
Heroes Hall is located next to Centennial Farm on the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. The museum is open to the public year-round.

OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa is home to the annual OC Fair and Imaginology. Year-round attractions include Centennial Farm, Table of Dignity, Heroes Hall and Pacific Amphitheatre. Throughout the year, events ranging from recreation shows to cultural festivals are held at the Fairgrounds. For more information, visit ocfair.com.
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Support of OC Fair & Event Center provides year-round educational opportunities and helps fund community give-back programs.