National WWII Museum Expansion Project

St. Tammany News

Hollywood South makes a stop in Covington

Five veterans of World War II, Rosie the Riveter, 15 extras and a production crew descended on Covington Wednesday to produce a video to be used as a fundraiser for the National WWII Museum's $300 million expansion project.

The shoot was on a private estate off Lee Road.

Covington native Daniel Rector, owner of Acme Film Gear, helped arrange the shoot by Atherton Pictures of New Orleans. Also on the set was Craig Bardell, planned giving director for The National WWII Museum, known locally as the D-Day Museum.

Most of the shoot was wrapped by the time it began to drizzle. The theme of the spot was "Join us as we march on the road to victory."

The World War II veterans are featured in the promotional spot leading the group of extras, including some of their wives, as they march down the road to a better museum.

Marvin Carpenter, who served in the U. S. Coast Guard on the USS Bayfield in Normandy, Southern France, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, was part of a boat crew that "delivered troops" to the beaches.

"We had a job to do, and we did it," said Carpenter.

Leonard Klock served in the Marines in the South pacific as a paratrooper, and Dutch Prager was part of war patrols by the Navy's submarine U.S.S. Kingfish. Vernon Main was a pilot in the Army Air Corps in the southwest Pacific. Tom Blakeley, who has a speaking part, was also a paratrooper, but in Europe.

Joining them on the set as an extra was Delores Libby, a "real live Rosie the Riveter." During the war she worked at Consolidated Aircraft Plant in New Orleans and was a trained riveter. She worked on PBY's of the Catalina type during the war.

The museum hopes to expand to four times its current size over the next five years and will cover every theater and service in World War II.

Expansion plans include vintage vehicles, a USO-style canteen and restaurant, virtual reality experiences and interactive campaign galleries, according to museum officials.

For more information on how to participate in the museum's expansion call 504-527-6012.