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  • Local author Doug Stanton, left, interviews television journalist Tom Brokaw in front of a sold-out crowd during a National Writers Series event at the City Opera House on Wednesday. Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner

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  • World War II veteran Jerry Walters was one of the vets given complimentary tickets to see Tom Browkaw. Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner

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  • Television journalist Tom Brokaw speaks to a group of approximately 560 students and chaperones from a five-county area at Traverse City West on Wednesday afternoon. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

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  • Brokaw gave a presentation titled, "Tweet is a verb. Writing is Forever." "Words have meaning if they address something larger than yourself," he said. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

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May 13, 2010

Brokaw praises 'greatest generation' in TC

By VANESSA McCRAY vmccray@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Tom Brokaw applauded the World War II generation for its courage and spirit, and called on the country to commit to public service during an appearance at the Traverse City National Writers Series.

The former "NBC Nightly News" anchor addressed a sell-out crowd of about 700 at the City Opera House in downtown Traverse City on Wednesday night. Audience members included local World War II veterans, whose era is the subject of Brokaw's book "The Greatest Generation." Brokaw has written extensively about those who grew up during the Great Depression and fought in the war.

"I was a doorman. I opened a door and said, 'There are stories here that we all need to hear,'" Brokaw said, of the best-selling book.

His appearance was part of the Writers Series, launched by local resident and author Doug Stanton. The Writers Series attracts notable authors to this northern Michigan town while raising scholarship funds for area high school student writers. Earlier Wednesday, Brokaw spoke to high school students from the region about writing.

Stanton conducted an informal interview of Brokaw while the two sat in chairs on the Opera House stage. Brokaw shared anecdotes about his high-profile job, love of climbing, school years and news coverage of Watergate and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sponsors purchased event tickets for dozens of veterans to see Brokaw, whose books endeared him to World War II-era readers.

"We wanted to hear Tom Brokaw. He wrote about our 'greatest generation,'" said local Battle of the Bulge veteran Richard Rizzio. "I could say 'Amen' to most of the chapters."

World War II veteran Ray Dobson of Traverse City attended the event and has a copy of Brokaw's book.

"It brought back a lot of memories, some of them not so good," Dobson said, of the book.

Brokaw was moved to collect stories from that era after filming a 1984 documentary on the anniversary of D-Day. He also has written about another pivotal generation in his book "Boom! Talking About the Sixties."

He highlighted the importance of public service and suggested the creation of a kind of "diplomatic special forces" to work on projects all over the world.

"I'd like to see more bold ideas," Brokaw said.

He also talked about the challenges of reporting the 2001 terrorist attacks. He was on-air for hours, trying to maintain his composure and convey details when few were known. There was more trauma to report every 15 minutes, and the task required all of his experience as a journalist and father, Brokaw said. What, Stanton asked, went through his mind while he reported the news of the attacks to millions?

"You have one thought, and that is 'Get it right,'" Brokaw said.

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