5-Time Super Bowl Winning New England Patriots Head Coach Will Lend His Voice to the 18th Film Produced by TGM and the WWII Foundation

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI, USA, February 16, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bill Belichick, the only 5-time Super Bowl winning head coach in NFL history will narrate the latest documentary film from the Rhode Island based World War II Foundation & Tim Gray Media.

The one-hour film titled D-Day: Over Normandy is a unique production in that it relies primarily on only drone aerial shots of many of the important Allied objectives on June 6, 1944 as the liberation of western Europe got underway.

The modern day aerial footage is accompanied by interviews with World War II veterans who fought in the specific areas where the drone filmed, mixed with archival footage of the D-Day invasion and newly created maps and photo animations.

“First and foremost, Bill Belichick has been an active supporter of the World War II Foundation since we produced the first of our films in 2006,” said Tim Gray, Chairman of the foundation and producer, director and writer of 18 WWII documentary films to date. “Coach Belichick understands our mission because he is a student of military history and is very proud of the service of his own father Steve, who served in both Europe and the Pacific in World War II,” Gray said.

“Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, where my father coached football at the United States Naval Academy, I understand the importance of preserving the memory of those who served our nation during World War II,” Bill Belichick said. "Every day of my childhood, I was immersed in the tradition of the United States Navy.  I was, and remain, inspired by their discipline, teamwork and courage, especially the sailors who fought on D-Day and in the Pacific theater, where the U.S. Pacific Fleet sacrificed so much for ultimate victory. The Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines made one heck of a team in World War II,” said Belichick.

The Bill Belichick-narrated film will air this spring on American Public Television (PBS) stations around the country. Rhode Island PBS is the presenting station for the film.

WWII Foundation/TGM films rank in the top-5 of most requested programs nationally by PBS stations. Tim Gray has won 5 Regional Emmy Awards (Boston/New England and Washington, DC) for his work and three Indie International Film Fest awards, in addition to American Public Television’s National Programming Excellence Award.

The Director of Videography and Editor for all World War II Foundation/TGM films is Jim Karpeichik, President of Ocean State Video in Cranston, RI. Jim has won more than 20 Regional Emmy Awards for his work and is considered one of the best in the business. “Jim has shot and edited all our 18 films to date,” Tim Gray said. “He’s the best in the business and with a father who is a Battle of the Bulge veteran, truly understands our mission, which helps bring global attention to the work we do.”

About D-Day: Over Normandy:

The World War II Foundation hired one of France’s top aerial Drone camera companies to film some of the most iconic locations in Normandy from D-Day. The result is some of the most spectacular scenes of the landing beaches viewers have ever seen.

In 2017 the WWII Foundation tells the story of these historical locations utilizing ONLY aerial footage from our Drone camera, along with archival footage from June 6, 1944. The foundation will match 1-2 D-Day veterans with each location so they can share their stories of where they were and what they witnessed on D-Day.
 
Location of Drone filming includes: Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Utah Beach, Brecourt Manor, Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Pointe-du-Hoc, Omaha Beach, La Fiere, The Normandy American Cemetery, The German Cemetery at La Cambe, Colleville-sur-Mer, Vierville-sur-Mer, Gold Beach, Longues-sur-Mer and The Richard Winters Leadership Monument.

The Executive Producer of D-Day: Over Normandy is David F. Alfonso. “I applaud Tim Gray for pushing the artistic envelope on this wonderful film.  It provides the audience a fresh and innovative perspective of one of the the most noble and brave efforts undertaken by the allied forces. The World War II foundation continues to spearhead a necessary endeavor to keep these stories in front of us so we never forget,” said Alfonso.

About the World War II Foundation and Tim Gray Media:

The Rhode Island based World War II Foundation is one of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations committed to educating future generations about the enormous sacrifices and achievements of sixteen million Americans who served in WWII.

The WWII Foundation tells the stories of those in Europe and the Pacific who fought in the war and also experienced its horrific events, from survivors of the Holocaust to citizens of European countries who endured German occupation to those who witnessed the Blitz in England. The foundation travels the world to film these documentaries, spending a great deal of time in both Europe and the Pacific.

With a strong focus on film and television documentaries which air nationally on PBS stations, the Foundation has successfully produced a series of 18 award-winning documentaries. www.wwiifoundation.org.

Past narrators and supporters of our films include: Gov. Tom Ridge (Sec. Homeland Security), Dan Aykroyd (actor), Curt Schilling (MLB), Tom Selleck (actor), Tim McCarver (MLB/Announcer), Kyle Chandler (actor), Matthew Broderick (actor), Dale Dye (actor) and Damian Lewis (actor).

The WWII Foundation & TGM is currently in post-production on five additional films including:
USS Arizona: A Journey Home (Matthew Broderick/2017), Massacre at Malmedy (2018), Return to Pointe-du-Hoc (2018), Fighting for My Country (2019) and Rommel’s Son (2019).

Tim Gray
WWII Foundation/TGM
401-644-8244
email us here