Elder Hartman Rector Jr., general authority emeritus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Korean War veteran, will deliver the keynote address at a conference honoring LDS servicemen of 20th century military conflicts Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Conference Center on the Brigham Young University campus.
The "Saints at War" conference, sponsored by the Saints at War project and Conferences and Workshops at BYU, will honor veterans from all 20th-century military conflicts. Special recognition will be given veterans from the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
The conference helps LDS veterans who spent weeks and months during wartime in isolation from other Latter-day Saints, said Robert Freeman, co-director of the Saints at War project and associate professor of church history and doctrine at BYU.
"This is an opportunity for them to gather, to share that bond, and also, for those of us who have been the beneficiaries of their dedication and of their service, to commend that service," he said.
Other conference activities include a luncheon and USO-style entertainment, presentations by veterans and scholars on LDS contributions during wartime and the premiere showing of "Saints at War in Korea," a new BYU documentary.
A new volume titled "Saints at War: Korea and Vietnam" will also be released in conjunction with the conference.
Registration for the conference is $30. Attendance is on a space-available basis and early registration is encouraged. For a schedule of events or for more information, call Conferences and Workshops at (801) 378-8925.
Also, veterans are still encouraged to submit stories to the Saints at War project, which is partnering with the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Library at BYU and the national Veterans History Project to preserve the wartime accounts.
Visit ce.byu.edu/cw/saintsatwar for more information.
Writer: Thomas Grover
