Fellow American,

My plane was shot down by the Germans in my first combat mission in World War II.

Our rookie B-17 crew was in "Tail End Charlie," which is what we called the last plane in the formation to pass over the target. The Germans had zeroed in on us with 88 millimeter cannons -- which could fire five miles up -- and they hit our number one and number two engine.

A B-17 is not made to stay up on two engines. But with skill, determination, and good fortune, we crash-landed in Belgium just over the Nazi lines.

Five days later, we were rescued ... and I went on to fly 22 more missions.

Above: The American Veterans Center recorded and released a 30-minute video documentary with me about my service in World War II.

A few years ago, my friends at the American Veterans Center invited me to record a video documentary about my experience in World War II.

I was proud to share my story with the American Veterans Center (AVC), both to honor the memories of the brave men I served with and to pass on our hard-fought lessons to the next generation.

Right now, the American Veterans Center is working around the clock to interview and record as many video documentaries as possible with World War II veterans like me.

May I ask you to chip in $25, $50, $75, $100, $250, $500, or more today to help fund the American Veterans Center's critical video documentary project? As a non-profit, AVC depends on the contributions of patriotic Americans like you.

Help the American Veterans Center

When the American Veterans Center records video documentaries with veterans like me:

• The experienced AVC video team coordinates travel plans with the veteran and his or her family. Oftentimes, AVC will even send out their staff to veterans' homes - of course, at no cost to the veteran.

• AVC records a beautiful, professional-quality video documentary that lets veterans tell their own stories in their own words. A keepsake copy is also given to the veteran and their family to enjoy.

• AVC makes available - for free! - these powerful video documentaries to be used as part of our shared American history. These videos reach millions on YouTube and have been used by the Library of Congress, presidential museums, and award-winning films.

Can I count on you to help the American Veterans Center record even more video documentaries with your gift of $25, $50, $75, $100, $250, $500, or more today? Your gift is urgently needed for AVC to continue their efforts.

Help the American Veterans Center

The history books will teach you the facts, but only the servicemen and women of World War II can tell you what it was really like.

In the beginning of the war, they said if a guy flew six or eight missions, he was on borrowed time.

There were many men who served with me who didn't come home. They didn't get to be husbands, didn't get to be dads, and none of them got to be grandfathers -- which you can't understand until you reach that point in your own life.

Thanks to the American Veterans Center, and generous Americans like you who made my video documentary possible, my story, and the story of the young men in the Eighth Air Force, has entered our shared American history.

To help preserve the legacy of more World War II veterans like me, please make your most generous gift to the American Veterans Center today.

I understand first-hand what good, important work the American Veterans Center does - and why their mission to record video documentaries with more veterans like me is so urgent.

That's why I'm asking for your support of the American Veterans Center today.

Thank you,

Paul "Bud" Haedike

World War II Veteran

For the American Veterans Center

Support the American Veterans Center

The mission of the American Veterans Center and the World War II Veterans Committee is to preserve and promote the legacy and experiences of America's veterans and active duty service personnel from World War II through today.

A non-profit educational organization, the AVC and WWIIVC are funded solely through generous contributions from people like you. All contributions are tax-deductible.