World War II Documentary Filmmaker and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Volunteer
In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we are featuring one of our amazing volunteers, Tracie Hunter, an Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary filmmaker.
Our volunteer spotlight features an in-depth look into her inspiring films, aviation and military story, and her legacy of volunteering at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
Documentary Filmmaking
Tracie’s passion for World War II documentaries began in 2015 with the production of her film, “The Last Signal.” Bringing this story to life gave her the opportunity to share the lives of two veterans as they reconnected for the first time since WWII. The film made quite an impression on her, and she realized there were hundreds of thousands of similar stories that should be shared with the world. This realization grew into her passion, which led to the creation of her nonprofit organization, Beyond the Call. Comprised of volunteer filmmakers who travel the world, capturing the stories and life lessons of World War II Veterans, Beyond the Call has produced seven documentary films, with the hopes to “keep going until the last World War II veteran goes.” Together, they work to preserve as much history as possible and bring healing to not only the men sharing their stories, but to their families and close friends.
Tracie explains that being an ear to listen, “gives a gift to the veterans, family, and all those who watch.” Tracie strives to give a gift to veterans in the last few years of their lives by ensuring they know how much people care about them and that their stories matter. She has found that diving into what veterans have learned about humanity and reconciliation through their war and life experiences can bring healing, inspiration, and peace to many.
Military Background
Tracie’s military roots are very deep — her family has served in the military since the American Revolution. Tracie was born and raised as an Army brat, her father serving in the Army until she was 16 years old. Her grandfather was a World War II veteran and POW while serving in Europe.
Tracie shares that, “I can attribute my freedom and my ability to live my life freely to their sacrifices, so I don’t take it for granted.” She appreciates and understands the impact of sharing lessons, stories, and the history of those who have served our country.
Volunteering at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
As she has always been passionate about history, learning, and preserving the legacies of veterans, Tracie wanted to donate her free time to the historical preservation and the veteran/military community. She found a perfect volunteer opportunity combining her passions of veteran support and filmmaking at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
Tracie helps the Museum capture and share history, “carrying on the stories of those who are gone” to ensure they will not be lost or forgotten through videos and other content in the marketing department. “I hope that by helping to preserve history that there can be a way forward, reconciling the past and steering future generations in a positive direction.”
As a volunteer at the Museum, Tracie enjoys the constant learning and the passion of fellow volunteers, creating a “beautiful community of people that all support each other and the mission.”
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