Ep 69: The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and guest Bill Donahue P1 on hmTv

In Episode 69 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Rich Acritelli sits down with lifelong history buff and artifacts collector Bill Donahue to explore the power of personal stories in remembering our past. Bill shares how his passion for historical films led him from Stony Brook science student to a founding board member of Honor Flight Long Island—escorting hundreds of WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans on their long‑overdue journeys home. He’ll also reveal his work rescuing and repatriating Japanese “good‑luck” flags through Oregon’s Obon Society, and preview an August film project that brings these 80‑year‑old battle relics back to the families who first gave them. Tune in for a deeply human look at how we honor service, heal wartime wounds, and keep history alive—one veteran and one artifact at a time.

Transcript

Rich Acritelli: Hello and thank you for joining me today. I’m your host, Rich Acritelli, and on today’s episode of The Fog of War and Humanity here on HMTV, my special guest is historian, military‑artifacts collector, and passionate advocate for preserving our past, Mr. William “Bill” Donahue. He’ll join me for a conversation about his lifelong interests and his work promoting the importance of military, political, and human stories in our shared history. Here we go, Bill—let’s get started.

Rich Acritelli: Bill, where did you grow up as a kid, and what were your early interests?

Bill Donahue: I grew up in a little town called East Moriches, right on Long Island’s South Shore. From a young age I’ve always loved history—connecting with people, hearing their stories, and learning what came before us.

Rich Acritelli: East Moriches sits right by the water. Did you spend a lot of time fishing and boating?

Bill Donahue: Absolutely—snapper fishing, cruising out on the bay. I graduated from Westhampton Beach High School, and I still love driving down Dune Road at sunrise, snapping pictures of the ocean every chance I get.

Rich Acritelli: So you’re a true South‑Shore guy. In high school, aside from fishing, what drew your interest?

Bill Donahue: Movies. Especially historical films. I’d watch something like Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Longest Day, then dive into the real events—tracking down where directors stretched the truth, and what actually happened. That curiosity really sparked my love of collecting artifacts and preserving stories.

Rich Acritelli: Raiders gave a whole generation of kids an Indiana Jones view of history, and The Longest Day—its black‑and‑white cinematography does feel more real. Many of those actors were WWII vets themselves, like Jimmy Stewart, who flew combat missions and later became a brigadier general.

Bill Donahue: That dual role fascinates me. Today, actors almost never serve. After 9/11, plenty of people helped out—but didn’t put on the uniform. That contrast is part of what fuels my work.

Rich Acritelli: After high school, where did your path take you?

Bill Donahue: I went to Suffolk Community College, then earned a bachelor’s in marine science from Stony Brook University. I joined my brother in wealth management for a while, met my wife Mimi—she’s a teacher—and we raised four kids. I never lost that passion for history, though, so I joined the board of Honor Flight Long Island.

Rich Acritelli: Honor Flight Long Island escorts veterans to D.C. to see their memorials. How does that work?

Bill Donahue: We run two flights each year, flying out of MacArthur Airport to Baltimore, then bus veterans to the WWII, Vietnam, and Korean War memorials—as well as Arlington for the changing of the guard, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial. We typically take about 40 veterans plus their guardians—roughly 95 people on the flight.

Rich Acritelli: How is it funded?

Bill Donahue: We’re a 501(c)(3). Veterans never pay a dime; we live on donations. We ask each veteran’s guardian to donate $400, but generous individuals and firms step up—one donor gave $10,000 after hearing about his uncle’s experience. Mosaic, an investment advisory firm, gives us $5,000 annually. Southwest Airlines partners with us, too.

Rich Acritelli: It must be deeply moving to see these vets welcomed home—especially Vietnam vets who often returned to no parades or yellow ribbons.

Bill Donahue: Exactly. I’ve seen Vietnam vets break down in tears when crowds welcome them back at MacArthur. They finally get the recognition they missed decades ago. In eight years, we’ve flown over 30 missions and escorted more than 2,000 vets.

Rich Acritelli: Any stories stand out?

Bill Donahue: One recent Vietnam veteran, Tommy Coughlin, was overflowing with excitement at the WWII Memorial—talking about Honor Flight like a kid at his first birthday party. I captured his reaction in a short film on my website, unspokennowtold.com, just to preserve that joy forever.

Another unforgettable moment was with Harold Caffrey, a WWII marine who, before D‑Day, survived a Nazi U‑boat torpedoing in the Indian Ocean, spent 36 hours in a lifeboat, was rescued by a British destroyer, and two weeks later stormed Normandy on D‑Day + 2. He matter‑of‑factly told me the whole saga—yet insisted his story wasn’t special. That humility is so characteristic of that generation.

Rich Acritelli: You also collect Japanese “good‑luck” flags, don’t you?

Bill Donahue: Yes—during WWII, Japanese soldiers received a sun‑burst flag signed by family and friends, folded it into their tunic, and carried it into battle. Many of those flags ended up in American hands as souvenirs. I buy them from dealers and traders, then work with the Obon Society in Oregon—led by Rex and Kiku—to verify authenticity and repatriate them to the families in Japan. They view the flag as non‑biological remains of their loved one, and every return offers deep closure.

Rich Acritelli: That’s a powerful gesture—restoring what war took. How many have you returned so far?

Bill Donahue: We’ve already returned one, and I’ve collected 43 more. This August I’ll travel to Portland to work directly with the Obon Society, and I hope to film Rex and Kiku as they prepare flags for return—and perhaps, if the families agree, document their reunions in Japan.

Rich Acritelli: Such work sends a message: we can’t erase the past, but we can mend its wounds.

Bill Donahue: Exactly. We’re not tearing down—we’re putting back. I hope my kids and future generations see that preserving history—and healing its scars—matters more than any profit motive.

Rich Acritelli: Bill, thank you for sharing your time, your passion, and your projects. Next up, we’ll examine some of your favorite artifacts in our “In the Collection” segment—stay tuned.

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