The Friends of the National World War II Memorial has presented its UNITY Award to award-winning director, producer and screenwriter Steven Spielberg.
Named for Air Force Brig. General Charles E. McGee, who was an original Tuskegee Airman, the award recognizes those actively working for the betterment of their community and beyond and for living up to the moral integrity exemplified by McGee and his fellow members of the “Greatest Generation.” McGee died in January 2022 at age 102.
Spielberg was presented with the award for his inspirational storytelling and philanthropy as the best example of the spirit of unity and character of the Greatest Generation at work.
“Steven Spielberg is a master storyteller who has inspired millions through his craft and a tremendous body of work, highlighted by his lengthy resume of award-winning WWII films and miniseries’” said Friends chair Jane Droppa in a statement. “Saving Private Ryan, which turned 25 this year, changed the way we saw our aging WWII veterans and served as an important catalyst for raising the necessary funds to build the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Through his work and philanthropy, Mr. Spielberg has touched the hearts and minds of his fellow American citizens and citizens of the world. Through our commemorative events and educational programming, we aim to keep these stories alive just like Steven Spielberg has done and we are grateful for master storytellers like him.”
Spielberg is one of the most influential and commercially successful film directors of all time. Seven of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
“Like Steven Spielberg, Dad had a God-given ability to meaningfully touch the lives of others,” said McGee’s daughter, Dr. Charlene E. McGee Smith. “He led a life dedicated to bringing people together and striving to forge a more perfect union. In this new age, we recognize the need for reconciliation and realize it cannot be mandated. Lasting unity occurs when we learn about and from one another. Dad’s amazing story and the inspiring ones that Spielberg brings to life on the silver screen touch hearts and minds and are powerful examples. Brigadier General McGee would be proud and delighted that Steven Spielberg is receiving the UNITY award.”
Spielberg has won three Academy Awards. He received nine nominations for Best Director and won twice - for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. He was also awarded the Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1999, in recognition of Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg was awarded a Kennedy Center honor in 2006, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, and the Time100 Impact Award in the U.S. in 2023.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.