Online Extras:

National Memorial Day Concert

Read two poignant stories about lives claimed by war, and learn how talk to a veteran about his or her experiences using this helpful guide.

American Valor

Learn how four Medal of Honor recipients earned the military's highest award, and where their lives have taken them since.

An Untold Triumph

Learn about other programs airing on TV12 this month in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Honoring America's Heroes

This Memorial Day weekend, WHYY TV12 presents special programs that pay tribute to the unwavering and unparalleled contributions of the United States Armed Forces.

Sunday, May 29

B-17: Flying Legend

The legacy of the B-17 Flying Fortress -- the ultimate symbol of American air power during World War II -- is unmatched in the history of aviation. Journey back to an era when 13,000 of these supreme flying machines ruled the skies, as former pilots, historians and the restorers who work on the few remaining B-17s today trace the history of the famous aircraft. Stories from the brave men who flew the planes during World War II bring to life the fearsome battles that took place in the skies over Europe, and clarify how the B-17 was crucial in overcoming the German advantage. With only 13 former Fortresses still flying, the film also salutes their owners, who -- despite high restoration and maintenance costs -- strive to keep the memory of their role in aviation history alive. 5 p.m.

Victory in the Pacific

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, this powerful new documentary examines the final year of the war in the Pacific, offering insight into the rationale for using the atomic bomb and a rare glimpse at Japan's decision-making process in the waning months of the conflict. With first-hand accounts from American and Japanese soldiers and civilians, the American Experience program traces that fateful year, from the American capture of the Mariana Islands in July 1944 -- which positioned their B-29 bombers within range of Tokyo -- to the unconditional surrender of Emperor Hirohito in August 1945. War historians Edward Drea, Richard Frank and Barton Bernstein also comment on the deadly battle of Okinawa, the staunch Japanese resistance to surrender and the terrible lost of human life during the war in the Pacific. 6 p.m.

National Memorial Day Concert

Broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, this annual tradition brings together acclaimed actors and musical artists with distinguished military personnel to honor the ongoing sacrifice and bravery of America's servicemen and women. Actor Joe Mantegna (Joan of Arcadia) serves as the evening's host, introducing such esteemed guests as Gary Sinise (CSI: New York) and Gen. Colin Powell, as well as singers Vanessa Williams and Trace Adkins, who will perform with the National Symphony Orchestra. In addition to a 60th anniversary remembrance and recreation of the battle for Iwo Jima, highlights of the evening will include a special tribute to the troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and the sacrifices made by their families -- poignant readings and documentary footage. The concert will also remember the late actor and World War II veteran Ossie Davis, who hosted this annual event for more than a decade. 8 p.m.

American Valor

To receive a Medal of Honor -- the highest recognition bestowed upon a member of America's military -- a serviceman or woman must risk their life during battle in such a way as to clearly distinguish their gallantry as being beyond the expected call of duty. Since its inception during the Civil War, 3,439 men and one woman have received the honor. This program takes a moving look at these military elite, telling their stories through newsreel footage, photographs, military art and poignant interviews with recipients and the comrades who witnessed their heroic acts. The special also presents the medal as more than a decorate for bravery; it is a way of helping to understand who Americans are as a people, what they have experienced and the values they cherish. 9:30 p.m.

Monday, May 30

Arlington: Field of Honor

Once little more than a potter's field, Arlington National Cemetery is now considered a national shrine, a final resting place for both the famous (President John F. Kennedy, astronauts from the space shuttle Challenger) and nameless (3,000 slaves, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier). 140 years after the first burial at Arlington, this National Geographic Special explores the history of the military cemetery through the real-life stories of the heroes buried there. Archival footage also gives viewers a privileged behind-the-scenes look at the dawn-to-taps rituals and activities that define this sacred American place. 7:30 p.m.

Bataan Rescue

As the end of World War II neared, the U.S. Army sent an elite Ranger battalion to rescue 513 American and Filipino prisoners who'd been captured by the Japanese in 1941 after loosing a battle to defend the Bataan peninsula. Malnourished, brutalized and exposed to deadly diseases at the cramped Cabanatun prison camp, the remaining POWs -- whose numbers had dwindled from several thousand -- thought after three years of imprisonment that their country had forgotten them. This American Experience program hears chilling testimony from some of those captives, as well as their liberators, to tell the story of arguably the most daring rescue mission of World War II. Traveling 30 miles behind enemy lines across rice patties that left them completely exposed, the Rangers astonishingly rescued all remaining POWs after attacking the prison, and carried them back to safety. 9 p.m.

An Untold Triumph

This award-winning film recounts the remarkable story of the U.S. Army's 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, which were made up of Filipino immigrants and the sons of immigrants living in Hawaii and mainland America at the time Pearl Harbor was bombed. Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, whose mother is Filipina, narrates the story of these honorable men, who were so enraged by Japan's attack of Hawaii that -- despite being treated as second-class citizens -- they campaigned the U.S. government to allow them to serve in the military. As the "secret commandoes" of General George MacArthur's Battalion, sent by submarines to act as spies behind Japanese enemy lines, the Filipino soldiers became indispensable in the retaking of the Philippines and winning the war in the Pacific. 10 p.m.