Lorretta Segars was an incredible elementary teacher who grew up in the wake of Sand Mountain, Alabama. Her father, Fred Camp was a purple-heart veteran during World War II and he met her mother in Tuscany while on leave in Tuscany Italy.
Inspired by their amazing love, she wrote a book entitled, Sand in Tuscany chronicling history, their unique love, and much more. #sandintuscany is embraced by the United States Military and veteran families as a “boots on the ground” story of love and war.
FINAL WORDS OF WWII set out on a mission with Jimmy Segars, Lorretta’s husband and their son, Michael Kirk Segars. This group of Executive Producers took a great risk, to fund a feature documentary and sent our film team to Italy, where the young couple fell in love in the middle of a horrible war.
A screenplay has been written entitled, WAR BRIDE completely inspired by this amazing family and their dedication to God, country, and lifelong service. Jimmy Segars was a purple-heart veteran who served in Viet Nam for his country. Their bravery, commitment to those who serve in the military is highly admired.
Heroes began to emerge in furthering journalistically investigating the 88th, Blue Devils with the 313th Combat Division during the military theater in Italy through everything. What was most amazing was finding the last two military veterans alive, who wanted to share the story they lived. Leading the interviews was purple heart veteran Fred Camp in his mid-nineties, just like the final men still alive.
Sam Studstill was the second purple-heart veteran from Georgia who served in the same divisionshared his dramatic journey of being drafted at the age of eighteen into the first “all draftee division” in World War II. Sam was another hero from the war whose humility is a symbol of the “greatest generation”. The special draftee division was never expected to do well, but this group rose to the call to duty in a way heroes do. #Bluedevils command are now the 88thReadiness Division and contribute invaluable foundation from their historian.
Tom Story was the third purple-heart veteran from Virginia the last hero the film team located. He and his wife provided an invaluable story of the perils of war and what it was like to not only live through one horrible fire fight after another. Tom would arrive home from battle and never discuss anything. CNN and many other leading groups tried to do an interview, but he refused to share anything, until two of his comrades in arms came forward. He so respected his band of brothers; he was honored to share his story too.
These became the final words for all three men whose memorial services were filled by churches who loved them. These were men who did not want to talk about what they did, but rather talk about their fallen soldiers who stood alongside of them. In an emotional re-telling of the front lines, these brave men were moved to tears.
Loretta Segars had reached out to Chuck Norris to consider if he would consider their story in film. #ChuckNorris referred them to our team knowing we had completed documentaries over the past many years. We spoke and discussed how Mr. Norris had placed his brand on #LastOunceOfCourage and we placed her book, Sand In Tuscany into adjudication. This was one of the highest rated books in over 300 submissions to our film company.
She was such a powerful woman and her thousands of hours researching her father and mother’s life began the journey for the feature documentary. As a grammar specialist, she had a way with words. Her family was completely emersed in a local Baptist church in Alabama, where Fred, her father had served as a deacon.
St Francis of Assisi always said, “Preach, and if you have to, use words.” This was the Camp family’s legacy. His wife could not even speak a word of English, but she married this soldier and the journey in this documentary will span almost seventy years. When their mother passed, Lorretta decided to write and tell their story.
After we premiered the film, Fred passed away and he was so happy how everything was completed telling the story of their love from his daughter’s heart. Later, Lorretta too would pass away as #OceaniaStudios began meetings in Los Angeles to place WAR BRIDE. The great part was that Loretta and Jimmy got to attend film festivals where they were honored and won.
To date, FINAL WORDS OF WWII is the most highly acclaimed film Oceania Studios and Veritas Mission Film Association has ever produced. There is footage from journalists embedded from the government where some film footage has never been seen or experienced. The cooperation of the United States Military and the 88th Readiness Division helped make this film possible.
When you leave a legacy, you want to have an exclamation point and the FINAL WORDS of WWII is only beginning. With the families whose relatives served in WWII, Oceania is creating a series in the major military theaters. This award-winning film has birthed its own legcy to be an in-depth look at the “boots on the ground”, the “at sea”, and “In the air” men and women whose lives will never be forgotten.
If you have a family member that has ever served on a foreign front, this film is for you. It’s content connects to the heart of those who are called by “Distant Drums”. Women served alongside of the men and what happened to the United States Armed Services displays the remarkable sacrifice of some of our last great heroes.
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