The Chattooga County Historical Society invites everyone to its Summer Meeting on Sunday, July 19, at 2 p.m. at the historic Summerville Depot for a fascinating program featuring one of Chattooga County’s own whose life placed him at the center of several significant moments in American history.

Every person’s story is an important part of Chattooga County’s history. Occasionally, however, one of our citizens becomes involved in events that reach far beyond our county and become part of our nation’s history.

That is certainly true of Jim Lenderman, a Chattooga County native who joined the United States Marine Corps after graduating from college in 1975. Through skill, determination and exceptional training, Lenderman became an accomplished helicopter pilot whose military career placed him in some important events of the late twentieth century.

One of the highlights of the program will be Lenderman’s firsthand account of the 1980 mission to rescue the 53 Americans being held hostage in Iran. Although the rescue attempt ultimately was unsuccessful, the operation influenced the future of the U.S. military. Lenderman will briefly discuss the mission itself, the training, the challenges involved and his personal observations.

During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Lenderman was selected to fly Marine One, transporting President Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush. He will share what it was like to serve in one of the military’s most prestigious assignments and the responsibility that came with flying the President of the United States.

His distinguished career also included service as a helicopter pilot during Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait, where he participated in another major chapter of American military history.

In addition to hearing about these historic events, attendees will hear the personal side of Lenderman’s experiences. Jim will tell how he prepared for these extraordinary assignments, what it was like piloting large military helicopters under demanding conditions, which moments remain most vivid in his memory, and whether he ever imagined that a young man growing up in Chattooga County would one day find himself participating in these events. An opportunity for questions will follow Jim’s talk.

These are the kinds of stories that preserve not only our nation’s history but also the stories of Chattooga County. They remind us that history is often made by ordinary people from ordinary communities who are called upon to do extraordinary things.

The meeting is free and open to the public, and everyone with an interest in local, military or American history is encouraged to attend. Join the Chattooga County Historical Society on Sunday, July 19, at 2 p.m. at the Summerville Depot for an afternoon of history as told by someone who lived it.