The Search Continues…
Newsletter #10: Oct. 9, 2026 – Never in my wildest imagination would I have believed in 2022 that in 2026, I would still be looking for Cornelia’s 1942 war bond film. But I am. Each day I hope it will be the day I finally hear Cornelia’s voice for the first time.
More than four years ago, I began my search for a short war bond film in which Cornelia appeared in 1942. From 1942 newspaper articles, I had a lot of primary source information about the film so I naively thought it would be easy to find.
Because of her Pearl Harbor experience, the U.S. Treasury Department asked Cornelia to tell her story in one of their “Minute Men for Victory” series of war bond films. MGM Studios came to Nashville in late April 1942 to film Cornelia and others telling their stories to promote the sale of war bonds. MGM filmed Cornelia’s segment at the WSM radio station studio in downtown Nashville. The Fort family has a still photo showing Cornelia in the studio during filming. Her film was shown in theaters in summer 1942 in between reels of This Above All, a Hollywood movie starring Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine that won an Oscar for Best Art Direction, Black-and-White.
If I do eventually find it, I will write a book about the experience so for now, I will spare everyone all of the details about the many leads I followed that were dead ends. It’s frustrating yet I continue to pursue every possible lead. The thought of being able to hear Cornelia’s voice for the first time keeps me motivated to continue my research. I had planned on opening my Crosswinds documentary with Cornelia’s film. When I did not find it, I used the still photo and audio with direct quotes from her 1942 interviews with news reporters. It’s one of my favorite parts of Crosswinds. Cornelia’s great-great niece is Cornelia’s voice throughout my documentary.
I have mentioned in previous newsletters that I was following a new lead. That is still the case. It’s been a very long process but I believe I will know one way or the other in the next couple of weeks. The process involves going back to original 35mm film from 1942 that has not yet been digitized.
Of all of the lessons I’ve learned from researching Cornelia’s life, two stand out. First, so many textual records from World War II are tragically lost to history. And second, the vast majority of film from World War II has not yet been digitized.
As an aside, I am not a big fan of AI in the creative world of the arts. I’m not sure how original content production can be sustained if there is no way for writers and artists to make a living from their talents. If AI can scrub everything and take what they want for free, what is the incentive to produce original, impeccably researched content? Content companies are currently filing lawsuits against AI companies to protect their business. This will certainly remain in the headlines in the coming months and years.
I bring this up because I decided to use AI to find out what percentage of film from World War II has been digitized. I asked AI, “What percent of film produced by the U.S. government during World War II has been digitized?” The answer: 10 percent.
That is why my search for Cornelia’s war bond film is taking so long. It’s not online so I’m back to channeling Nancy Drew! I’m currently working with a film library that has an extensive collection of original 1942 35mm films in their physical archive.
If anyone reading this newsletter has a relative, neighbor or friend who has a collection of WWII films (16mm or 35mm), please let me know and I will reach out to them. About 70 copies of Cornelia’s film were made so I believe one could be tucked away in a box in an attic somewhere. If so, I may have to write a 2026 version of the 1944 Nancy Drew classic, The Secret in the Old Attic!
If I do find the film, I will immediately send out a newsletter letting everyone know. Stay tuned!
All the best,
Judy