A Flash of Green

After being wounded by the first explosions at Pearl Harbor, Charles McCandless fought in the most critical battles against Imperial Japan in World War II. Midway, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, and Iwo Jima, to name a few. When he got home, like many veterans, he never talked about it. When Sandra McCandless Simons first read her father’s memoir, its revelations inspired her to publish his book so that others could experience his unique perspective on the war in the Pacific. Using newly-discovered archive footage along with unique images from McCandless family scrapbooks, this film brings the vivid storytelling of Charles’ memoir to the screen, along with fresh insight and humanity to one of the most consequential military struggles in history.

Based on the personal memoir: A Flash of Green by Charles S. McCandless

About the Filmmaker

Writer, director/cameraman and producer Edward Nachtrieb has a varied background that includes documentaries, feature films, television series, public service outreach, and international photojournalism.
Nachtrieb began his career as a photojournalist for Reuters in the 1980’s when he covered stories throughout Asia including the Philippine “people power” revolution, political unrest in Korea, and the pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square.
His TV credits include Supervising Producer and Director for the Travel Channel’s John Ratzenberger’s Made in America and the Executive Producer and Director of the acclaimed “Small Shots” for TNN/Spike.

Watch the post-screening conversation featuring filmmaker Edward Nachtrieb, Sandra McCandless, and Admiral Zlatoper

Plays in

Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses with A Flash of Green

Two documentary films focusing on World War II experiences.