The Marietta History Center (MHC) is honored to celebrate Veterans Day with a special lecture and book signing event featuring acclaimed author Clint Smith. Smith’s presentation will draw on images from the Georgia National Guard history office and the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard, chronicling the history of the Guard from its inception in 1947. He will highlight significant milestones, including the creation of the first distinct aviation unit at Candler Field in Atlanta in 1941 and the official establishment of the Air National Guard in September 1947. The narrative will also touch upon the legacy of Gen. James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia and the first Georgia Guardsman, who epitomized the tradition of the minuteman.