Tales & Tunes from the
Greatest Generation
Award-winning actress and singer Joan Freed shares her father’s World War II journey through his letters and the songs he loved, turning his memories into a moving story of courage, love, and resilience.
Award-winning actress and singer Joan Freed shares the extraordinary wartime journey of her father, First Lieutenant Mitchell Gould of the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Through his letters, personal stories, and the music of the 1940s, Freed weaves a moving portrait of service, sacrifice, and resilience. Her performance captures the humor and humanity that carried soldiers through hardship, with songs like Irving Berlin’s “This Is the Army, Mr. Jones” adding moments of warmth and nostalgia.
Freed’s storytelling honors a generation through one man’s voice, brought vividly to life on stage. Portland audiences will recognize her from her record-breaking solo show Chocolate Confessions at the Portland Art Museum’s Commandery Theatre, as well as appearances at Lakewood Theatre, Broadway Rose, and Stumptown Stages.
Tunisia, North Africa
Mitchell Gould, First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
One Last Drink
Mitchell with his brother, having a day on the town in NYC before shipping out.
June 6, 1944
Mitchell Gould in Rome on D-Day.
AMERICA 250 OREGON EVENT
The America 250 Oregon Commission was created through Senate Bill 1531, which was signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek on March 27, 2024. Chaired by the Oregon Historical Society’s executive director, Kerry Tymchuk, the commission will coordinate and provide guidance for Oregon’s official observance of the United States Semiquincentennial.
