Winged Victory

Audience Reviews

View All (3)

Laurie N Created in 1943, Winged Victory became a defining chapter in my father’s life. At just 20 years old, Corporal Eugene B. Nelson was serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces map-making unit when someone heard him singing in the USAAF chapel choir. That moment changed everything. He was selected to join the 50-man chorale of Winged Victory—a Broadway production that went on to tour the country, become a feature film with 20th Century Fox, and was later released as a two-record album by Decca Records. Every choral passage in the show includes my father’s rich bass voice. This experience shaped his path, not only as a musician but as a man. Under the guidance of choral director Leonard de Paur during Winged Victory, Dad deepened his devotion to sacred music. Though he was invited to join the 20th Century Fox “stable,” as he called it, he declined and returned to St. Olaf College after the war. There, under the mentorship of Olaf Christiansen, he became a master choral director, known for his profound work in sacred a cappella music, changing many lives through his music. Gene lived to be 96 years old and is interred at Tahoma National Veteran's Cemetery. This film held deep meaning for those who were part of it—and for their families. You can hear my father share memories of his time in Winged Victory, along with photos and footage, here: https://youtu.be/KJ70X_ruPkc. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/15/25 Full Review Audience Member Of interest more for the cast, all the men were active duty personnel at the time, than the rather overly sentimental story. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member one of the better WWII pics made during WWII Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Winged Victory

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW