Duffus Presentation

At the close of the 20th century, a momentous turning point in American history was occurring and its consequence was hardly understood nor appreciated. The nation’s “Greatest Generation” and their memories of the Second World War were rapidly being lost.

Around that time, Raleigh-based research historian, author, and filmmaker, Kevin Duffus embarked on an ambitious project to produce a three-hour television documentary focused on the first six months of 1942 when German U-boats waged unrestricted warfare on Allied merchant and military vessels off the Outer Banks. The production, titled “War Zone,” was largely based on the experiences of residents off North Carolina’s barrier islands and how the war affected their daily lives. Dozens of video interviews were recorded by Duffus on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, as well as locations in Virginia, Texas, and California. Many of the interviews conducted by Duffus feature names familiar to, and beloved by many Ocracokers.

The result was not just an award-winning film, but the preservation of irreplaceable memories and the stories of those men and women who witnessed one of the most dramatic and dangerous chapters of North Carolina history. In 2012, Duffus expanded his research and oral histories in greater detail with a 300-page book of the same title.

Now, in a special keynote multi-media program, Kevin Duffus tells of the time when Ocracoke Island was on the front line of the war, when the island lost its innocence and lives of our greatest generation were irrevocably changed. Shocking, emotionally stirring, humorous, and ironic, “War Zone” is told from the perspective of everyday people who faced daunting challenges with perseverance, patriotism, and uncommon valor.