MOBILE, Ala. — USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and a major cable television network are making it easier to say thanks to those currently serving in our armed forces, as well as the veterans of all wars. HBO, in partnership with national museums dedicated to preserving World War II history, has launched a video tribute campaign, enabling everyone to record a video “thank you” that could become part of a montage to appear on HBO.com.

The HBO Pacific Tribute Campaign kiosk at Battleship Park will record a 30-second video message, free of charge. The touch-screen display is as easy to use as an ATM, and uses new technology known as MeTV so individuals can record a high-definition message and e-mail it to any address.

All videos recorded at the park will go directly to HBO where select videos will be included in the national montage. There is also an option to send the video to a soldier, something ideal for those with a friend or family member currently serving at home or overseas.

“We were a natural fit because of the World War II ships we have here,” said Karen Conner, director of sales and marketing at Battleship Park. Both the USS Alabama and the submarine USS Drum saw action during that war.

Conner noted that U.S. WWII veterans are dying at a rate of 1,500 per day, and the kiosk is an excellent opportunity to let them know what their sacrifices meant while they are still around. She said, “It’s more important now than ever to say thanks.”

The tribute campaign coincides with the recent premiere of HBO’s epic 10-part miniseries “The Pacific,” based on the true stories of World War II Marines and executive-produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman.

The program follows the intertwined real-life journeys of three U.S. Marines, Robert Leckie (played by James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello) and John Basilone (Jon Seda), across the Pacific Theater during World War II, from their first battle with the Japanese on Guadalcanal, through the rain forests of Cape Gloucester and the strongholds of Peleliu, across the bloody sands of Iwo Jima and through the horror of Okinawa, and finally to their triumphant but uneasy return home after V-J Day.

One of those Marines (Sledge) was from Mobile, as is Dr. Sidney C. Phillips, who helped keep his childhood friend’s story alive, and who also served in Leckie’s unit of the 1st Marine Division. Phillips is portrayed in the film by actor Ashton Holmes.

Part One of the miniseries aired on March 14, and other parts will debut on consecutive Sundays at the same time (8 p.m. CDT) through May 16.

Asked about the respect paid to active duty service members and veterans today in comparison with those who returned home from Vietnam, Conner said, “You see protests going on at the funerals of these soldiers. They’re not being spit upon, but there are still protests out there.

“We are here to show our respects and memorialize what they did for our country, and we’re giving others the ability to say thanks.”

The HBO Pacific Tribute Campaign kiosk will remain at Battleship Memorial Park through the month of May. Museum hours are 8 a.m.–6 p.m., seven days a week.

Conner said folks don’t have to come to Battleship Park, however, to say thanks. Anyone can use their Web cam to record a tribute by downloading “The Pacific” widget from www.ussalabama.com.

The real and virtual kiosks were set up on Tuesday, and both have already generated a lot of activity.

“People are excited,” Conner said. “The first guy who recorded a video is active duty, with friends serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He told them to keep their heads up and remain strong.”

Zach Enterlin, HBO vice president of advertising and promotions, stated, “We are honored to help provide an opportunity for friends, family, neighbors and everyday citizens to thank veterans and active duty military members for their service to our country. Our hope is that the faces and voices in these personal video messages will demonstrate the true, heartfelt gratitude our nation owes to the men and women of our armed forces.”

Other museums supporting the campaign are American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum, Fort Worth, Texas; Battleship Cove, Fall River, Mass.; Battleship Missouri Memorial: Honolulu, Hawaii: Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, Camden, N.J.; Battleship Wisconsin at Nauticus, Norfolk, Va.; Carnegie Science Center-USS Requin Submarine, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Charlestown Navy Yard Visitors Center, Boston, Mass.; National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Va.; National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg, Texas; National Naval Aviation Museum. Pensacola, Fla.; Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, La.; United States Navy Memorial Foundation, Washington D.C.; USS LEXINGTON Museum On The Bay, Corpus Christi, Texas; and the USS Midway Museum, San Diego, Calif.

The program is also being supported by the Historic Naval Ships Association.

The HBO miniseries is a production of Playtone and DreamWorks. Hanks, Spielberg and Goetzman are the producing team also behind the Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-winning 2001 HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers,” about WWII as fought in Europe.