A feature documentary in production
The 36
An American Family Answers the Call
As America nears its 250th birthday, this story offers a way to remember who we are and the sacrifices that brought us here.
One Family.
36 Cousins.
Countless Stories.
Karl Heinrich Philip Ludwig Nolte
From this man would come the 36 Nolte cousins who answered the call in America’s hour of need.
THE 36: An American Family Answers the Call tells the remarkable true story of the Nolte rooted in Fairmont, Minnesota. An ordinary rural family that sent thirty-six cousins to serve in World War II.
They served as soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics, engineers, and support personnel across the Army, Navy, Air Corps, and Marines.
Every one of them came home alive.
Minneapolis Star-Journal, May 21, 1946
"From One Family Tree: 36 Nolte Cousins Served in War; Two Wounded"
Martin Louis Nolte - An Army Veteran served rom 1942-1945
USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) - Where V.A. Nolte served - after being struck by a kamikaze
Vern Nolte - A Navy Pilot in WWII
From the flight decks of Navy carriers to the fields of Europe, from engineering units, intel collection, to medical corps—the 36 cousins served wherever duty called.
More Than a Film — A Living Legacy
This project preserves one family's story so future generations can understand the meaning of service, citizenship, and sacrifice in a free society.
Preserving the Nolte Legacy
We aim to record, honor, and elevate the Nolte family's contributions at the county, state, and national level. Ensuring their story is not lost to time, but shared as a touchstone of American character.
Reconnecting Younger Generations
Younger Americans are actively searching for identity. THE 36 offers a pathway back to heritage, showing that patriotism can be rooted in lineage, humanity, and real, lived history rather than slogans.
A Story That Can Grow
The documentary is the starting point for a broader legacy: potential educational content for America's 250th, museum or installation concepts, streaming series, and materials that civic and military institutions can use to inspire the next generation of American patriots.
We are inviting a small circle of early partners to help steward this story into the world with care and excellence.
