PT-305: A New Orleans Hometown Hero
As 1943 turned to 1944, PT-305 departed New Orleans, and she would not be back for more than six decades.
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Article TypeEleanor Roosevelt's Response to Germany's Invasion of Poland
In her September 2, 1939, My Day column, Eleanor Roosevelt reacts to the news of Germany's invasion of Poland, sharing her dismay at Adolf Hitler's actions and expressing sorrow for the European nations facing the crisis.
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The Axis Powers of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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The Allies of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
This legislation was the culmination of efforts by American citizens, activists, and politicians across the political spectrum to insulate the United States from foreign conflicts and prevent the country from being drawn into another global war.
D-Day and the Normandy Campaign
On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched the long-anticipated invasion of Normandy, France. Soldiers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations faced Hitler's formidable Atlantic Wall as they landed on the beaches of Normandy.
European Theater of Operations
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The Axis Powers of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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Article Type
Operation Dragoon: Invasion of Southern France
Originally designated Operation Anvil and intended to support the hammer blow of the Normandy landings two months earlier, the renamed Operation Dragoon fulfilled an American desire for a lodgment in southern France that shifted forces from the strategic cul-de-sac of Italy.
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James Allen Ward: The Pilot Who Risked It All to Save His Crew
A young New Zealander airman receives a Victoria Cross for his daring feats.
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Frank Kameny: WWII Veteran, Patriot, and LGBTQ+ Activist
Frank Kameny saw combat in Europe during the war, only to return home to face discrimination from the very country he served.
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Jewish Resistance in Amsterdam
Though they resisted in many ways, Amsterdam’s Jewish population suffered immensely in World War II.
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Garland Kerlec’s Fuse Pin Diary
Technical Sergeant Garland Kerlec used the bomb fuse tags to make a sort of diary of his combat flights, recording the date, target, as well as some commentary on the nature of the mission.
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FDR's D-Day Prayer
On June 6, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt's usual "fireside chat" would be replaced with a joint prayer with the American people.
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The First Man on the Beaches of Normandy
US Army Captain Leonard T. Schroeder Jr. was the first man down the ramp and straight into waist-deep water at Utah Beach. As he trudged toward the shoreline, his M-1 helmet stayed firmly affixed to his head as he tried to avoid enemy fire.
Pacific Theater of Operations
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The Axis Powers of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
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Article Type
Landing Vehicle Tracked: Armored Ship-to-Shore Movement
On display in the John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion, The National WWII Museum’s LTV-4 is a testament to American innovation.
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Godzilla and World War II: Long Live the King of Monsters
Beyond commentary on the burgeoning Cold War, many of Eiji Tsuburaya’s and Ishiro Honda’s production decisions are meant to reflect the Japanese experience of World War II.
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The Depths of Courage: Howard Gilmore and the USS Growler
Commander Howard Gilmore’s story is certainly one of extraordinary valor, dedication, and sacrifice.
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Jefferson DeBlanc and the Air Battle for Guadalcanal
When Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc entered Guadalcanal, the United States had been fighting a defensive campaign against Japanese attempts to retake Henderson Airfield and dominate the surrounding seas.
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Soldier Who Died in Japanese POW Camp Accounted for 80 Years Later
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that 20-year-old US Army Private First Class Joseph C. Murphy of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was considered accounted for on April 1, 2024.
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A Contested Legacy: The Men of Montford Point and the Good War
Despite their commendable service during World War II, the Marines of Montford Point would regularly contend with societal forces that vehemently resisted all measures taken toward racial integration.
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Unaccounted For No More: Sgt. Harold Hammett
WWII US Marine Corps Sergeant Harold Hammett, fallen on Tarawa in 1943, is finally laid to rest in the family plot after 80 years.
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Home Front
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PT-305: A New Orleans Hometown Hero
As 1943 turned to 1944, PT-305 departed New Orleans, and she would not be back for more than six decades.
-
Article Type
The Allies of World War II
World War II was a global conflict involving nearly every country in the world. But who was on each side—and why?
-
Article Type
The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
This legislation was the culmination of efforts by American citizens, activists, and politicians across the political spectrum to insulate the United States from foreign conflicts and prevent the country from being drawn into another global war.
-
Article Type
The 'Lost Olympics' of 1940 and 1944
The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) plans for the 1940 Summer Games took many unexpected turns as the world drifted toward global war.
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When Higgins Boats Invaded New Orleans' Lakefront
On July 23, 1944, a celebration marked a milestone in production for Higgins Industries, which had just finished its 10,000th boat for delivery to the US Navy.
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Lend-Lease to the Eastern Front
Despite being overlooked in many circles, American “Lend-Lease” support sent to the USSR not only tipped the scales in Eastern Europe but enabled the victory on the Russian Front.
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Navy Exonerates 256 Black Sailors Punished after 1944 Port Chicago Explosion
The exoneration was announced on the 80th anniversary of the explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California that killed 320 people and injured 400 others.
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July 4, 1941: FDR's Address to the Nation
From Franklin D. Roosevelt’s perspective in the White House, democracy was under attack overseas and at home in mid-1941.
Medal of Honor Recipients of World War II
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Article Type
The Depths of Courage: Howard Gilmore and the USS Growler
Commander Howard Gilmore’s story is certainly one of extraordinary valor, dedication, and sacrifice.
-
Article Type
Jefferson DeBlanc and the Air Battle for Guadalcanal
When Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc entered Guadalcanal, the United States had been fighting a defensive campaign against Japanese attempts to retake Henderson Airfield and dominate the surrounding seas.
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Article Type
Rudolph B. Davila's Medal of Honor
Second Lieutenant Rudolph B. Davila, of Spanish-Filipino descent, received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions near Artena, Italy, during World War II.
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Manuel Pérez Jr.’s Medal of Honor
After parachuting on Tagaytay Ridge, Manuel Pérez participated in the horrendous fighting with the Japanese in the Philippines' capital city of Manila, the scene of some of the bloodiest urban combat of the war.
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A 'Gallant Stand' at Monte Battaglia: Manuel V. Mendoza’s Medal of Honor
For what he did on October 4, 1944, Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza garnered a special place in the history of Nazi Germany’s defeat.
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Johnnie David Hutchins's Medal of Honor
The loss of Johnnie David Hutchins was devastating to his family, but his moment of bravery almost certainly saved other parents and siblings from experiencing that same loss in the fall of 1943.
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John Joseph Parle's Medal of Honor
Navy Ensign John Joseph Parle risked his own life to save a ship and ensure a successful Allied amphibious invasion of Sicily in 1943.
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Robert Craig’s Medal of Honor
For his heroic service as an infantry officer during the Allied invasion of Sicily, Second Lieutenant Robert Craig was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on July 11, 1943.
