World War II (Page 2)

Latest in World War II

World War II squadron

The WWII bombardier whose family spent 12 years bringing him home from the ocean floor

By Stephen Ruiz

This is what a broom tied to a mast means in the US Navy

This is what a broom tied to a mast means in the US Navy

This plane survived Pearl Harbor and struck back at Midway

By Miguel Ortiz

Million Dollar Point WWII Dump Site Vanuatu.

The Allies refused to buy American surplus after WWII so US troops pushed it into the ocean

By Bethaney Phillips

Handmade U.S. flag

How a soldier’s homemade US flag made it from a WWII POW camp to the Smithsonian

By Stephen Ruiz

https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Admiral_William_D._Leahy_right_shakes_hands_with_Admiral_Joseph_M._Reeves_NH_47298.jpg

The highest ranking US military officer in World War II isn’t who you think

By Blake Stilwell

B-29 Superfortress bomber

This WWII aviation program was more expensive than the Manhattan Project

By Miguel Ortiz

USS Arizona Pearl Harbor

How I teach the rise of dictators and America’s uneasy road to World War II

By Daniel Tobias Flint

George C. Scott's delivery in "Patton" was pretty good, but it apparently paled in comparison to Patton's real pre-battle speech.

Patton’s famous speech was way more vulgar than the one in the movie

By Blake Stilwell

World War II bombing of Nagasaki

This Marine survived the Bataan Death March, a ship sinking, and an atomic bomb

By Stephen Ruiz

The mathematician who saved hundreds of flight crews during World War II

Joe Foss Guadalcanal

This Medal of Honor recipient came up with the idea for the Super Bowl

By Stephen Ruiz

John Frum Movement

The John Frum Movement and World War II ‘cargo cults’

By Daniel Tobias Flint

Japanese balloon bomb

How the Navy once mistook Venus for a Japanese war balloon

By Bethaney Phillips

postwar mafia newspapers

World War II alliances fueled the resurgence of the post-war American mafia

By Daniel Tobias Flint

general patton grave

The reason Gen. George Patton is buried in Luxembourg

By Miguel Ortiz

Olympian Charley Paddock

This Olympian served under a Medal of Honor recipient during World War II

By Stephen Ruiz

communication world war II marine corps mail

Here’s what communication back home looked like during World War II

By Bethaney Phillips

Henry J.F. Miller

How a drunken major general almost ruined the surprise of D-Day

By Daniel Tobias Flint

Navy Combat Demolition Unit reenactment

Naval Combat Demolition Units and the sailors who made D-Day possible

By Daniel Tobias Flint

Aleutian Islands

Japan’s invasion of Alaska and the only World War II land campaign on American soil

By Daniel Tobias Flint

netherlands american cemetery dvids

The Dutch wait years to adopt World War II graves in Netherlands American Cemetery

By Blake Stilwell

mafia mussolini

The American mafia teamed up with the Navy to get even with Mussolini

By Daniel Tobias Flint

ITALY - APRIL 01: World War Ii, Liberation Of Milan On April 1945 (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Italian women quietly enabled a new front for the Allies in World War II

By Gina Napoletano

Triple Nickles: A C-47 carries parachutists of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion to the scene of a remote fire in Wallowa forest, Oregon. (National Archives)

America’s first all-Black paratrooper unit protected American civilians during World War II

By Daniel Tobias Flint

battle of the bulge german soldiers shutterstock

3 Stories from the Battle of the Bulge you won’t see in ‘Band of Brothers’

By Adam Gramegna

operation pastorius sentence nazi saboteurs prison removal

Nazi sabotage teams were captured infiltrating the US during World War II

By Daniel Tobias Flint

Five men in military uniforms and caps stand together in front of an aircraft. They appear to be airmen, wearing light-colored shirts with insignia and dark belts, with some having pilot wings on their chests. The photo is black and white, suggesting it is historical.

These pilots fought back during the attack on Pearl Harbor

By Miguel Ortiz

james howard one man air force

The ‘One Man Air Force’ took on dozens of enemy fighters even after his guns ran dry

By Friedrich Seiltgen

ramages rampage

‘Ramage’s Rampage’ saw a World War II sub sink 5 ships in 40 minutes

marines at tripoli

‘The Few. The Proud’: The moments that made the Marines the Marines

100 year old marine reunited with iwo jima tank marine corps

100-year-old Marine reunited with tank he drove on Iwo Jima

By Miguel Ortiz

mcpherson americas last world war II fighter ace

Donald McPherson, America’s last World War II fighter ace, dies at 103

By Miguel Ortiz

World War II airman Alan Magee survived a 22,000-foot fall without a parachute

By Friedrich Seiltgen

Kilroy was here

‘Kilroy Was Here’ was the World War II-era viral meme

By Blake Stilwell

This World War II veteran played a song for the sniper trying to kill him

This World War II veteran played a song for the sniper trying to kill him

By Blake Stilwell

atomic veterans atomic echoes blue chalk media

‘Atomic Echoes’ follows the stories of atomic bomb survivors 80 years after World War II

By Shannon Corbeil

Papa Jake Larson

D-Day veteran and beloved TikTok star Papa Jake Larson dies at 102

By Miguel Ortiz

Harrowing photos show one B-17 bombing another B-17 in combat

meatless tuesday world war II foods

The 9 worst creations Americans called food during World War II

By Blake Stilwell

babyface gunner

‘The Babyface Gunner’ took one of World War II’s most dangerous jobs at age 14

By Friedrich Seiltgen

D-Day World War II 48-Star Flag

Celebrate the heroes of D-Day with these unique World War II-era 48-star flags

By Blake Stilwell

A memorial plaque dedicated to Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld, 2nd Company, Fues Battalion, 275th Infantry Division, commemorating his actions on November 19, 1944, in the Hürtgen Forest where he gave his life trying to save an American soldier. The plaque includes inscriptions in English and German, a cross symbol, and is placed by the Twenty Second United States Infantry Society - World War II and the Veteranen-Vereinigung 2. Weltkrieg 22. US Inf. Rgt., 4. Inf. Div. Next to the plaque is a black-and-white portrait of Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld in military uniform and cap.

Why an American infantry unit built a monument for a fallen German soldier

By Blake Stilwell

A close-up of a wooden rifle stock with a metal bolt action and a mounted scope. Attached to the stock is a brass plaque with the inscription: "FOR OBVIOUS REASONS THE RETURN OF THIS RIFLE AFTER GERMANY IS DEFEATED WOULD BE DEEPLY APPRECIATED." The background is a textured brown surface.

American civilians donated personal weapons to the British during World War II

By Blake Stilwell

Three wristwatches with black textured dials featuring detailed designs. The left watch has a silver case, a beige ring with markings, and a brown leather strap, with a map-like design and text including "PRAESIDUS" and "D-DAY LINE." The middle watch has a black case and black suede strap, with a textured dial depicting a raised figure and landscape. The right watch has a black case, an orange ring with markings, and a black textured strap, with a similar map-like design and text as the left watch but in orange.

This 80th anniversary Battle of Iwo Jima watch has actual sand from the island

By Miguel Ortiz

Long Beach, CA - July 06: Larry Wood, a Hot Wheels toy designer for 50 years, is being inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit on July 20. His garage is practically a living history of Hot Wheels and all things automotive, from classic cars to classic gas pumps, in Long Beach on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Wood worked for Mattel Toys in El Segundo and has been a resident of Redondo Beach for over 5 decades. He still plays with cars, big and small, at the age of 81. (Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)

World War II veteran responsible for Mattel, Barbie, Hot Wheels, He-Man, Polly Pocket and more

An elderly man wearing glasses, a beige jacket, a checkered shirt, and a white military-style cap is smiling and holding a microphone. He is seated at a wooden table in a room with wood-paneled walls and shelves with decorative items. Blue balloons are visible above him, and a woman in a gray sweater is sitting to his right.

Warren Upton, oldest Pearl Harbor survivor, dies at 105

By Miguel Ortiz

The ‘unluckiest’ U-boat of World War II couldn’t even sink itself

The ‘unluckiest’ U-boat of World War II couldn’t even sink itself

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. “Papa Jake” Larson, 101-year-old veteran who served valiantly during World War II.

Disney honors 101-year-old WWII Army veteran during his first visit

Crew of B-24 Heaven Can Wait. Photo: National Archives — Project Recover is a collaborative effort to enlist 21st-century science and technology in a quest to find and repatriate World War II MIAs to bring recognition to the service member, closure for their families, and to help a grateful Nation keep its sacred promise to bring our MIAs home. As a result of Project Recover’s missions, there are 84 MIAs awaiting recovery at this time (January 2020). Since 1993, Project Recover (formerly The BentProp Project) has located 30+ downed World War II US aircraft associated with scores of MIA service members.

WWII airman’s remains positively identified 80 years after final mission

By Tessa Robinson

White Beach Patrol Headquarters building with round windows and a clock on the front, surrounded by palm trees under a clear blue sky.

New WWII exhibit opens in Miami Beach

By Tessa Robinson

Bill Allen honored at the Grand Ole Opry on stage

99-year-old WWII veteran honored at Grand Ole Opry’s 99th birthday celebration

An elderly man in a red satin jacket and matching red cap with pins sits in a wheelchair, wearing turquoise and white beaded necklaces. He is engaged in conversation with a younger man wearing a light blue button-up shirt, a wide-brimmed black hat adorned with silver decorations, glasses, and multiple beaded necklaces. The younger man also wears a large silver and turquoise bracelet and holds a piece of paper. They are indoors with a window in the background.

Navajo Code Talker John Kinsel Sr. passes away at 107

By Miguel Ortiz

Soviet Union captures Romania

Today in military history: Soviet Union captures Romania

Operation Gunnerside: The most successful sabotage of WWII

By Bethaney Phillips

Nagasaki atomic bomb

Today in military history: US drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki

Soviets declare war Japan

Today in military history: Soviets declare war on Japan

Today in military history: US forces invade Guadalcanal

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb

Today in military history: US drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima

Operation Gomorrah

Today in military history: Brits launch Operation Gomorrah against Nazis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Dr. Ruth Westheimer attends Annual Charity Day Hosted By Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC and GFI - BGC Office – Inside on September 11, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald)

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, acclaimed sex therapist and Israeli Defense Force sniper, dies at 96

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Mel Brooks speaks onstage at the "Spaceballs" screening during the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 21, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCM)

WWII vet and Hollywood icon Mel Brooks celebrates the big 9-8

prisoners of war during Desert Storm

7 POWs who were total badasses after being taken captive

The ‘Great Raid’ liberated more than 500 POWs

The ‘Great Raid’ liberated more than 500 POWs

By Jessica Evans