Curator Conversations – Tracing Private Ryan: World War II Genealogy

Online WI, United States

Are you interested in filling in the stories of your ancestors who are World War II veterans? Have you been trying but you’ve run into roadblocks? Let Wisconsin Veterans Museum Reference Archivist, Russ Horton help.   Privacy laws, federal records destroyed in a fire, and a plethora of acronyms and military jargon can all combine to make researching a World War II veteran challenging. In this Curator Conversation, Russ will share methods and tips you can use to figure out the types of information to seek, ways to understand the information when you get it, and more as you trace the World War II ancestor in your family tree.  REGISTER HERE  

Free

Curator Conversations – Akira Toki and the Purple Heart Battalion

Online WI, United States

Tune in to this Curator Conversations and be inspired by the bravery of Japanese-Americans who served in the United States military during World War II. Many of the 20,000 Japanese-Americans who served, including a Madison, Wisconsin native named Akira Toki, did so as part of the 442nd Regimental Combat team. This unit was made up predominantly of Japanese-Americans who fought Nazis, prejudice, and questions about their loyalty. These brave men defeated them all, becoming one of the most decorated American units in the war and earning the nickname The Purple Heart Battalion.  REGISTER HERE

Free