The Malmedy Massacre: the Survivor Story of Sergeant Henry “Roy” Zach
The Malmedy Massacre was a German war crime committed by soldiers of the Waffen-SS on 17 December 1944 at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). Soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper shot and killed 84 unarmed
WISCONSIN’S HIGHLY-DECORATED WWII VETERAN MEGELLAS FEATURED IN NEW DISPLAY
WISCONSIN’S HIGHLY-DECORATED WWII VETERAN MEGELLAS FEATURED IN NEW DISPLAY Megellas Family entrusts WVM with internationally renowned war hero’s collection (MADISON, Wis.) September 5, 2024—The artifacts of one of Wisconsin’s legendary World War II heroes, James Megellas, will soon be added to the permanent exhibits at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. On
James Megellas: Meeting a Hero; Knowing the Person
Meeting James “Maggie” Megellas will always be a highlight of my career with the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Growing up, the World War II generation was almost larger-than-life in my perception. I was fortunate to grow up on stories from my grandparents and their generation at the peak of public memory
A Shared Experience
Written By: Andrea Hoffman, Collections Manager While there are numerous reasons Wisconsin residents have joined the military over the last 150 years—each generation met with unique historical events and changing social expectations—serving one’s country has also been a shared experience within families. Whether a parent and child, siblings, or spouses,
Together in War by Emily Irwin
Born twenty minutes apart in Kiel, Wisconsin, identical twins Willard and Wilbur Diefenthaler share a story of duty and sacrifice during World War II. They were drafted together on December 7, 1942 and after induction at Fort Sheridan, Wilbur joined the 919th Field Artillery and Willard went to the 101st