Victory in Europe, 1945
By the last day of April 1945, it was clear that Allied victory over Nazi Germany was not far off. Russian armies were in Berlin, while American, British, and French armies slashed their way across Germany toward Austria, Denmark, and Czechoslovakia. This situation was the culmination of simultaneous attacks from
Sergeant Beauford T. Anderson
Born July 6, 1922, in Eagle, Wisconsin, Beauford T. Anderson had turned 19 years old by the time the U.S. entered the Second World War. He enlisted in the United States Army on October 8, 1942 and entered service with the newly activated 96th Infantry Division—one of the “draftee divisions”
Part II: Okinawa: The Battle Builds
In 1945, 75 years ago, World War II in the Pacific ended with the Battle of Okinawa and the atomic bombing of Japan. These important events, in which Wisconsin service members did their full duty, still impact the world today. From April until August 2020, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff
Elizabeth O’Hara Baehr
Serving Those Who Served: Immense Personal Satisfaction and Incredible Hardship Guest Author, Assistant Gift Shop Manager, Michael Olson France, July 1944−German buzz bombs fly overhead and the ambulances rush in their first patients. Many are in need of immediate surgery and many of them are German soldiers. “I thought
Part I: Okinawa: Genesis of a Battle
In 1945, 75 years ago, World War II in the Pacific ended with the Battle of Okinawa and the atomic bombing of Japan. These important events, in which Wisconsin service members did their full duty, still impact the world today. From April until August 2020, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff
A Date Which Will Live in Infamy by Emily Irwin
Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, where an estimated 200 Wisconsin men and women were stationed on December 7, 1941. One such Wisconsinite was Gunner’s Mate Stanley Gruber. A Butler, Wisconsin native, Gruber entered the Navy in 1939 and was stationed aboard the USS Maryland. In April 1940,
Theresa M. Dischler: A WAAC’s Story
Even before the attack on Pearl Harbor, plans were underway to form a military-affiliated organization for women. Its goal was to train women for noncombatant military positions, thereby freeing men for combat. Final approval passed Congress in May 1942 and established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) “for the purpose of further
World War WHERE? by Russ Horton
When Janesville native Louis Wayne Tyler was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, he probably imagined eventually being deployed to the European or Pacific Theaters. He might have considered the possibility of going to North Africa or the China-Burma-India Theater. He may have even heard stories of
D-Day + 70: Honoring Wisconsin’s Heroes by Kevin Hampton
“Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.” – General Dwight D.
Full Matching Leather Jackets
The standard issue uniform for American World War II soldiers consisted of a basic wool uniform, a field jacket or wool coat, leggings, and various other pieces. Most of the clothing was a light to medium shade of olive drab. Some soldiers even wore items from home—either because they needed
- 1
- 2