WWIIVHP BLOG
Discover the latest from the WWII Veterans History Project.
Follow our journey of capturing the stories of WWII veterans, educating the next generation, and giving the past a future, one story at a time.
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN WWII VETERAN TURNS 100
Please join us in wishing a happy 100th birthday to WWII veteran Daniel Keel, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, a group of Black pilots who persevered in the face of racism within the United States armed forces and were able to make a valuable contribution to the war effort…
LONGSTANDING MONARCH AND WWII VETERAN QUEEN ELIZABETH II DIES AT 96
Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96. Her death marks the end of an era, coinciding with the rapid passing of the World War II generation. She was the last surviving head of state to have served during World War II…
WWII US NAVY WAVES VETERAN TURNS 101
101-year-old Priscilla Getchell was born in Massachusetts in 1921 and attended Boston University before she answered the nation's call to serve in the US Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor…
JFK PT BOAT SUNK BY JAPANESE
On this day in 1943, PT-109 was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer in the South Pacific. With future President John F. Kennedy in command, PT-109 and the remarkable story of the crew’s survival has become legendary…
DECORATED WWII FIGHTER PILOT DIES AT 101
Today the WWII Veterans History Project honors the life and service of decorated WWII fighter pilot Jack Hallett, who recently passed away at the age of 101. We had the privilege to interview him in 2018, capturing his wartime memories in a compelling video interview…
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AND WWII VETERAN DIES AT 99
Today the WWII Veterans History Project honors the life and service of Holocaust survivor and WWII veteran Harry Stern. Harry recently passed away at the age of 99. We had the privilege to interview him in 2019, preserving his wartime memories for generations to come…
LAST WWII MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT DIES AT 98
Today the WWII Veterans History Project honors the life and service of Hershel "Woody" Williams, America's last living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Woody passed away early this morning at the age of 98, after a lifetime dedicated to honoring and serving his fellow veterans…
WWII AS THEY SAW IT: BILL CUMBAA / DOCUMENTARY
Today we’re excited to release the third episode of World War II As They Saw It, featuring the story of Bill Cumbaa, a highly decorated Marine Corps veteran…
US 2ND RANGER BATTALION RELIEVED AT POINTE DU HOC
On this day in 1944, the US 2nd Ranger Battalion at Pointe du Hoc was relieved by the 29th Infantry Division. Halfway between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc's 100-foot cliffs were scaled by the rangers in the early hours of D-Day, capturing and holding the vital position for two days…
REMEMBERING D-DAY | 78TH ANNIVERSARY
With flak bursting around him and bullets whizzing through the dark sky, 18-year-old Michael Camasso opened his parachute and glided down into the unknown. The date was June 6, 1944, D-Day. As a Private First Class in HQ Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Camasso was one of 13,000 American paratroopers to jump into France during the Allied invasion of occupied Europe…
D-DAY ANNIVERSARY
In the early hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944, John Raaen was among the first to land on Omaha Beach, serving as Headquarters Company Commander of the 5th Ranger Battalion…
320th BARRAGE BALLOON BATALION ON D-DAY
On June 6, 1944, soldiers from the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion were scattered in landing craft up and down Utah and Omaha Beaches. Among them was 22-year-old Thomas E. McKinley Jr…
Memorial Day
Memorial Day gives us a chance to reflect on the past and remember that freedom isn't free. Today the WWII Veterans History Project is recognizing all the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom…
SOVIET TROOPS CAPTURE VIENNA, AUSTRIA
On this day in 1945, Soviet troops captured Vienna, Austria. As a major city in the Third Reich, Vienna had been bombarded continuously for the year before the arrival of Soviet troops, and many buildings had already been damaged or destroyed…