Welcome to the third adventure in our Virginia Archives Month series! The U.S. Navy celebrated their 250th birthday on October 13, 2025 at the Virginia War Memorial. In honor of their celebration, this week’s post will focus on photographs from Navy veterans. Anna Mangum Cope and the Korean War Although …
Continue Reading
Welcome to the second week of Virginia Archives Month! This October, the St. James Armenian Church of Richmond, VA hosted their 65th Annual Armenian Food Festival. It is one of the city’s oldest and longest running food festivals, and celebrates the rich history of the Armenian community in the River …
Continue Reading
Oh Snap!: Photography in the Archives The Virginia Archives Month is a part of the annual celebration of American Archives Month held in October. The observance raises awareness of the importance of preserving and sharing local, state, and national historical records. This year’s theme is Oh Snap!: Photography in the …
Continue ReadingEvery veteran has a story. No matter when they served, where they served, or how long they served, every story has value. This is the driving belief behind the Virginia War Memorial’s Oral History Project. Our goal is simple and straightforward: collect and preserve the story of Virginia’s veterans in …
Continue ReadingOn September 2, Imperial Japan signed surrender documents aboard the USS, putting an end to World War II. President Truman declared that September 2 was officially V-J Day, or Victory over Japan Day. News of Japan’s surrender, however, reached both American troops and the American public several weeks earlier. On …
Continue ReadingAs we approach the 75th Anniversary of “Victory in Europe” (V-E) Day, I thought that I would take a look at the material in the archives and spotlight a view that we may not normally look for: how V-E Day was received by our troops in the Pacific. This is …
Continue Reading
Each April, children of our servicemen and women are recognized during the Month of the Military Child. Established in 1986 by then Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, the initiative has been continued by the Department of Defense ever since. While this recognition has only been around for a little over 30 …
Continue Reading
We are excited to announce the new, searchable catalog for the USS Birmingham Research Library. The research library at the Virginia War Memorial is home to 679 works. Our collecting focus is on items that tell the story of Virginia’s involvement in war and those Virginians that served. We strive …
Continue ReadingA native of Salem, Virginia, Jesse Bradley joined the Navy in February 1942. Bradley served on the U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) as a gunner on a 40mm anti-aircraft gun. While serving in the Pacific, Bradley wrote to his wife, Lillian, almost every day. Lillian, too, was a frequent letter-writer. For the duration …
Continue ReadingSeventy-eight years ago, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In the attack, more than 2,000 Americans were killed and more than 1,000 were wounded. Proclaimed “a date which will live in infamy” by President Roosevelt, the attack was the event that led to the United States’ formal declaration of war against …
Continue Reading
