As 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 …
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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 …
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This column initially appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on March 28, 2020. On Wednesday, April 1, many people will mark the day with practical jokes and pranks. But it is well to remember that April Fools’ Day 75 years ago signaled the beginning of one of World War II’s longest, …
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A few years ago I wrote a blog post about my experiences with Desmond Doss, the Hero of Hacksaw Ridge. Recently, I have had a good reason to revisit that blog, most of which follows. I met Desmond, a native of Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1994 when I worked at the …
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 …
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Our country’s Thanksgiving celebrations have been acknowledged by our leaders since the 18th century. In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a nationwide day of thanks and prayer. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that the last Thursday in November would be a national day of thanksgiving. Today, we recognize the …
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Virginia is home to ninety-five counties and thirty-eight independent cities. Those cities and counties sent nearly 12,000 Virginians to war who never returned home between World War II and the Persian Gulf War. Sadly, additional service men and women have been killed in action since 2001 in the Global War …
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