October is “American Archives Month,” during which the archival community works to educate the public and resource-providers about the work archivists do and why it is important. Today, October 7, 2020, archivists around the country are responding to questions from their patrons via social media and online communications. Heidi Sheldon, …
Continue ReadingEarlier this September, Woody and Nelsen Funeral Homes delivered over 7,000 American flags to the Virginia War Memorial. The flags were collected from their annual flag exchange program hosted in May. Dignity Memorial, the parent company for both Woody and Nelsen, offered Richmonders the opportunity to exchange their old, torn or …
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The Missing Man Table, sometimes referred to as the “Fallen Comrade Table,” is meant to remind viewers of those fallen, missing, or imprisoned U.S. Military Service Members. In honor of POW/MIA Day, every third Friday in September, a Missing Man Table is on display in the Robins Lobby of the …
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 …
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Courage. Bravery. Selflessness. We use those words often here at the Virginia War Memorial. Patriotism and sacrifice are commonly mentioned as well. All of these words, and several more, are needed to effectively describe the nearly twelve thousand stories represented by names etched into the walls of the Shrine of …
Continue ReadingToday, August 7th, is Purple Heart Day, a day to pause and remember those wounded or killed while serving in the United States military. This distinctive military decoration has been awarded in the name of the president since 1931, and retroactively since April 5, 1917. It is the oldest American …
Continue ReadingEarlier this week, the Virginia War Memorial was mentioned in an opinion piece by Robin Beres of the Richmond Times Dispatch. Below is Beres editorial, highlighting the USS Indianapolis and their Congressional Gold Medal. Editorial: USS Indianapolis crew awarded Congressional Gold Medal August 6, 2020 Amid all the displays of …
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This year, as the United States of America approaches its 244th birthday, our 4th of July celebrations will be less conventional than in past years. Mine certainly will. Instead of going to a pool party, cheering on the Flying Squirrels, and watching Richmond’s fireworks from the rooftop of my apartment …
Continue ReadingIn these extraordinary times, people are looking for distractions, for a way to spend their time. For many, this includes a way to put the challenges of today into the proper perspective. Books are a tremendous resource for all these intentions. Books inform, they entertain, they provide an escape. A …
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As we move into summer, we thought it would be a good time to revisit this opinion piece, written by one of our Board of Directors. In his recollections Michael Santoro reminds us that at the Virginia War Memorial, every day is “Memorial Day.” The grounds of the Memorial and …
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