The majority of American soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coastguardsmen in WWII identified as Christian, mainly Protestant or Catholic with Orthodox, Mormon or other varieties as well—in other words, people for whom December 25 was a particularly important day. For them, Christmas was a sacred...
Uncovering surprising coincidences are sometimes the most rewarding parts of preserving D-Day history. By definition you never see them coming; if you miss them, you never know they were there. But when everything aligns and unexpected connections are made; when odd circumstances reveal surprising treasures...
The soldier’s papers and souvenirs were housed in a small wooden box when the man’s son brought it to the National D-Day Memorial. There were many odds and ends: his dog tags, a few patches and ribbons, some foreign currency he kept as souvenirs of...
It’s called an IDPF—Individual Deceased Personnel File. Unlike a service record, which preserves what a member of the American military did while living, the IDPF records what happens once a person has died in uniform. It records basic biographical information and some of the facts...
During World War II, not a single African-American serviceman was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor for valor. Despite the service of some one million African Americans, including many credited with incredible feats of heroism, the highest award was denied to...
The National D-Day Memorial is getting ready for camp—with a few differences. For years we’ve offered summer day camps for kids who are interested in the history of WWII, and we’ve always gotten a great response. This year, of course, Covid-19 has changed everything. Camp...
Chances are you’ve been pondering an important question lately: do you need to wear a mask? When is the appropriate time to wear it? Maybe you’ve worn one to the grocery store. Maybe you’ve decided not to. Maybe your job requires you to cover your...
Chances are, wherever you are as you read this in the spring of 2020, you’re under some degree of restrictions to keep the Covid-19 virus in check. Many people have noted that these are unprecedented times in our history, and they are right. But of...
History buffs and trivia experts will already know that the epic D-Day film “Saving Private Ryan” was loosely based on the story of Fritz Niland, a soldier in the fight for Normandy. Niland had, as loosely scripted in the movie, lost three brothers in a...
It was after one of our Veteran Day commemorations that the man stopped by our offices in Bedford. He had a couple of items he wanted to donate, related to the service of a distant relative. He’d inherited the collection, but thought it belonged at...