""Sinking Sun": painting by Griffith Baily Coale, oil on canvas, 1942. Description: A U.S. Marine stands at parade rest on the bow of a PT boat as she moves slowly out to sea from Midway to give decent burial to Japanese fliers shot down on the islands during the battle. The red ball of the… Continue reading The Battle of Midway: Part I
Tag: WWII History
77th Anniversary of V-E Day
This weekend marks the 77th anniversary of "V-E Day," the official declaration of Victory in Europe as the Second World War neared its end. While I've read descriptions of the euphoric celebrations, I think that some of the images from the day capture the story best. "The first flyers announcing the German surrender outside the… Continue reading 77th Anniversary of V-E Day
Exploring the Naval Undersea Museum
As my family and I prepare to move across the country this summer, we've started making our "must visit" list. What places do we need to explore again while we have the chance? This museum is a definite maybe—it was always a favorite and might be even better now that the kids have had four… Continue reading Exploring the Naval Undersea Museum
78th Anniversary of the Anzio Landings
"Anzio Invasion, January 1944. Troops and equipment come ashore on the U.S. Fifth Army Beachhead near Anzio, January 22, 1944. USS LCI-20 is burning at left, after being hit by a German bomb." Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Naval History and Heritage Command. I first shared this post last October, but as… Continue reading 78th Anniversary of the Anzio Landings
“The Angels of Bataan” on Our American Stories
Not all angels have wings, and not all POWs were soldiers. Today Our American Stories is sharing a piece that I contributed, "The Angels of Bataan." Here's the direct link if you'd like to give it a listen. This piece was based off of my blog post, POW Angels.
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Photo by John on Pexels.com Once again we’ve turned the calendar page to a fresh new year, full of possibilities. Looking ahead to plans for 2022 got me looking back at 2021. Just what did I actually accomplish in the past year? It seems like it went by awfully fast… Personal The beginning of 2021… Continue reading Looking Back and Moving Forward
Remembering Pearl Harbor 80 Years Later
"Original Caption: Naval photograph documenting the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii which initiated US participation in World War II. Navy's caption: The battleship USS ARIZONA sinking after being hit by Japanese air attack on Dec. 7,1941., 12/07/1941" Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Today marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor,… Continue reading Remembering Pearl Harbor 80 Years Later
Sunk at Pearl Harbor: The USS Utah and the USS Oklahoma
The capsized USS Oklahoma Today, the Our American Stories podcast featured one of my stories. On December 7th, 1941 six ships would be destroyed at Pearl Harbor. Two of them were the USS Utah and Oklahoma. Writer Anne Clare remembers their loss and the men who served on them in today's story. If you'd care to give it… Continue reading Sunk at Pearl Harbor: The USS Utah and the USS Oklahoma
Anzio
"Anzio Invasion, January 1944. Troops and equipment come ashore on the U.S. Fifth Army Beachhead near Anzio, January 22, 1944. USS LCI-20 is burning at left, after being hit by a German bomb." Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Naval History and Heritage Command. On January 22nd, 1944, a joint American and British… Continue reading Anzio
Musical Interlude Double Feature: “The White Cliffs of Dover” and “Blues in the Night”
"Little girl by radio" Image courtesy of the U.S. National Archives via Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain, cropped from the original. Music is powerful. Even a quick study of how it affects the brain is fascinating, but it doesn't take a degree to see the way that shared music creates connections between people. Music inspires, gives… Continue reading Musical Interlude Double Feature: “The White Cliffs of Dover” and “Blues in the Night”