Latest news with #NationalWWIIMuseum
American Press
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- American Press
'Check Out Louisiana' giving library cardholders access to museums
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is among museums that are allowing patrons with a library card to visit free of charge. (Special to the American Press) Special to the American Press Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the State Library of Louisiana today announced library cardholders in several parishes can now visit select Louisiana museums free of charge through the new Check Out Louisiana Museums initiative. The pilot program expands the State Library's Check Out Louisiana campaign to allow library patrons in participating parishes to check out an electronic pass to participating museums at no cost. 'Louisiana boasts a colorful and fascinating history brought to life through the cultural and educational resources of our museums,' Nungesser said. 'Your library card can now be used to unlock Louisiana's incredible museum collections and the stories of the people, places, and events that make our state so unique and a place to Feed Your Soul .' Cardholders of participating libraries can visit to reserve an electronic pass for available dates at any of the following museums: the 1850 House, the Cabildo, Capitol Park Museum, E.D. White Historic Site, Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum, The National WWII Museum, New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, the Presbytère, and the Wedell-Williams Aviation & Cypress Sawmill Museum. Last year the State Library launched the first phase of its Check Out Louisiana program, which provides free access to state parks and recreational areas. The second phase launched today adds museums and other cultural attractions to the program. 'The National WWII Museum is thrilled to be a partner in the launch of the Check Out Louisiana Museums program,' said Associate Vice President of Education Chrissy Gregg. 'Ensuring the museum is accessible to individuals and families across the state is a key goal for our institution. This exciting initiative helps Louisianans experience all the museum has to offer as a community resource and better understand why the war was fought and how it was won — and how it remains relevant to our lives 80 years after its conclusion.'
Miami Herald
08-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Mystery on Pacific seafloor proves to be part of daring WWII saga, US Navy says
A mysterious object spotted on the South Pacific seafloor has been identified as the bow of a torpedoed World War II ship that famously sailed hundreds of miles backwards to avoid sinking, historians say. The nearly 100-foot long section of the USS New Orleans was found Sunday, July 6, by the Ocean Exploration Trust as it searched the seafloor near Guadalcanal with a remotely operated vehicle. A positive identification was made with the help of paint fragments still clinging to the hull, along with an engraved anchor, the trust reported. The bow, which fell to a depth of 2,214 feet, had been unaccounted for since Nov. 30, 1942, when a Japanese torpedo detonated the ship's forward magazines during the Battle of Tassafaronga, the National WWII Museum reports. The impact killed 182 men and left the USS New Orleans struggling to stay afloat, but the crew refused to give up, the museum says. What happened next counts as an 'improbable story,' the trust says. To avoid the ship sinking, sailors 'jury-rigged a bow of coconut logs' brought from shore, then sailed 'backward to the United States for permanent repairs,' the trust reports. A remarkable feat The use of coconut trees was 'sheer ingenuity' and the perilous voyage in reverse was 'a remarkable feat of long-distance seamanship,' the Naval Historical Society of Australia wrote in a report about the ship docking briefly at Sydney for temporary repairs. However, those accomplishments were never celebrated because of 'wartime censorship restrictions,' the society says. Discovering the bow is giving historians a second chance to highlight American grit at its most audacious. 'By all rights, this ship should have sunk, but due to the heroic damage control efforts of her crew, USS New Orleans became one of the most grievously damaged U.S. cruisers in WWII to actually survive,' according to Naval History and Heritage Command Director Samuel J. Cox, a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral. 'To find the bow of this ship is an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of this valiant crew, even on one of the worst nights in U.S. Navy history.' A team of scientists spent four hours documenting the USS New Orleans' bow. Among the observations made: It has become heavily encrusted with sea life, and it's collecting modern-day trash pushed along by the current. Mission of discovery The bow discovery came by surprise during a 21-day expedition that is using new technology to 'conduct non-invasive archaeological surveys of cultural heritage sites in the Iron Bottom Sound.' Five major naval battles were fought in the region from August to December 1942, resulting 'in the loss of over 20,000 lives, 111 naval vessels, and 1,450 planes,' the trust reports. 'Fewer than 100 of these U.S., Japanese, Australian, and New Zealand military ships and planes have been located,' the trust says. The bow was found by coincidence, as an uncrewed surface vessel recorded an anomaly while mapping the seafloor, officials said. The object aroused suspicions when it appeared to be too small to represent a warship. A remotely operated vehicle from the Exploration Vessel Nautilus was sent to investigate, and the team broadcast the discovery live via to scientists and historians watching around the world. 'The discovery highlights the power of having multiple scientists and technologies work together to achieve a common goal,' Ocean Exploration Trust Chief Scientist Daniel Wagner said in a July 8 news release. Exact locations for the bow and other shipwrecks in the area are being kept secret to protect them. In some cases, the vessels are considered graves for sailors never recovered, historians say. The Iron Bottom Sound expedition is scheduled to continue through July 23 and is funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration.
Axios
09-06-2025
- General
- Axios
From New Orleans to Normandy: Honoring Louisiana's WWII heroes
As the nation remembers D-Day on Friday's 81st anniversary, a dwindling number of World War II veterans remain with us. About 300 WWII vets are still living in Louisiana, according to the latest figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The big picture: About 16.4 million Americans served in WWII, but only about 66,100 were still living as of September 2024, per the VA's projections. "We have the enormous responsibility to ensure that the memories and experiences of the war will not be lost as those who lived through it leave this world," said Stephen J. Watson, president and CEO of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, in a statement. Zoom out: The museum is welcoming back WWII veterans as part of its commemoration events. It had an overnight display Thursday with 2,510 candle luminaria to honor the Americans who died on D-Day. At 6:30am Friday, there's a remembrance gathering to mark the moment the invasion of Normandy began. About 25 WWII veterans and Holocaust survivors will open the museum at 8:50am Friday to a hero's welcome. The main ceremony, which is also free, starts at 11am. Full list of events. Meanwhile, it's also the museum's 25th anniversary. The venue opened in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum. It was housed in a single exhibition hall and dedicated to telling the stories of the Americans who participated in the amphibious invasion. Today, the museum spans seven pavilions and has immersive exhibits and an expansive collection of artifacts. Fun fact: The Higgins boats used on D-Day were designed and built in New Orleans. Fewer than 10 original boats remain in existence. President Dwight D. Eisenhower called Andrew Higgins "the man who won the war for us" thanks to his namesake landing craft.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why is The National WWII in New Orleans?
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It's a big day at The National WWII Museum. It's the celebration of 25 years. WGNO Good Morning New Orleans features reporter Bill Wood takes you there. It's a celebration that takes you back in time. The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world. To learn more about the museum, visit the WWII Museum declines to embrace Musk amid the billionaire's feud with Trump Trump administration faces growing bipartisan pressure over Job Corps Democrats call for halt of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac privatization Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow gutting of Education Department Why is The National WWII in New Orleans? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
10 American inventions that helped win D-Day
American inventions proved their worth in the Normandy campaign that began on June 6, 1944. They allowed Allied forces to shoot, move and communicate in the arduous D-Day landings. From floating trucks to walkie-talkies, evolved versions of these inventions remain in use today. While June 6 marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day, the preparations and planning that went into the Normandy landings — a pivotal World War II turning point, and one of the largest amphibious assaults in history — were years in the making. Getting nearly 160,000 Allied troops to storm a 50-mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline called for an unprecedented level of coordination among American, British, and Canadian soldiers and equipment. It also put new technologies to the test. "You have to control the air, the water, and the land all at once and come ashore with an inherent disadvantage," says National WWII Museum curator Cory Graff about Operation Overlord." To do so successfully meant deploying not only manpower, but also a host of pioneering technologies and inventions — many of them American-made — from specialized landing craft to underwater breathing equipment to amphibious trucks. "This idea of combined arms integration requires military formations to do three things: shoot, move, and communicate," adds John Caratola, senior historian at the National WWII Museum. The Normandy invasion required the US Army, Navy, and Army Air Force to collaborate in a unified manner for a singular objective, while also working with counterparts for the cross-Channel invasion, he says. These are some of the inventions that helped Allied troops win D-Day, all of which have evolved into systems still in use today. M4 Sherman The M4 Sherman was the backbone of the Allied armored force during World War II. Weighing roughly 40 tons, it was fast, reliable, and built by the thousands. Sherman tanks proved key in helping the Allies break through German defenses at Utah and Omaha Beaches. Some were equipped with a bulldozer blade on the front that could cut through the defenses on the beach — and that would later function as hedgecutters used to break through wall-like hedges throughout Normandy. Other Shermans were converted into Duplex Drive (DD) tanks — an amphibious design pioneered by the British. Outfitted with canvas flotation skirts and rear-mounted propellers, the DDs were meant to hit the beach alongside the first wave of infantry. While rough seas and weather doomed many off Omaha, those that made it ashore at Utah and Gold Beaches delivered crucial early support. "Everybody thinks the Germans had the coolest tanks, and I categorically reject that," says Cartola. "The Shermans are relatively easy to maintain. The crews can fix them. They're relatively reliable with simple parts, and you're basically overwhelming the Germans with armor." Invented by: Developed by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department in 1941 and mass-produced by automakers including Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors. The US manufactured 50,000 throughout the war. Modern connection: While the Sherman was retired from combat decades ago, its simple, rugged design shaped post-war tank development and reinforced the importance of armored vehicles. Cartola considers the M1 Abrams tank that the US Army uses today the "grandson" of the Sherman. 'Walkie Talkie' Nicknamed the "Walkie-Talkie," the Signal Corps Radio 300 was the first backpack radio for mobile infantry communication — and one of many radio varieties used on D-Day. Initially issued to US infantry in 1943, a soldier carried the nearly 40-pound SCR-300 transmitter and receiver on their back. With a three-mile range and 41 channels, the SCR-300 came in handy for real-time battalion-level communication during the highly chaotic, noisy beach landings Invented by: Engineer Daniel E. Noble and his project team at Galvin Manufacturing Corporation. Originally founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin pre-war to develop early car radios, Galvin became Motorola in 1947. Galvin engineers also developed a handheld, single-channel AM radio — the SCR-536, or "Handie-Talkie" — for battlefield communication at the platoon or company level. Modern connection: The SCR-300's pioneering use of frequency modulation (or "FM") technology paved the foundation for future portable communication devices, including cell phones. Higgins boats The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel was a 36-foot landing craft made famous in the opening scene of the 1998 film, "Saving Private Ryan." Known as Higgins boats for its American inventor, 1,000 LCVPs were used to deliver troops across all five beaches during the Normandy landings, which marked the single largest deployment of LCVPs. Without these shallow-bottomed boats, landing directly on the open beaches with armor and troops would've been logistically impossible. Invented by: New-Orleans-based shipbuilder and entrepreneur Andrew Higgins of Higgins Industries. He is said to have borrowed the front ramp idea from Japanese boats after seeing photos from the Sino-Japanese War. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower called Higgins "the man who won the war for us." Modern connection: The front-ramp design has continued to inspire modern amphibious landing craft, including the US Navy's Landing Craft Air Cushion and Landing Craft Utility. Landing ship, tank The LST was a large cargo vessel used to land troops and armored vehicles without docking to a pier. Its large bow doors were designed to open to a ramp that let tanks and trucks drive directly from the ship to land. "To liberate continents, you need bulk. You need throughput…so you can do operations inland. And the LST allowed the Allies to do that without a fixed port," Cartola says. Invented by: The LST was designed by American naval architect John C. Niedermair in response to Prime Minister Winston Churchill's request for a ship that would carry some 500 tons worth of tanks following the Dunkirk evacuation. Modern connection: In a matter of hours, Niedermair sketched the design for a ship regarded as one of the most successful in the history of the US Navy. The DUKW amphibious truck The DUKW (pronounced "duck") was a 6-wheel-drive amphibious truck capable of transporting about 5,000 pounds of cargo (or 24 troops) on land and water; a propeller could chug it through water with a max speed of 6 mph. "The beauty of this thing is, not only is it amphibious, but it can drive inland and provide supplies to troops well beyond the beach at up to 50 miles an hour," says Cartola. Invented by: The DUKW was a product of collaborations among GMC, the naval architecture firm Sparkman & Stephens, and a Michigan-based bus manufacturer. Modern connection: The DUKW pioneered a feature that allowed drivers to change the tire pressure from inside the cab to accommodate different terrains, which remains a common feature on military vehicles today. Douglas C-47 transport The C-47 Dakota, nicknamed "the workhorse," had many uses in both World War II theaters, from cargo and troop transportation to casualty evacuation and towing. More than 800 C-47s were used in the D-Day campaign to insert thousands of paratroopers and huge amounts of equipment behind enemy lines. Invented by: Douglas Aircraft Company adapted its pre-war commercial airliner, the DC-3, for military use. It was relatively quiet and could carry up to 28 troops or 6,000 pounds of cargo. The US produced more than 10,000 C-47s. Modern connection: Valued for its versatility, the C-47 was used in the Vietnam War. Variants are still in use for civilian cargo transport. A rebreather for divers The Lambertsen Amphibious Respiratory Unit was a closed-circuit rebreather designed to recycle exhaled air by removing carbon dioxide and adding oxygen. The apparatus enabled divers to operate underwater for prolonged periods without leaving a trail of bubbles. Lambertsen, working for the Office of Strategic Services, trained OSS commandos to use the LARU for underwater reconnaissance and demolition missions in support of D-Day and other key landings. Invented by: Christian Lambertsen, who, as a University of Pennsylvania medical student in the early 1940s, designed the LARU as a self-contained breathing device ideal for covert underwater missions. Modern connection: Lambertsen himself coined the acronym "SCUBA" (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus). His equipment and techniques paved the way for rebreathing technologies still used by military divers, including Navy SEALs. He's considered "the father of US Combat Diving." Dummy paratroopers These burlap, straw-stuffed mannequins were relatively small, lightweight decoys that could be dropped from planes to give the illusion of incoming paratroopers. A form of psychological warfare, the dolls were used to confuse and mislead the enemy. Dummies were sometimes equipped with noisemakers that sounded like gunfire or explosive charges that detonated on landing, adding to the illusion. On the night of June 5, 1944, Allied planes dropped hundreds of these fake paratroopers, along with inflatable tanks, across the French countryside to give off the impression of airborne troops landing in areas far from the real drop zones. In several cases, German units responded to these fake drops. Invented by: Inspired by the British "Rupert" paradummy, the American version, nicknamed "Oscar," was more compact, with the 3-foot-tall ones used on D-Day mainly manufactured in the UK. Modern connection: While today's military decoys are generally more technologically advanced (e.g., electronic signature emitters), the principle of deception through false targets and diversionary tactics remains. Proximity fuze The proximity fuze — an electronic fuze for bombs, shells, or missiles that explodes when approaching a target — changed the rules of artillery in warfare; instead of needing a direct hit, anti-aircraft shells could suddenly detonate when they got close. They made Allied anti-aircraft fire far more effective in taking out German planes, helping protect the beachhead. Invented by: Developed beginning in 1940 by American scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, with critical contributions from British researchers. Key to the design was the miniature radio transmitter and receiver inside the shell that sensed nearby targets and triggered detonation. Modern connection: The proximity fuze was a major step toward today's precision-guided weapons. Its combination of electronic sensing and remote detonation paved the way for modern guided bombs and missiles. The Jeep From the moment the first Allied troops hit the beaches of Normandy, this newly introduced American 4x4 was in motion, hauling supplies, ferrying wounded soldiers, towing anti-tank guns, and zipping across shell-scarred roads. Compact, reliable, and endlessly adaptable, it proved essential to the invasion of Normandy, along with many other battles. Invented by: In 1940, facing the likelihood of entering the war, the US Army issued an emergency contract for a lightweight reconnaissance vehicle, prompting the development of the first Jeep prototype by Bantam Car Company in just 49 days. With Bantam lacking production capacity, Willys-Overland and Ford were tapped to manufacture the final design, cranking out hundreds of thousands of units over the course of the war. Some Jeeps were waterproofed for the landings, sealed tight and fitted with snorkels to wade ashore behind the infantry. Others were dropped by parachute into French fields with the 101st and 82nd Airborne, ready to drive the moment they hit the ground. Modern connection: After the war, Willys began selling civilian versions, branding them as Civilian Jeep models and kickstarting America's obsession with off-road vehicles and SUVs. Katie S. Sanders is a journalist based in New York City. Her reporting has brought her to prisons, the CIA, and the White House. Follow her at @KatieSSanders. Mara Storey is a Nashville-based people analytics manager and World War II history enthusiast. Follow her at @mtruslowstorey. Read the original article on Business Insider
