Stories come in many forms—from the ones we hear at bedtime to listening to our parents tell us about their lives or even through photographs from our past.

Just over 75 years ago—on April 1, 1945—American troops invaded the 70-mile long island of Okinawa in the largest amphibious operation of the Pacific War.

As late as March 1943, the Allies were in danger of losing the Battle of the Atlantic as German U-boats were sinking Allied shipping at an alarming rate.