After 80 years, the remains of Private First Class John Henry Newstrom, a US Marine killed during the Battle of Peleliu in 1944, have been identified and will be returned home thanks to a joint recovery effort by the US and Japanese governments.
The invasion of Tarawa marked the first major action by American forces in the Central Pacific. Waves of Marines were badly mauled as they struggled to cross reefs and assault the beach.
On June 6, 1944, two brothers from Kansas landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. They promised to meet on the beach after the fighting was done—a promise that would remain unfulfilled.
In the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.
The National WWII Museum joins fellow Smithsonian affiliates in showcasing the history and culture of our community!
Join us at the Museum for a full day celebrating Bob Hope’s career in radio, with a humor-writing workshop, a radio-themed STEM workshop for girls, and a “live” radio-broadcast re-creation!