Torn and warped by Japanese bullets, this piece of protective gear is a rare testament to the ferocious fighting of the oft-forgotten Aleutian Islands Campaign. 

On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, that ultimately laid the foundation for the forced removal and subsequent incarceration of over 125,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry, two thirds of whom were American citizens.

On June 10, 2017, The National WWII Museum will open its newest permanent exhibit—The Arsenal of Democracy: The Herman and George R. Brown Salute to the Home Front. Located on the second floor of the Museum’s original Louisiana Memorial Pavilion, the exhibit will tell the story of the road to war and the Home Front, including the political discord of the prewar years, the terror of the Pearl Harbor attacks, the massive mobilization in personnel and manufacturing, and the experience of ordinary Americans. Visitors will find themselves inside the story through nine immersive galleries, which re-create a newsstand, factory floor, 1940s home and more as the evocative backdrop for artifacts, digital interactives and personal narratives.

Known as a tropical paradise today, for many sailors before December 7, 1941, it was just another port of call during their naval service.

The groundbreaking 1952 television documentary "Victory at Sea" and its magnificent musical score marked an enduring tribute to the US Navy’s role in winning World War II.