In 1944 and 1945, postal worker turned soldier Wendell Wiley Wolfenbarger wrote his wife Ruby and children frequent letters. Sometimes they were postcards, sometimes V-mails, and others were written "sitting on a box by a wood fire, outside of course, writing on my knee."

At the Arcadia Conference, held in Washington, DC, from December 24, 1941 to January 14, 1942, the Western Allies agreed to a “Germany First” policy to govern global strategy, but the question where to engage Germany, and when, remained unsettled.

While thousands of their fellow Americans were about to enter into the Battle of the Bulge and likely face capture under harsh circumstances by the war-weary German enemy, others, already POWs, celebrated a lonely Christmas holiday, the last of the war, in camps across  Europe.
 

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.

In the face of racism and segregation, Black men and women served in every branch of the armed services during World War II.