“Am Safe, A Prisoner of War in Germany; do not worry.”

Pilot Officer Billy Fiske was the first US citizen to travel to the United Kingdom at the onset of World War II to join the Royal Air Force, and was one of seven American pilots to take part in the Battle of Britain.

Many entertainers and future celebrities answered their country's call and donned US Navy and Coast Guard blues, serving at sea during the war.

One of Japan’s main goals during World War II was to remove the United States as a Pacific power in order to gain territory in east Asia and the southwest Pacific islands. Japan hoped to defeat the US Pacific Fleet and use Midway as a base to attack Pearl Harbor, securing dominance in the region and then forcing a negotiated peace. 
 

The National WWII Museum is proud to announce the 2022 recipients of the American Spirit Award.