For the last several days of its existence, before soldiers of the United States Seventh Army arrived, Dachau was a small, self-enclosed universe of decay and death.

In conjunction with the special exhibit <em>Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II</em>, The National WWII Museum presents “Unsung Heroes: Seven African American Heroes, Seven Medals of Honor, and the Decades that came Between Them”&mdash;a commemorative program honoring seven African American men who received Medals of Honor more than 50 years after their service in World War II. Hosted by NBC’s “Today” show weather anchor Al Roker, the event will take place on October 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the Museum’s US Freedom Pavilion, and feature family members who will share their experiences of the long fight for recognition.

Soldiers of the US Army’s 34th Infantry Division, the “Red Bull” Division, landed in Belfast, Northern Ireland on January 26, 1942.

The Battle of the Atlantic was fought with some of the newest technologies, however, in one duel, creative sailors resorted to kitchenware in an effort to fend off boarding enemy sailors.

Although the precipitating events could not have been more different, both high school students in World War II and high school students today have seen their school lives disrupted and irrevocably changed seemingly overnight.