With its position in the South Pacific, Guadalcanal was an ideal location for a Japanese airfield that could threaten vital US sea lanes to Australia.

The Museum is honored to offer a travel program that provides the unique opportunity to explore Pacific island battlefields and landing beaches in the company of expert historians. Victory in the Pacific journeys from Pearl Harbor—where it all started for the Americans—to the islands of Saipan, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Tinian, where the Enola Gay departed to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, August 6, 1945. With exclusive access to the most intriguing battle sites, rich historical context from our expert guides, seldomly seen archival materials from the Museum’s digital collections, and hand-selected oral histories found nowhere else, this tour promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

*Actual Tour dates will be announced Summer 2025

Welcome to a special season of World War II on Topic: Veteran Voices, where we listen to firsthand accounts from those who lived through the war.

Welcome to a special season of World War II on Topic: Veteran Voices, where we listen to firsthand accounts from those who lived through the war.