Donald McPherson earned the Congressional Gold Medal and three Distinguished Flying Crosses during his service as a US Navy Pilot aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex in the final battles of World War II.

Arthur Van Haren Jr. became one of World War II’s top Navy fighter aces, even as his Mexican American heritage went unrecognized.

It is often hard to determine the final shots of a major conflict, but in the case of the naval war against Japan, the USS Concord was sure to cement her legacy.

In her August 15, 1945, My Day column, Eleanor Roosevelt reflects on the mixed emotions following the announcement of peace, mourning the war’s losses while urging world leaders to use atomic energy for the benefit of all humanity and to work toward a unified, peaceful future.

Victory over Japan Day was and is celebrated on different dates around the world. Why?