Dr. Rothacker Smith looked death in the eye several times during World War II. In these moments during his wartime service, during captivity as a German POW and beyond, his faith carried him through and indeed directed much of his life, as did the proud tradition of the Buffalo Soldier which he upheld.
The African American 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its heroic stand in France in December 1944, and a Medal of Honor in 1980 posthumously awarded to Major Charles Thomas.
Captain Daniel Inouye witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor and overcame discrimination to serve his country in war and peace.
The African American Black Panthers of the 761st Tank Battalion completed their distinguished combat record by breaching Germany's Siegfried Line and crossing the Rhine in 1945.
As Allied troops gained ground in Europe, members of the Women’s Army Corps [WAC] were there to serve. Bringing vital communication skills, they jumped into seats at switchboards still warm from the enemy operators who had just vacated their posts. In July 1945, the WAC telephone operators were selected to manage the "Victory switchboard" at the Potsdam Conference.
In 1943, the US Army’s 7th Infantry Division captured Attu in the Western Aleutians, effectively removing the Japanese threat from America’s backyard.
Although the star was used as the main identification for Allied vehicles in World War II, its design changed over time.
By January 1945 the African American soldiers of the 761st Tank Battalion, the Black Panthers, were battle-tested veterans. But they would encounter one of their toughest fights in January 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge.
The 156th Infantry Band from Louisiana brought a New Orleans flair to one of the most influential postwar moments in Europe, when they were selected to provide the musical backdrop for the Potsdam Conference as the “house band” at the Little White House.
The fight for Mount Austen witnessed some of the hardest fighting on Guadalcanal. Its successful capture ensured the security of Henderson Field from Japanese artillery fire and infiltrators.