Made of precisely machined cast brass, PT-305's Mark 31 torpedo director was built by Bristol and Martin Inc. of New York City, prewar a manufacturer of vending machines and fruit juicers.

Alone, the bell is a small gift. But in the context of a global, world-changing moment, it becomes invaluable.

In a global conflict of exploding bombs and shells—tens of millions of them on land, sea, and in the air—setting one off in Hitler's headquarters might seem like the simplest thing in the world. 

Glass and the crew of the USS Enterprise survived Guadalcanal to fight another day—barely.

Nicknamed the “Long Lance” by naval historian Samuel Eliot Morrison, the Japanese Type 93 was the best torpedo of World War II. This gyroscope helped keep it on target.

A US Navy sailor survives off of Guadalcanal thanks to a life belt with a remarkable connection to home. 

As the war wound down, Allied soldiers scavenged any Nazi loot they could find, often with dire consequences. A solider named Larry Hirschbach uncovered what is now one of the Museum's most prized possessions.

A man of faith and a talented cook, Bronder became a vital part of the PT-305 crew.

Richard Tregaskis’s account of the first seven weeks of fighting is a classic of war literature. 

After a Japanese torpedo attack, a heavy cruiser survives to fight again -- with the help of a temporary bow fashioned from a tropical tree trunk. 

Pomroy saw some of the fiercest, most brutal fighting of World War II at Guadalcanal.

Betty Jacobs grew up in World War II. She spent much of the war pledging her time and effort to aiding troops in New Orleans, her hometown.