Dancer Patty Thomas was often showcased by her boss and troupe leader Bob Hope as a living embodiment of what American troops were fighting for. Thomas brought levity and youthful femininity to the staging areas of the harshest fighting in the Pacific.

Captain Lucien Laborde was one of nearly 280,000 men and women from Louisiana who served in the Armed Forces in World War II.

James Robinson was a professional soldier who lost his life on April 6, 1945 fighting for his country.

In the bloodiest  battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.

Frances Langford was an inspiring vocalist who devoted much of her wartime career to the entertainment of those in service. She was known as the “GI Nightingale,” and her performances had the power to temporarily transport troops from the battlefield into the arms of their sweethearts.

In the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.

In the bloodiest  battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.
 

In the bloodiest  battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.

In the bloodiest  battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.

In the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history, 27 Marines and sailors were awarded the Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima. No other campaign surpassed that number.

Dorothy Britt (later Mann) was one of only 1,100 women who trained as pilots with the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). Through artifacts from her service and stories of her experiences, she continues to inspire.

Jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald's voice soothed and entertained many during World War II. Her records were even sent to a besieged London, where her hit songs kept civilians in air raid shelters occupied during the long, scary hours of the Blitz.