April 25, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 69 Comments
Morning reports are company-level reports that were filled out each day to reflect status changes of all personnel assigned to the unit. Morning reports are not rosters. They are exception-based reports, meaning that a soldier’s name will only appear on … Continue reading
April 13, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 75 Comments
On October 24, 1944, the USS Tang (SS-306) sank off the coast of China during WWII, trapping 29 sailors in 180 feet of water. The Balao-class submarine was destroyed when her own torpedo boomeranged back and slammed into the ship’s … Continue reading
April 5, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 5 Comments
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation declaring April 9th as National Former POW Recognition Day. The day commemorates the capture of nearly 25,000 U.S. troops that were surrendered by their commander on Bataan in the Philippines on April … Continue reading
March 29, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 3 Comments
The 493rd Bombardment Group was a unit of the US Army Air Forces assigned to the 93rd Bombardment Wing, Eighth Air Force, during WWII. The group included the 860th, 861st, 862nd, and 863rd Heavy Bombardment Squadrons. They were known as … Continue reading
March 18, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 154 Comments
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between C-Rations and K-Rations? During WWII, US military officials had to find a way to feed the troops when they weren’t near a mess hall. Rations were prepackaged meals, easy to prepare, … Continue reading
February 23, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 121 Comments
On April 1, 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration will release the 1950 U.S. Census to the public. These records may provide new insights into the 16 million American men and women who fought during WWII. More than 400,000 … Continue reading
February 15, 2022 by Jenny Ashcraft | 67 Comments
During WWI, the United States War Department hired female switchboard operators to accompany the American Expeditionary Forces to Europe. These women had to be fluent in French and English and preferably have previous switchboard experience. Their job was to connect … Continue reading