Strange-but-true stories from World War II
Today’s post comes from Christopher Abraham at the Eisenhower Presidential Library. He answers a question each week on Facebook. This week’s Ask an Archivist query comes from Pennsylvania. "Did Eisenhower teach Patton how to drive a tank at Camp Colt in Gettysburg?" Anonymous Captain George S. Patton knew how to drive a tank by the … Continue reading Eisenhower and (Tank) Driver’s Ed
The Roosevelts had planned for a "more homey" lighting of the National Christmas tree on December 24 in 1941. FDR had directed that the tree be moved from the Ellipse to the White House grounds, just next to the South Lawn Fountain. But after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, there … Continue reading The 1941 Christmas Tree: A Bright Light in Dark Times
Today's post comes from Nikita Buley, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York, was the first Presidential library built in the United States. President Roosevelt led its conception and building, and he is the only President to have … Continue reading Archives Spotlight: The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
Today's post is written by archivist Dr. Greg Bradsher. When one thinks about President Kennedy’s naval career in World War II, what most often comes to mind is his command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109. Thanks to the 1963 movie PT 109, adapted from the 1961 book PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War … Continue reading John F. Kennedy and PT Boat 59
His parents were victims of the Nazis when he was only four, and he and his uncle spent two years hiding in the forests of Poland, waiting until the end of World War II. But the ordeal of Michael Pupa was far from over. He became a “displaced person,” or DP, moving from one DP … Continue reading An Orphan of the Holocaust
This morning in Dallas, TX, the Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero, Senior Archivist Greg Bradsher, and President of the Monuments Men Foundation Robert M. Edsel announced the discovery of two original albums of photographs of paintings and furniture looted by the Nazis. The Monuments Men Foundation will donate these albums, which have … Continue reading More Hitler art albums discovered
Your captions were as sweet and delicious as cold beer on a hot summer's day! And we knew just who to ask to serve as guest judge: beer enthusiast and information technology specialist Crystal Brooks. Even though Crystal modestly claims to still be a novice when it comes to home brewing, we knew that she … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest: March 8
Apparently the sight of a scantily clad man engrossed in his knitting fired up the imaginations of our readers! We made a cup of tea and settled down to knit one, purl two our way through your many caption submissions. ?Leg warmers! Greek mythology! Puns! Poor fashion sense! We became so tangled that we turned to guest … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest–March 1
Today's guest post comes from Miriam Kleiman of the Public and Media Communications Office. Before joining the Public Affairs staff, I was a researcher for the “Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group.” I reviewed records of Nazi war criminals, including those recruited by the U.S. intelligence. Needless to say, this … Continue reading Hitler and his Dentist
Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. Each January, as frost and snow cover baseball fields across America, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides heartwarming news for fans of our national pastime. This is the season when the Baseball Writers' Association of America … Continue reading Four Patriots from Baseball’s Hall of Fame
