World War Two, 1939 to 1945

Hitler and Stalin had agreed to divide Poland, each occupying half the country.  Stalin hoped this would keep Germany from attacking Russia.  Hitler fully intended to take the war to Russia, however he used the Soviet-German agreement to focus his energy on Norway, Denmark, and western Europe.  With the fall of France in June 1940, Hitler owned Europe.  Also in 1940, Italy and Japan had joined Germany, becoming the Axis powers.  Britain hung on, but just barely, surviving the Battle of Britain in the fall of 1940.  Hitler finally turned on Stalin, invading Russia in June 1941.  This move brought Russia over to the allied side.

Meanwhile, the war in the Pacific become inevitable as the Japanese began a policy of aggressive expansion starting in 1931.  In moves designed to secure a base of raw materials, Japan moved into China and Indochina.  US moves to block Japanese aggression, including the freezing of Japanese assets in the US, came to a head with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, on 7 December 1941.  The United States declared war on Japan on 8 December 1941, followed by a declaration of war against the United States from Germany and Italy on 11 December 1941.  With that, the world once again found itself embroiled in a major war, this time even more truly global in scale than the first world war.

For another four years, war raged in nearly every part of the world.  The Pacific saw a massive island hoping campaign by the allies, as they fought to take islands ever closer to the Japanese mainland, each time opening a base for airpower to get closer to Japan.  In other naval action, German U-boats waged war against shipping in the Atlantic, even operating off the east coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico.  Meanwhile, British and American air forces pounded strategic targets in Europe.  The ground war in Europe began in North Africa, then moved to Italy.  Finally, another road to Europe was opened with the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944.  On the Eastern Front, Germans and Russians fought a brutal war that initially saw German rapidly pushing almost to the gates of Russia and then being harshly beaten back across eastern Europe and back into Germany.

The Italians overthrew Mussolini on 24 July 1943 and Italy signed an armistice with the Allies on 3 September 1943.  However fierce fighting continued in Europe, including against German forces in Italy.  Germany surrendered on 8 May 1945.  This date is known as "VE Day" for "victory in Europe."  The Japanese doggedly continued to fight in the Pacific.  Japan appeared determined to force a costly invasion of her mainland and fight to the last drop of blood.  It took the atomic bombings of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki on 9 August for the Japanese to offer to surrender.  World War Two officially ended on 2 September 1945 with the Japanese signing on surrender documents aboard the USS Missouri.

For Americans, the determination to achieve victory brought about massive patriotism and cooperation in unprecedented degrees.  It seems nearly everyone contributed to the war effort in some way, from direct combat as a service member to volunteer service in Civil Air Patrol, the Red Cross, or as an Air Raid Warden, or even things as simple as collecting money for a bond drive or collecting scrap iron.

Items from the Allies

Uniform worn by Colonel Earl F. Thomson.  Col Thomson graduated from West Point in 1922.  He was a member of the US Olympic Riding Team in 1932, 1936, and 1948.  Col Thomson served as Chief of Staff of the 10th Mountain Division during WW II.  Following the war, he served as commander of the 1st Constabulary Brigade in Germany and then as G3 (Operations Officer) in Headquarters US Forces Austria before retiring from the Army in 1954.  Col Thomson passed away in 1971.

Close-up of Col Thomson's ribbons.  Included are the combat infantry badge, a Silver Star won in fighting with the 10th MTN DIV, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, WW I Victory Medal (earned since he was a cadet at West Point during WW I), American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Arrowhead denoting participation in assault landing and three campaign stars, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, American Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, and two unidentified foreign ribbons.

World War Two US Navy enlisted sailor's jumper.  The rank badge is Motor Machinist's Mate, 3rd Class.  The gold insignia is an honorable discharge badge, also called the "Ruptured Duck."  Service members being out-processed wore this badge to indicate they'd been honorably discharged and were not AWOL.

Uniform from Navigator  on last bombing mission of W.W. II This summer service coat belonged to Capt John P. Brion.  Capt Brion entered the U.S. Army on 18 March 1942.  He became an aviation cadet at Kelly Field, Texas, on 10 April 1942.  On 11 March 1943, he graduated from navigator training at Hondo Field, Texas.  He remained at Hondo as a navigator instructor until being assigned as a B-29 navigator on 16 November 1944.  Following B-29 training, he was sent to the Pacific Theater and assigned to Guam.  On 16 August 1945, he flew on a bombing mission to the Hokkaido oil refinery.  This mission proved to be the final bombing mission of World War II as the war ended on the return trip of this 17-hour mission.  Capt Brion was discharged from active duty on 31 March 1946.  He earned the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two service stars, the World War Two Victory Medal, and the Distinguished Unit Badge.

A very nice example of an 8th Air Force staff sergeat's service coat.  Based in England, the 8th Air Force flew precision daylight bombing missions against Germany.  This uniform is from one of the men without whom the bombers would not have flow.  The insignia on the right sleeve is for an armament specialist.

Close-up of English-made felt 8th Air Force patch.

Close-up of Army Air Force armament specialist insignia.  This patch was worn by nine occupations, including aerial torpedo mechanic, antiaircraft machine gunner, and bombsight mechanic.

Items from the Axis Powers

World War II German Luftwaffe (Air Force) M35 steel helmet (right side).  This helmet was brought back as a souvenir by a soldier in the US 12th Armored Division.	Left side of Luftwaffe Helmet.
World War II German Waffen SS M35 Steel Helmet (right side).  The Waffen SS were the elite fighting branch of the SS.	Left side of Waffen SS Helmet.  This helmet is another example of a war-time souvenir.
World War II Germany Army single decal M35 steel helmet and German gas mask.	Late-war German paratroop helmet.