WWII Dog Tags

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day: Remembering those who gave all and asked nothing in return.

05/08/2026

-eday

05/02/2026

Audie Murphy lived a life that often seems almost unreal in its combination of bravery, discipline, and quiet humility. Before entering Hollywood, he was already one of the most highly decorated American soldiers of World War II, receiving the Medal of Honor for extraordinary courage in combat under extreme conditions.
What is less widely known is that Murphy was originally rejected for military service because of his small build and underweight frame. Rather than accept that outcome, he persisted until he was finally allowed to enlist in the United States Army. That determination became a defining part of his character—steady, focused, and deeply personal rather than performative.
During the war, he became known for exceptional composure and bravery in the field, often acting under conditions that demanded both instinct and discipline. His reputation was built not on seeking recognition, but on consistently fulfilling duty in situations where hesitation could have been fatal.
After the war, Murphy moved into acting, frequently portraying the kind of soldier-hero he had been in real life. However, behind that screen image, he carried the psychological weight of his wartime experiences. He struggled privately with what is now understood as post-traumatic stress at a time when such conditions were rarely acknowledged or discussed.
Rather than remain silent, Audie Murphy eventually spoke openly about those struggles, helping bring early awareness to the emotional impact of combat on veterans. His willingness to address it publicly stood out in an era when stoicism was often expected to mean silence.
What defines his legacy most strongly is the contrast between his modest demeanor and the extraordinary life he lived. He did not appear to seek myth or attention, but instead carried his experiences with a quiet sense of responsibility that remained consistent throughout his life.
In the end, Audie Murphy is remembered not only as a decorated soldier or a Hollywood actor, but as someone whose life reflected a deeper kind of courage—one that is often quiet, deeply human, and not always visible at first glance.

05/02/2026

From the Archives: 45th Division News Vol. VI No. 34 "Just like mother makes... almost. Howard Kitamura and Paul Shanahan prepare C rations." May 31, 1951.

05/02/2026

The Voice of the American G.I.

"NO MAN IN THIS WAR HAS SO WELL TOLD THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MAN AS THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MAN WANTED IT TOLD." ~President Harry S. Truman

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and war correspondent, Ernie Pyle told powerful stories about everyday American G.I.s. His mission was to portray war from the soldiers' eyes. By sharing the harsh realities of war, he introduced the world to the profound brotherhood between servicemen. At his peak, Pyle's columns were published in approximately 400 daily and 300 weekly newspapers.

Beginning in 1940, Pyle redefined wartime reporting. He covered the Battle of Britain, then traveled extensively through North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France to document the experiences of American G.I.s. He didn't merely visit units—he became part of them, sharing their trials and tribulations. He went weeks without bathing, washed his feet in a steel helmet, and slept on the ground.

In 1944, Pyle proposed that soldiers receive "combat pay" like airmen receive "flight pay." Congress passed the "Ernie Pyle Bill," authorizing 50% extra pay for combat service. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944, and his columns were collected into books, including one that became the movie The Story of G.I. Joe.

On April 18, 1945, Pyle was killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on Ie Shima near Okinawa. In 2018, August 3rd was designated National Ernie Pyle Day by the U.S. Senate.

Caption: Ernie Pyle, "Fighting Hearts", 50 pages: A war report about U.S. soldiers and their role overseas. [Collection of the Museum of the American G.I.)

05/02/2026

04/19/2026

Progress Update! Installation is in full swing at the new Oklahoma National Guard Museum. Join us on June 12 at 10:00 am as we celebrate this new chapter in the museum's history.

04/19/2026

Be a Marine, Free a Marine to Fight💪🪖🌊🌴

Part of our digital collection, this recruiting booklet is for the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Address stamped with "U.S. Marine Corps Rectg, Sta., Room 408, U.S. Court House Bldg. Fort Worth, Texas"

👉Check out more recruitment posters like this one on the Portal to Texas History!
🔗https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1649990/?q=women

04/19/2026

How do you build a roof out of thin metal that can survive a 1,000-pound bomb explosion? 💥
In WW1, keeping soldiers safe underground meant building massive, heavy roofs.
Ordinary combat engineers cut down trees and laid thick, flat wooden timbers across the trenches. This was a geometric failure! Flat roofs have zero structural deflection. When a massive artillery shell exploded on top, the pure kinetic weight focused directly on the center of the wood, snapping the massive logs like twigs and burying the soldiers alive!
British Engineers mastered architectural geometry with "Elephant Iron."
They manufactured massive sheets of corrugated steel and bent them into perfect semi-circular arches! A curved arch is the strongest shape in physics. When they buried these steel half-pipes in the mud and an artillery shell exploded on top, the roof didn't snap! The geometric curve mathematically caught the explosive kinetic energy and routed it seamlessly down the sides and straight into the earth, leaving the soldiers completely unharmed!
Fragile flat logs or genius energy-routing steel arches? 👇

01/15/2026