Blog
June 12, 2021
Seven years ago, the Voices of Freedom went mobile with the purchase of a 36 foot RV that was turned into a recording studio and mobile museum. Since then, hundreds of stories of Americans in wartime have been captured and preserved. Like all good things, the RV has gotten a little long in the tooth and was in need of some work. We decided to go in a slightly different direction, and were fortunate to have the support of a generous donor, the Landeau Foundation.
May 31, 2021
With Memorial Day upon us, it is appropriate to think about those who have served our great country in wartime! Donald Brant, our Dad served in the Marine Corps, in the Pacific Theater, during WWII! Don grew up in Washington DC, the son of a WWI Navy Veteran, who was a Metropolitan Police Officer. Dad’s mom was a piano teacher. His older brother also served in the Marine Corps during WWII. Don Brant was born to serve!
May 10, 2021
The Americans in Wartime Experience — formerly called the National Museum of Americans in Wartime — has recently introduced its new brand. You may have already noticed the new logo above. Look closely as the logo was designed to evoke the feel of what is known as the "invasion circle" that was stenciled onto American tanks during the latter part of World War II. The logo features five subtle arrows in the negative space, pointing inwardly to form the star. This symbolizes the variety of ways so many Americans, whether at home or abroad, sacrificed and contributed toward the American wartime effort in any given conflict.
April 4, 2021
On March 5, the Voices of Freedom conducted an interview in Arizona with Richard McVicker, a Navy veteran who served during the Cold War. Rich served aboard the USS Saratoga in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and participated in patrols in the Mediterranean and in the waters around Cuba. The interview was the 500th conducted by the VOF, a milestone we are extremely proud of and excited to finally reach.
March 29, 2021
I stood with my mom and my two brothers on an outside viewing deck on that sunny day in 1971, anxiously waiting for my dad to get off the plane. It had been 12 months since we last saw him. I was now 6 years old, and it had been a difficult year without dad while we lived with my grandparents on the family farm in LA, Lower Alabama. My fierce young mom had to handle us three boys for a second 12-month tour within five years while my dad was in Vietnam. Our only communication with him during these times was letters and recorded reel to reel audio recordings for each other. We could hear his voice and he could hear ours. We knew he anxiously awaited our correspondence many oceans away.
March 15, 2021
We have been busy with restoration and maintenance over the winter. The Dodge command car is now finished with new paint, a new canvas top, and the radio installed. We decided to check out some of the smaller vehicles in the collection to take a break from the heavy lifting.
December 15, 2020
A large part of American history is comprised of stories of ordinary citizens who have made extraordinary contributions to our nation. The Americans in Wartime Museum is dedicated to sharing the inspiring history of the nation’s wartime experiences by bringing them to life through our Voices of Freedom project.This Giving Tuesday, please join our mission by donating to the Voices of Freedom project. This project allows us to continue to meet with veterans and record their stories of sacrifice, courage; and makes sure our military history is preserved. As a matter of fact, Voices of Freedom is celebrating their 10th anniversary on December 10th! We'll share more about that in our January newsletter. Please help us celebrate by donating today!
November 11, 2020
The Story of Edwin Murphy Hill
On 25 April and 8 May 2020, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of two historic events from WWII: the famous American-Soviet linkup between elements of the 69th Infantry Division and Soviet troops at the Elbe River in Germany and VE Day. Below is a story about one such soldier who contributed to the lead up to both historical events.
July 23, 2020
Their Stories Must Be Told
Last week a friend and colleague suddenly passed away. He had an amazing intellect, wonderful personality and a great sense of humor. When he graduated college, he could have had his pick of high dollar jobs. Instead, out of intense desire to serve his country, he chose the Intelligence Community arm of the U.S. government.
May 14, 2020
