The National WWII Museum

Today, December 7, marks the eightieth anniversary of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into World War II. The National WWII Museum in New Orleans has created a new exhibit entitled, “Infamy: Pearl Harbor Remembered,” examining how America has immortalized this attack in the eighty years since the 1941 tragedy.

“Infamy: Pearl Harbor Remembered” uses artifacts, images, videos and oral histories to help visitors imagine it on a global scale, including how it shaped American identity and brought cohesion to a populace unsure of their role in the war.

Stories that are featured in the exhibit include those that have been previously overlooked in the past, including Doris “Dorie” Miller, the first Black American to be awarded the Navy Cross. He was on the USS West Virginia as a mess attendant third class. He was awarded the Navy Cross because of his bravery during the attack, in which he shot down Japanese planes and carried the ship’s dying captain and other sailors to safety.

Read the full article here.