National Museum of the Pacific War

National Museum of the Pacific War The National Museum of the Pacific War is the nation's most comprehensive account of WWII in the Pacific theater.
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This world class museum is dedicated to telling the human story of those who served in the Pacific during WWII.

Sip, explore, and discover history from a new perspective. 🍷✈️Wings & Wine returns September 26 for an evening of curate...
09/03/2026

Sip, explore, and discover history from a new perspective. 🍷✈️

Wings & Wine returns September 26 for an evening of curated wine pairings and a closer look at four remarkable artifacts from the Museum’s collection.

Follow Director of Collections Nicole Bagley through the George H.W. Bush Gallery and Pacific Combat Zone as she shares the stories behind the B-25 Bomber, F4F Wildcat, TBM Avenger, and Type 96 Anti-Aircraft Gun.

📅 Saturday, September 26
🕠 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
🎟️ Space is limited.

🔗Link in to purchase tickets: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/wings-wine-3

On September 2, 1945, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missour...
09/02/2026

On September 2, 1945, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay as the representative of the United States, formally bringing the war in the Pacific to an end.

This photograph from the National Museum of the Pacific War’s collection captures Nimitz at the signing table, surrounded by Allied military leaders. The photograph was later autographed by Nimitz himself: “C. W. Nimitz U.S. Representative.”

Today, on V-J Day, we remember the millions whose lives were shaped by the Pacific War and the moment that brought years of conflict to a close.

Explore this photograph and more from our collection through the National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive on the Portal to Texas History.

Missouri

🔥 Experience the Battle of Peleliu through living history at the Pacific Combat Zone.On September 15, 1944, thousands of...
09/02/2026

🔥 Experience the Battle of Peleliu through living history at the Pacific Combat Zone.

On September 15, 1944, thousands of Marines landed on Peleliu under intense Japanese fire. What followed was a brutal campaign against deeply fortified defenses that lasted more than two months.

See that history brought to life with our Company K volunteers demonstrating World War II weapons and equipment, including the M2 Flamethrower.

Historian Jon Parshall will also join us for a guest lecture offering deeper insight into the battle and its significance in the Pacific War, followed by a book signing.

🕚 Programs at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
📍 Pacific Combat Zone
🎟️ Online ticket purchases are highly encouraged. Seating is first come, first served.

⚠️ Due to loud noises and simulated combat effects, this program is not recommended for small children, pets, or those with heart conditions.

🔗https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/battle-reenactment-road-to-victory-peleliu

For this week’s , we are highlighting the Edgar McElroy Collection. Edgar "Mac" McElroy, born and raised in Ennis, Tex...
09/01/2026

For this week’s , we are highlighting the Edgar McElroy Collection.

Edgar "Mac" McElroy, born and raised in Ennis, Texas, joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and earned his pilot wings just months before the U.S. entered World War II.

In February 1942, he was selected for one of the most daring missions of the war: the Doolittle Raid on Japan. On April 18, McElroy piloted the 13th B-25 Mitchell to launch from USS Hornet, leading his crew toward Japan with the mission of striking the Japanese homeland.

After bombing the Yokosuka Naval Base, McElroy and his crew flew toward China, eventually running out of fuel and bailing out. With the help of Chinese civilians and soldiers, all five members of his crew survived and escaped to safety.

But McElroy's wartime service was far from over. He went on to supply missions over "The Hump," combat missions in Burma, and later B-29 missions against Japan. After retiring from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 1962, he returned to Texas.

Interested in more? Visit the Portal to Texas History, available on the museum's website at the Center for Pacific War Studies.

📸:
1) Portrait of Edgar McElroy taken during training
2) Edgar McElroy receiving a medal from the First Lady of the Republic of China, Soong Mei-ling
3) Edgar McElroy with a dedication plaque

Join us Wednesday, November 11, for the 2026 Annual Nimitz Dinner, an evening supporting the Admiral Nimitz Foundation a...
08/31/2026

Join us Wednesday, November 11, for the 2026 Annual Nimitz Dinner, an evening supporting the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and the National Museum of the Pacific War.

This year’s featured guest is Robert M. Gates, the 22nd Secretary of Defense, in conversation with General Michael W. Hagee.

Gates served as Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011 and worked under eight U.S. presidents across both political parties. Before joining the Pentagon, he spent nearly 27 years with the CIA, eventually becoming Director of Central Intelligence, and later served as president of Texas A&M University.

Guests will have the opportunity to hear a conversation shaped by decades of experience in national security, military leadership, intelligence, and public service.

Your participation in the Annual Nimitz Dinner helps support the work of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and the National Museum of the Pacific War.

🎟️ Purchase an individual ticket or sponsor a table today.

🔗 https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/2026-annual-nimitz-dinner

What if every person who saw this post sponsored just one wreath?Our goal is to place 1,500 wreaths during Wreaths Acros...
08/30/2026

What if every person who saw this post sponsored just one wreath?

Our goal is to place 1,500 wreaths during Wreaths Across America. For $17, you can sponsor a wreath and help us honor and remember someone who served.

❤️ One wreath. One act of remembrance. One more name remembered.

🔗 Sponsor a wreath: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/wreaths-across-america

08/29/2026

🎟️ Don’t miss your chance to attend the 2026 Annual Conference!

After selling out at our original venue, additional tickets are now available at the Rockbox Theater.

Join us October 16–17 for Forgotten Fronts: People, Places, and Progress, where leading historians will uncover lesser-known campaigns, overlooked individuals, and stories that offer a deeper look at the Pacific War.

📍 Rockbox Theater | Fredericksburg, TX

🎟️ Tickets are limited. Reserve yours today!

🔗 https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/learn/museum-programs/conference

Irv Cumbie: WWII Veteran of the “Forgotten Service”We hear it all the time: a Marine was on Iwo Jima, a Sailor served ab...
08/28/2026

Irv Cumbie: WWII Veteran of the “Forgotten Service”

We hear it all the time: a Marine was on Iwo Jima, a Sailor served aboard a certain ship, or a Soldier fought in a particular campaign. But it’s not as often that we hear the stories of the brave men who served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.

The Coast Guard supported both combat and traditional service missions throughout the war, and Irving “Irv” Cumbie was one of those who served.

Before the war, Irv had never been outside of Texas. Suddenly, he found himself aboard LST 886, traveling to locations across the Pacific. For a small town Texas boy, it was an adventure filled with both good and difficult experiences that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Irv’s close friend, Tom Stratton, knew his service and sacrifices deserved more than a simple thank you. He chose to honor Irv with a plaque in the National Museum of the Pacific War’s Memorial Courtyard. We were privileged to have Irv himself, along with his wife, Rosalie, present for the dedication of his plaque.

It’s easy today to look up dates and locations online, but hearing the personal stories of those who were there is what truly brings history to life.

Before Irv passed away, the Museum was fortunate to record his oral history and preserve those memories in his own words.

🎧 To hear the story of a small town boy thrust into the action of World War II, listen to Irv’s oral history and read the full transcript of his experiences here:

🔗 https://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?q=Irving+cumbie&t=fulltext&sort=&fq=

Happy National Dog Day!Dogs played an important role during World War II, serving alongside troops as messengers, scouts...
08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day!

Dogs played an important role during World War II, serving alongside troops as messengers, scouts, guards, and loyal companions.

This photograph from our collection shows Boy, a Doberman Pinscher Marine Corps War Dog, with his handler, Corporal Harold N. Flagg of Fairfield, Maine. The pair are pictured displaying a Japanese banner taken from the enemy on Okinawa.

You can explore more photographs and stories from our collection through the Portal to Texas History. And if you have a soft spot for WWII’s four-legged heroes, stop by the Museum Store to check out our We Served Too merchandise, honoring the important roles animals played during the war.

https://store.pacificwarmuseum.org/products/animal-heroes-of-world-war-ii

Address

311 E. Austin Street
Fredericksburg, TX
78624

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18309978600

Website

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