Friends of the National World War II Memorial

09/01/2026

We say goodbye to another one of our treasured heroes!

World War II Veteran Vince Rolves, of Carlyle, Illinois, died on August 25, 2026. He was 102 years old.

Born in Albers, Illinois, in 1924, Mr. Rolves was drafted into military service in 1942. After basic training, he was assigned to the U.S. Army’s 45th Infantry Division and deployed overseas to the North African region of the European Theater.

On December 14, 1943, Rolves was wounded in L’Aquila, Italy, when his unit was captured by German forces. He endured harsh conditions as an American prisoner of war in East Prussia before eventually returning home.

For his service and sacrifice, Rolves was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War Medal.

Following the war, he married his late wife, Loretta Thouvenin, on October 24, 1946. He later opened a trucking business and worked for 30 years at Scott Air Force Base.

Rest in peace, Sir! We thank you for your service!

09/01/2026

If you want to know why the National World War II Memorial matters, listen to Bruce Allen.

Bruce’s love of country and deep respect for the World War II generation come through in every word of this heartfelt reflection.

Thank you, Bruce, for putting so much heart into sharing what the Memorial means to you.

Watch Bruce’s video. Then tell us what the Memorial means to you.

🎥 Share a video
📷 Or a Memorial photo + a few words

https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/what-does-the-world-war-ii-memorial-mean-to-you

Your voice. Your memories. Your Memorial.

09/01/2026

On August 31, 1943, the Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter was first used in combat, as groups of Hellcats took off from the aircraft carriers Yorktown, Independence, and Essex.

One historian would later opine that "The introduction of the Hellcat may have been the most important event of the Pacific war," while another would give the statistics supporting the opinion: "Of the 6,477 Japanese aircraft U.S. Navy carrier pilots claimed to have destroyed in the air, the Hellcat was responsible for 4,947 — an incredible feat considering the Hellcat did not enter combat service until August 31, 1943."

PHOTO: Two U.S. Navy Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats in tricolor camouflage, sea blue, intermediate blue, and insignia white.

08/31/2026

As we prepare to mark V-J Day, a new article in Naval History takes a closer look at the events that brought World War II to its final end.

Japan announced its surrender on August 15, 1945, but much still had to happen before the formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri on September 2. Drawing on declassified messages, Rolland Kidder examines the negotiations and planning behind America’s first entry into Japan during those critical days.

Read Part I, “Declassified: The Negotiations That Ended World War II”:
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2026/august/declassified-negotiations-ended-world-war-ii-part-one

An analysis of now declassified messages reveals the story of the first Americans to test the Japanese surrender at the end of the war in the Pacific.

08/31/2026

He served at sea, then spent a lifetime looking out for others.

Today, we celebrate World War II veteran Zachary David Shaw, Jr. on his 100th birthday.

Born near Mule Creek in Foard County, Texas, Zachary entered the U.S. Navy on September 26, 1944, and sailed for the Pacific in May 1945. He served aboard the USS Manila Bay during the Okinawa campaign and the occupation of Japan, spending 10 months overseas as a seaman first class.

His duty station was in the radar, radio, and communications area directly beneath the carrier’s flight deck. Early in his service, he noticed freshly installed ceiling planking and learned that a plane’s propeller had once gone through the flight deck, tragically taking the lives of sailors below.

It was a story his family never forgot, and one that speaks to the risks Zachary faced as he quietly and faithfully did his part.

After the war, Zachary carried that same sense of duty into nearly 40 years as a building inspector for Sonoma County, California, where he worked to protect the safety of the people and communities he served.

He married Della Jane Newburn Shaw, raised three sons, Zachary David Shaw III, Douglas Alan Shaw, and Garrett Daniel Shaw, and became the beloved grandfather of five and great-grandfather of nine.

Beyond his service and work, Zachary built a life full of family, adventure, humor, and stories. He loved camping, fishing, traveling in his RV, celebrating special occasions in Reno, and caring for the homestead he built, complete with a you-pick Christmas tree farm, an apple orchard, and fruit trees.

Please join us in wishing Zachary David Shaw, Jr. a very Happy 100th Birthday. Leave a birthday message, memory, or word of thanks in the comments, and sign his digital birthday card here:
http://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/birthday-card/zachary-d-shaw-jr

08/30/2026

On August 30, 1945, several days before the actual surrender of Japan, General Douglas MacArthur made a dramatic arrival in Japan at Atsugi Airbase. His arrival was potentially dangerous because the war was technically not over, and Atsugi Airbase was home to Japanese kamikaze pilots. General MacArthur was aware of the danger but wanted to make a strong statement. He was to lead the Occupation of Japan after the war ended, and he wanted the Japanese people’s first glimpse of him to be of a confident, brave leader. His arrival was covered in great detail by Japanese media. As he had hoped, the Japanese people were impressed by his bold move. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill later remarked that MacArthur’s early arrival was one of the bravest acts of the war. Today, scholars believe this act helped set the stage for a successful occupation.

08/29/2026

On August 29, 1944, just days after the liberation of Paris, thousands of American soldiers from the 28th Infantry Division marched through the city in one of the most unforgettable scenes of World War II.

In “March of Triumph,” Friends Resident Historian Alex Kershaw tells the story behind that iconic moment, when battle-hardened men became the face of American victory and liberation before leaving the cheering crowds of Paris behind and heading straight back into war.

Read and share: https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/blog/march-of-triumph

08/29/2026

U.S. Army Sergeant John Joseph McVeigh of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on August 29, 1944, near Brest, France.

McVeigh worked for a rustproofing company before joining the Army in September 1942. By August 29, 1944, he was serving as a sergeant in Company H, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

Shortly after dusk on Aug. 29, 1944, McVeigh's platoon was near the town of Brest and had just begun to assume defensive positions along a hedge when the enemy counterattacked. Since McVeigh's platoon wasn't dug in, part of their defensive line sagged briefly under heavy fire, leaving a section of heavy machine guns with a lot of space in front of them and no rifle protection.

The Germans moved quickly and were almost on top of one of the machine gun positions where McVeigh was. Without pause, he stood up in full view of the enemy and directed his squad to fire on them, despite the heavy fire that was coming his way. His position was nearly overrun when he pulled out a trench knife — his last remaining weapon — and charged several of the Germans.

McVeigh killed one German with the knife and was headed toward three more when he was shot and killed at point-blank range. But his heroic drive to stop the Germans gave two other soldiers time to kill the three men McVeigh was headed for, then concentrate their machine gun fire on the rest of the attackers. Between the platoon's two machine guns, they finally stopped the flow of men charging at them. It also gave an accompanying rifle platoon time to reorganize and hold the high ground they had gained earlier in the day.

McVeigh was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 29, 1944. McVeigh is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. He was just 22 years old.

08/29/2026

On Aug. 28, 1945, the postwar occupation of Japan began as an advance party of the 68th Army Airways Communications System (which later became Air Force Communications Service/Air Force Communications Command) Group flew into Atsugi Field near Tokyo and set up the communications equipment necessary to guide in the first contingent of occupation troops. Col. Gordon Blake, for whom today’s USAF “Blake Aircraft Save Award” is named and his AACS crew, part of a 150-man task force, flew from Okinawa to Atsugi with 24 C-47 aircraft laden with equipment. Not knowing what their arrival would bring, the AACS lost no time in getting operations into full swing, and by Aug. 29, the Atsugi control tower was completed. The first planes to arrive on Aug. 30 were five more C-47s, carrying components to set up an airborne radio station. Within a few hours, the first C-54 aircraft of the official occupation forces landed at Atsugi, and Blake’s AACS crew began directing takeoffs and landings at the rate of one every two minutes. By August 30, Atsugi was the busiest airport in the world.



PHOTO: Japanese children, seeing a Marine for the first time, eagerly reach or chocolates offered them by SSgt Henry A. Weaver, III.

08/28/2026

Your story is part of the Memorial’s story.

What does the National World War II Memorial mean to you?

Maybe it reminds you of a parent or grandparent who served. A visit with a World War II veteran. An Honor Flight. A moment at the Freedom Wall. A ceremony. A family trip. Or simply a moment there you have never forgotten.

We want to hear your story — and sharing it is easy.

🎥 Record a short video
Just 30–90 seconds on your phone. No script. No editing. Speak from the heart.

OR

📷 Share a favorite photo + a few words
Send us a meaningful photo from the Memorial and tell us why that moment matters to you.

Your video, photo, or reflection could be featured by Friends as we build a growing public tribute to the National World War II Memorial and the generation it honors.

Your voice. Your memories. Your Memorial.

Share your story:
https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/what-does-the-world-war-ii-memorial-mean-to-you