A User’s Guide to World War II-Era Radio in the National Archives

"A Mobile Radio Unit Is Installed In This Jeep Of The 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, Based At Bassingbourne, England; Lt. Stull Is The Driver Of The Vehicle. 22 May 1943", 342-FH-3A12741-69518AC The National Archives’ extensive holdings of World War II-era radio broadcasts have long been overshadowed by our flashier newsreel holdings. Nonetheless, a … Continue reading A User’s Guide to World War II-Era Radio in the National Archives

How to Search Still Photographs for World War II Navy Personalities

For an overview of Military Personnel Photographs, please see our website https://www.archives.gov/research/still-pictures/military-personnel-photographs. Finding veterans who served in the US Navy during World War II just became digital. At the Still Picture Branch we have multiple indexes to search for various branches of the US Military. Our index, 80-GX: Index to Photographs of Personalities in the … Continue reading How to Search Still Photographs for World War II Navy Personalities

Celebrating Flag Day

Mrs. Laura B. Prisk, who is the originator of the Flag Day idea. Local ID: 165-WW-429P-1247, National Archives Identifier: 45532768. This post was created in collaboration with Heather Sulier, Archives Technician in the Still Picture Branch. Flag Day celebrates the adoption of the official flag of the United States on June 14. “The Flag Act … Continue reading Celebrating Flag Day

World War II Records Digitized

World War II records from the Adjutant General’s Office of the War Department (Record Group 407) have been digitized and are available to view and download from the National Archives Catalog. This series consists of maps and charts, overlays, city plans, aerial photographs, photomaps, pencil sketches, and architectural drawings relating to the European, Mediterranean, and … Continue reading World War II Records Digitized

RG 117: Drawings for the National WWII Memorial Design Competition

May 29th, 2022 marks the 18th anniversary of the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, and in honor of the anniversary, the Cartographic Branch would like to highlight a particular set of records relating to the very conceptualization of the monument itself. These records, found in RG 117: Drawings for the … Continue reading RG 117: Drawings for the National WWII Memorial Design Competition

Subject Finding Aid Project (Update 3)

It’s been a while since my last update on the status of the Subject Finding Aid Project.  An update for Batches 6 and 7 was promised as “on the horizon” in my previous blog, and it’s finally time to deliver the goods.  In Batches 6 and 7, we’ve been able to add 4,356 new descriptions … Continue reading Subject Finding Aid Project (Update 3)

No Mail, Low Morale: The 6888th Central Postal Battalion

Photograph of Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) Captain Charity Adams of Columbia, NC Drilling Her Company. Local Identifier: 111-SC-238651; National Archives Identifier: 531334. “No mail, low morale,” or so the motto goes. Even before the founding of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion, the mail was piling up for the soldiers serving during World War II. … Continue reading No Mail, Low Morale: The 6888th Central Postal Battalion

Hitler’s Downfall, The Hidden Army

Still taken from 111-WF-25, The Hidden Army Sometimes films in our holdings stand out for their entertainment value in addition to their historical value, The Hidden Army is one such film. When I came across it looking for another item, it stood out because of the unique way it covers a common topic in propaganda … Continue reading Hitler’s Downfall, The Hidden Army

100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moving Image Records

This post is by Alexandra Geitz, Supervisory Archivist of the Moving Image and Sound Branch. In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, this post will highlight just a few of the moving image and sound records in our holdings that depict the site over the … Continue reading 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moving Image Records

“…her loss remains unknown…” : The Mysterious Disappearance of the USS Cyclops (AC-4)

Did you know that the Cartographic Branch is home to over one million ship plans, with records spanning more than 15 distinct record groups (RGs) and over 25 separate series?  From trial curves, to booklets of general plans, to sail plans for vessels from the War of 1812, the Cartographic Branch has something for everyone….including … Continue reading “…her loss remains unknown…” : The Mysterious Disappearance of the USS Cyclops (AC-4)