World War II

On May 30, 1962, the USS Arizona Memorial was officially opened to the public. A tribute to those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, it’s visited by two million people per year and is a National Historic Landmark.

On May 29, 2004, George W. Bush led the official dedication ceremony for the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. More than 150,000 people attended the dedication ceremony, which included music, videos, newsreels, and speeches.

On April 29, 1945, the Peace rose was made available for sale in the US. The Peace rose helped popularize gardening and provided a huge boost to the rose industry. 

Edward Patrick Francis Eagan was born on April 26, 1897, in Denver, Colorado.  He’s the only person in Olympic history to win gold medals in both Summer and Winter sports.

Edward Roscoe Murrow was born on April 25, 1908, in Guilford County, North Carolina.  A respected radio and television news reporter for 30 years, he’s considered one of America’s major figures in the field of journalism.

Dean Gooderham Acheson was born on April 11, 1893, in Middletown, Connecticut.  Serving in the state department for over a decade, he was influential in many of the United States’ World War II and post-war initiatives, including the Lend-Lease Act, Marshall Plan, and NATO.

On April 1, 1945, the Battle of Okinawa began. Lasting nearly three months, it was the last major battle of the war and the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific.

On March 31, 1918, daylight saving time went into effect for the first time in the United States. It was originally instituted as a wartime measure, but was later adopted permanently.

On March 22, 1941, James Stewart was inducted into the US Army, making him the first major US movie star to don a military uniform during World War II.