Making History Blog
28 Results found for: world war II
ResetPittsburgh’s LSTs: Remembering the “Workhorse” of Normandy
We commemorate June 6, 1944, as “D-Day,” the start of the Normandy invasion and a crucial turning point during World War II. But at the time, nothing about that campaign…
From Pickles to Planes: Women Lead Glider Production for Heinz During WWII
They came from all walks of life. Margaret Evans was an artist’s model from Greentree. Mrs. Grace Winters was a widow with three small children. Mrs. Louise Hamilton came from…
Fred Lenn: The Battling Boxer
Fred Lenn fought in two arenas—as a Marine serving during World War II and Korea, and in the ring as a champion amateur and professional boxer. The second of…
Have Fun but Remember the War: Halloween during World War II
With the History Center’s traveling exhibit “We Can Do It: WWII” returning to Barensfeld Gallery, it seemed a good time to celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday by looking back on how this haunting…
Meet Winnie the Welder
“No. We were not Rosie the Riveter. We welded ships. Rosie got all the attention. No one even gave us a name. Anne Jurjevic Thomas, welder at Dravo during World…
The Tuskegee Airmen
Photo of William A. Johnston. Johnston grew up in Sewickley, Pa. He enlisted in the Army Air Force at the age of 17 and served as a Second Lieutenant…
80th Anniversary of the Jeep
Rigorous testing at Camp Holabird in Maryland proved that the prototype Bantam Reconnaissance Car could perform like a horse and even tow field artillery over the roughest terrain. Courtesy…
Lieutenant Paige Comes Home
Portrait of Mitchell Paige, artist unknown, oil on canvas, undated. Paige’s family celebrated their Serbian ancestry and the Serb National Foundation presented Paige with gifts when he returned in…
Victory Half Won: Remembering V-E Day 75 Years Later
7th war Loan Fund Drive promotion on the grounds of Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, May 8, 1945. Courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh, William J. Gaughan Collection. At first, not…
All-Out for Victory Gardens!
“Plant a Garden for Victory.” World War II poster by J. Howard Miller, for the Westinghouse War Production Co-Ordinating Committee, probably 1942. Like many Pittsburgh companies, Westinghouse encouraged their…