World War II in Virginia

the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division from Virginia suffered heavy casualties on June 6, 1944 in the D-Day invasion
Source: Library of Congress, Robert Barnes Ware Collection

Ships were sunk by U-boats off the coast in World War II, but Virginia was more of a training ground with embarkation ports than a battleground in 1941-1945.

On the home front, families placed stars in the window indicating how many members were in the armed services. As one resident remembered:¹

Of course, everybody had stars in the window, you know. We had five stars in the window for five in the war. My mother did not want to answer the doorbell because she thought it would be Western Union. She said, "Oh, it might be Western Union. I can't go to the door, please go for me."

It was bad. Very bad. And thank God all five came home. And you know, when five come home, it's amazing, I think, out of that many. So, we got through it okay.

Prisoner of War Camps in Virginia - World War II

Virginians stationed at Pearl Harbor anticipated a land attack after the Japanese plans had returned to their carriers
Source: Virginia War Memorial, Virginians at War: Pearl Harbor

Links

• Fort Hunt
• Library of Congress
• D-Day Journeys
• Robert Barnes Ware Collection
• National D-Day Memorial
• Virginia War Memorial
  • Virginians at War film series
  • World War II

References