Pearl Harbor from a Child's Perspective

On this website, Alice Adams recalls the Pearl Harbor attack, which she witnessed firsthand when she was just 10 years old. Her father was an Army Air Corps crewman stationed at Hickam Field adjacent to Pearl Harbor that day. Alice’s story is one of many personal accounts compiled by Ken Arnold to create his website dedicated to memories of World War II.

Remembering Your World War II Veteran- a Great Example

This post on American flyer William Fiske from the RAF Museum is a great example of a technically proficient web design. It tells the story of one American's experience in the RAF during the Battle of Britain. While you may not have all of the resources a museum might, this still serves as a good example to follow.

Saving a Town's Memories of its Greatest Generation

We all have an interest in saving the WWII memories of family members. Vic Cleary wants to preserve the memories of his entire town. Clarksburg Ohio's Courageous: WWII is his blog that seeks to honor the service of the 222 WWII veterans from Clarksburg and its surrounding rural township, which have rich military histories dating back to the Revolutionary War. With more than 900 veterans dying each day, this is a welcome effort. The citizens of Clarksburg and the rest of us thank you, Vic, for preserving these important historical moments.

Six steps for scanning and preserving WWII photos

Blogger Tina Lyons is making the commendable step of scanning and digitizing her grandfather's WWII photos and documents. She's published a helpful list of tips at her blog site. Thanks, Tina, for sharing your ideas with others who wish to preserve valuable family memories of the War That Changed The World. Let us know when you're finished.

A Classy Classroom Tribute

It's not always family who build WWII sites. Students sometimes do, too, as part of learning about the Second World War. The 9th, 10th and 11th graders at Hershey High School in Hershey, Penn., created this unique site. Jeff Mummert's American Cultures and World Cultures Honors classes fashioned a vivid, professional and colorful online experience from artifacts belonging to Mummert's grandfather, stationed with the 10th Mountain Command in Italy whose book of Bill Maudlin cartoons became a yearbook filled with notes and names of his comrades-in-arms. Intrigued by the signatures, Mummert's students began finding out what happened to the individuals, creating an Excel spreadsheet documenting who received medals (Mummert's grandfather was awarded a Bronze Star) and the home towns of the soldiers. The students discovered WWII soldiers could be just as impatient with rules and regulations as any high schooler.

"The artifacts and documents describe the experiences of a person just like themselves, and not too far from their age," Mummert says. "The Maudlin book and medal lists, in particular, reflect the heroism of American soldiers, but more importantly in the historical context they show the challenging conditions, fear, comradeship and the healthy disrespect for authority evident among the common solider."

Oral History Tips

The mission of The National World War II Museum in New Orleans is to tell the story of the American Experience in the war that changed the world -- why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today -- so that all generations will understand the price of peace and be inspired by what they learn.

What better way to accomplish that than through the words of the men and women who were there?

The museum's oral history project seeks to preserve the memories of the Greatest Generation. We've given you some helpful questions to ask. Here are some other helpful tips:

* Don't feel you need high-tech equipment to record an oral history.

* Before you start, make sure you're in a quiet location where you won't be distracted. Don't forget to turn off the telephone.

* Remember to note your subject's name, the recording date and location on the tape. It's a good idea to say it at the start of the recording.

* Keep an eye on your equipment. The worst thing is to lose valuable components of a story because of a malfunction.

More Ice Breakers

A lot of people found the Nine Ice Breakers -- how to start your interview with a veteran -- very helpful. We thought we'd return to the historians at The National World War II Museum and ask them to add to their list. Here are eight new questions to ask your WWII vet that should guarantee some thoughtful answers:

* What did you think you were fighting for and how did you feel about the enemy?
* What did letters from home mean to you?
* How did WWII change you and your life?
* Did it change your values, or influence your career?
* What is your impression of WWII for America?
* Did WWII change the world? How?
* What were the positives and negatives for the US as a result of WWII?
* What is the significance of having The National WWII Museum for future generations?