One of the main purposes of this year’s road trip was to give my 90-year old mom the chance to visit the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, something that she has long wanted to do. We had heard that the museum was amazing, and our 8.5 hours there today did not disappoint!
We saw every exhibit and watched almost every movie. While the rest of the family experienced it as history, for Gracie it was a chance to re-live memories:
Hearing the voice of Adolf Hitler on the radio;
Listening to Roosevelt’s speech to Congress;
The fear of a Japanese attack on Portland, OR, where she lived;
Her sister being in charge of the ration board in Bend, OR at the ripe age of 18;
A cousin piloting a landing craft on D-Day;
And of her brother, a Marine, fighting on Guadalcanal.
If you ever find yourself in New Orleans, it is a must see. Be sure to plan to spend an entire day to see everything. And if you aren’t in New Orleans, it’s worth making a special trip here to see it.
In thinking about books about WW2 to recommend, it was difficult because I have read so many. But in the end two stand out — these classic works by Herman Wouk:
It’s been years since I read them, but after today I’m tempted to go back and read them again.
What WW2 books do YOU recommend?
great, timely post…wish i had been there with you! hugs all around, pls!
Thank you Joann. Now you’ve interested me in reading Herman Wouk’s books. Great museum