As part of our commitment to community engagement, the American Heritage Museum will offer free admission to all residents of Hudson and Stow this weekend - December 6th and 7th. Hope you can make it!
Today, December 4th, 2025, marks the 75th anniversary of Captain Thomas J. Hudner Jr's valiant attempt to rescue Ensign Jesse L. Brown in the Chosin Reservoir.![]()
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On December 4, 1950, Hudner, a native of Fall River, Massachusetts, and Brown, one of the first African-American U.S. naval aviators, were part of a flight of F4U Corsair fighter planes tasked with supporting U.S. Marine ground forces in Korea. During their mission, Ensign Brown's aircraft was struck by small arms fire, forcing him to crash-land in the Chosin Reservoir.![]()
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Shortly after, Captain Hudner intentionally crash landed his own airplane in the reservoir and rushed to Brown's crash site to try and rescue him. Upon arriving at the now burning wreck, he found that Brown's legs were pinned in the cockpit. A rescue helicopter arrived shortly after and Hudner, accompanied by the pilot, tried for 45 minutes to free Brown to no avail. ![]()
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Ensign Brown passed away shortly after from blood loss and exposure to extreme cold, and Hudner was forced to leave his body and evacuate by helicopter.![]()
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Captain Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 13th, 1951, for his actions and met Brown's widow, Daisy, during the ceremony. The two would stay in contact for the next 50 years.![]()
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The book "Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Brotherhood and Sacrifice " by Adam Makos details the entire ordeal, with a film adaptation which premiered in 2022.![]()
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Today, we remember and honor Captain Hudner and Ensign Brown for their valiant service and sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom.
The answer to the “What is it? Wednesday” question from November 26th is the hood ornament on our 1942 Buick! This car was one of the last produced at Buick's plant in Flint, Michigan in 1942. Buick was one of many companies who, after the United States entered WWII, stopped producing civilian goods and began the production of war goods.![]()
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Stay tuned for the next “What is it? Wednesday” question tomorrow, December 3rd at 10:00 am EST!![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #whatisitwednesday
Their gift to us was freedom. On this Giving Tuesday, your gift ensures their stories are never forgotten.![]()
Give today: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/annualfund2025/![]()
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At the American Heritage Museum, every field trip, veteran visit, and living-history weekend helps a new generation understand that freedom has a real weight—and a real cost. Your Giving Tuesday donation to our 2025–2026 Annual Fund keeps the doors open, the engines running, and the stories of service and sacrifice alive.![]()
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Their gift to us was freedom. Your gift TODAY preserves their history.![]()
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Make your Giving Tuesday gift now: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/annualfund2025/![]()
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#GivingTuesday #AmericanHeritageMuseum #SupportHistory #neverforget #veterans #historymuseum
Meet the German Sd.Kfz 251!![]()
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#AmericanHeritageMuseum #visitma #militaryhistory #historymuseum #WWII #ww2 #tworldwarii #worldwar2 #army #tanks #worldoftanks #tanknerd #germanarmor #sdkfz #halftrack
- This event has passed.
AHM Presentation: Remembering Pearl Harbor and U.S. Entry Into WWII
December 7, 2022 @ 2:00 pm, ending 3:30 pm
$10 – $20
Join us at the American Heritage Museum for a compelling talk about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entry into WWII. Hosted by American Heritage Museum President Rob Collings and Lead Docent Colin Rixon, we will discuss “the day that will live in infamy.” The motivations of Japan to attack Pearl Harbor, how they executed the raid and its aftermath will be covered.
We will also highlight the history of our Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk and Waco UIC aircraft currently on display. The P-40 Tomahawk is the last flying fighter that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Waco UIC was operated by the first American civilian casualty of WWII, Bob Tyce. He was killed by a strafing Japanese Zero fighters at John Rogers airfield in Hawaii. Click on photos to read more about these aircraft.
