Before the United States officially entered World War I, a small group of dedicated American volunteers in France formed the American Ambulance Field Service. These young men used donated cars, and their own courage, to drive wounded soldiers from the frontline first aid stations to hospitals. Operating under dangerous conditions, they risked their lives to save others while building a reputation for bravery and selflessness.![]()
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This American Heritage Museum video feature takes a closer look at the origins and impact of the American Ambulance Field Service. From their beginnings in France to the fundraising efforts back home, their story is one of compassion, sacrifice, and service during one of history’s deadliest conflicts.
Unsung Heroes: The Little-know Story of The American Ambulance Field Service
youtu.be
Before the United States officially entered World War I, a small group of dedicated American volunteers in France formed the American Ambulance Field Service...
A great restoration update on the American Heritage Museum Fairchild PT-19 Recruit that served as a training aircraft for the Tuskegee Airmen from Vintage Aviation News -
vintageaviationnews.com
The American Heritage Museum is restoring one of only two surviving Fairchild PT-19A trainers used by the Tuskegee Airmen. Delivered new to Moton Field in 1944, the aircraft is undergoing a full facto...
Enter to Win a WWII Jeep AND a Jerry Can Mini Bar at: ahmus.me/jerrycanfb - Cruise down the "Road to Victory" and help support the American Heritage Museum! Enter to win our grand prize, a 1944 Ford GPW Jeep, and through September 30th, you'll ALSO be entered to win a custom WWII-style Jerry Can Mini Bar! Click the link above and you'll also get 20% more in bonus entries too! Do it now before it drives away!
Here is this week’s challenge for “What is it Wednesday?” - What is it?! ![]()
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Thanks to everyone who played last week… The answer for August 27th is the tailhook on our F6F-3N Hellcat… see the previous post for the full details!![]()
Good luck on this week’s challenge! ![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #historymuseum #visitma
The answer to the “What is it? Wednesday” question from August 27th is the tailhook on our F6F-3N Hellcat! Tailhooks like these are used to quickly slow down carrier based airplanes by hooking onto an arrester wire on the deck of their ship!![]()
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Stay tuned for the next “What is it? Wednesday” question tomorrow, September 3rd at 10:00 am EST!![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #whatisitwednesday
Arsenal of Democracy
M4A1 Sherman (Grizzly) – USA | TANK
Sherman Turret Trainer – USA | TURRET TRAINER
1942 Buick Super (Front) – USA | CIVILIAN AUTOMOBILE
During the Second World War, “Arsenal of Democracy” was the slogan used by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a radio broadcast delivered on December 29th, 1940 to signal that the then still neutral United States would use all its immense industrial capacity to build the weapons of war needed by the last struggling democracies to save themselves, and the idea of democracy itself, from the threat of conquest by fascism and militarism in Europe and Asia.
Immediately after the United States entered WWII, our entire industrial infrastructure changed exclusively to support the war effort. All companies, large and small changed their production. A good example is the automobile industry. Ford focused a lot of their production on aircraft, primarily the B-24 Liberators – that became the most massed produced aircraft in American History. Cadillac made many components and engines for tanks and armored vehicles. Buick stopped all civilian car production and switched to making engines for the Liberators as well as armored vehicles, and tanks. Buick went on to make over 74,000 radial engines for the B-24, 2,000 M18 Hellcat tank destroyers, 600 M-39 tanks, over 19,000 M4, M10 and M26 power trains, over 2 million cartridge cases and more.
By the end of the war, U.S. industry was by itself out producing all the Axis countries combined. American trucks, tanks and aircraft were also supplied to Allied nations, from Canada to Britain to the Red Army of the Soviet Union. The Arsenal of Democracy exhibit highlights the phenomenal American industrial effort throughout WWII.
