World War II
Finding Heroes
Episode 1: The Lost Paratrooper
Finding Heroes
Episode 1: The Lost Paratrooper
A pair of hosts travel to Holland to find a set of lost WWII artifacts connected to a young paratrooper. They later present their discoveries to his modern-day descendant, a paratrooper himself.
In this fascinating series, a military historian and an investigative filmmaker travel around the world in search of lost remnants and forgotten artifacts from WWII, revealing untold stories about what they find on the battlefield or in museum collections. Through their investigation and family history research, they recount the human side of these stories, and reunite family members with these found objects.
Video
Finding Heroes
Episode 1:
The Lost Paratrooper
By Ancestry
A pair of hosts travel to Holland to find a set of lost WWII artifacts connected to a young paratrooper. They later present their discoveries to his modern-day descendant, a paratrooper himself.
Video
Meet the woman who photographed the untold stories of WWII
Toni Frissell’s work made visible those who were often overlooked. Today, her granddaughter honors her legacy by sharing her story.
Article
The 100th Infantry Battalion:
A Proud Fighting Force
By Ancestry
The US was at war with Japan—but this distinguished Japanese American battalion was determined to defend its country.
Article
The World War II Draft Card Collection
By Ancestry
This set of over 50 million draft cards reveals personal details like height, eye color, and the signatures of the men who were called to serve.
Gallery
The Fold3 Honor Wall
Are the veterans in your family receiving the recognition they deserve? Search for your World War II ancestors’ names and faces on the Fold3 Honor Wall.
Article
The Tuskegee Airmen:
A Fighting Chance
The Tuskegee Airmen:
A Fighting Chance
By Henry Louis Gates, Jr
This inspiring group of African American fighter pilots achieved tremendous success from high above the battlefields.
Article
Women in the War:
Rising to the Occasion
By Henry Louis Gates, Jr
Women from every corner of America answered the call in myriad ways—serving as chefs, nurses, mechanics, even pilots.
Facts
Did You Know?
More than 650,000 Jeeps were built during WWII. American factories also produced 300,000 military aircraft, 89,000 tanks, 3 million machine guns, and 7 million rifles.
Source: Fact Retriever
Video
The Holocaust:
Records of Remembrance
By Great Big Story
Arolsen Archives and Ancestry have digitized millions of records of those persecuted during the Holocaust, ensuring their stories can never be forgotten.
Article
World War II Records:
A Guide to Our Collections
By Ancestry
Learn how to find the untold stories in your family’s past with this brief introduction to the wide variety of World War II resources available on Ancestry.
Article
War of the Worlds:
How It All Began
By Ancestry
In a global conflict fueled by Adolf Hitler’s unrelenting aggression, millions of brave souls rose up to face the challenge of their lives.