World War 2 In Review

Answering for Atrocities

In the post–World War II Pacific, the U.S. Navy used rigorous legal standards to see justice served in the wake of Japanese war crimes.

By Michael Eastman

February 2026 Naval History

Conservationists Working to Recover WWII Torpedo Plane from Pacific Sea Floor

The U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command and the Air and Sea Heritage Foundation are working to recover Bureau Number 1515, a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator submerged off Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the conservation organizations announced Friday. The TBD-1 Devastator was the Navy’s first carrier-based all-metal plane with a singular pair of foldable wings for carrier stowage. The aircraft, which was the most modern at the time, played a critical role during the opening months of the Pacific campaign, including the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway.

Beyond the Gold Stars: Giving a Voice to the Fallen

In the quiet plaza of the National World War II Memorial, 4,048 stars shimmer on a wall. Each star represents about 100 American lives lost. For the 421,000 Americans who never came home, a Gold Star in a window was often the only story their community knew. Today, a passionate group of volunteers is on a mission to change that. They believe that no hero should be a statistic – and they need our help.

THE SHIPS OF TORA! TORA! TORA!

The ship models used in the movie were very large, some 30 feet long or more, and were highly accurate. And the Arizona was a full-scale replica so that live actors could be filmed on the "ship".

The models were sold at auction after the movie was completed and some sold for as little as 10% of their cost to make the model.

A contact of mine purchased two of these models and sent me photos of them. One was an American tugboat and the other was a Japanese destroyer, which barely fit in his swimming pool. Unfortunately, I have lost the photos - that happens when you move three times!

In 1984 I was with an aunt and her grandkids at an amusement park in upstate New York (the park no longer exists). At one point it started to pour so we ducked inside one of their exhibit buildings. Inside there were two halls and we walked down one of them which was lined with old automobiles. As I turned to go into the other side, I stopped short. I was literally shocked to see several of the model ships from the movie. One of them was an aircraft carrier, possibly the Akagi, with the various Japanese aircraft on the flight deck. The Akagi model was about 30 feet long (!). I am 6'4' tall and I could barely see the top of the flight deck the model was so huge.

Sadly, I didn't have a camera that day and I never got a chance to go back.

And check out this Blog post on the making of the movie:

TORA, TORA, TORA: Oscar winning expertise recreates day of infamy at Pearl Harbour

How to cross a street under fire (video)

How to cross a street under fire. Imperial War Museum video clip from WWII instructional film.

February 1945: The Battle of Manila

by Jenny Ashcraft

Beginning on February 3, 1945, U.S. forces fighting alongside Filipino troops began a month-long battle to reclaim the city of Manila from the Japanese. The battle was the scene of intense urban fighting and resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 civilians. The city of Manila was destroyed, along with cultural treasures like the centuries-old Intramuros, an ancient walled portion of the city, which was flattened. ...

[This is an article on Fold3.]

Air Power Album 2: Italy

Reggiane Re.2000.

Reggiane Re.2000 Falco.

Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I.

Reggiane Re.2000 Falco II.

Reggiane advertisement.

Reggiane Re.2001 Delta.

Reggiane Re.2001 Falco II.

Reggiane Re 2001.

IMAM Ro.41.

IMAM Ro 44.

The first Ro.57 prototype, MM-407.

Ro.57bis. The dive bombing variant, designated Ro 57bis, was fitted with dive brakes, two 20-mm. cannon in addition to the 12.7-mm. guns, and a crutch for bombs up to 1100 lb. under the fuselage.