MEDIA RELEASE
July 7, 2023
Media Contact:
Matt Porter
617-514-1574
press@jfklfoundation.org
www.jfklibrary.org
New Exhibit on Experiences of World War II Servicemen and Women Opens at the JFK Presidential Library
—Service and Sacrifice: World War II — A Shared Experience Opens This Summer With Stories of Lt. John F. Kennedy, His Siblings, and Others Who Served—
BOSTON – When the United States entered World War II, it was a decision that would send millions of American citizens into battles overseas in Europe and the Pacific.
As John F. Kennedy would reflect later after the war:
“The war made us. It was and is our single greatest moment. The memory of the war is a key to our characters…No other experience could have brought forth in us the same fortitude and resilience.”
This summer, the JFK Presidential Library will show how World War II became the defining moment for an entire generation of Americans. A special exhibit, Service and Sacrifice: World War II — A Shared Experience, will present stories from individuals about the war — some being told for the first time.
The exhibit will be open through March 10, 2024.
“President Kennedy saw his service experience and those of others as ‘key to our characters’” said JFK Library Director Alan Price. “I’m excited that this special exhibit will allow those of us who have no living memory of the war to share in the diverse stories of those who served in World War II to preserve democracy at home and abroad.”
There will be a special press preview of the exhibit on Monday, July 10 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Exhibit Curator Janice Hodson will be available to speak to the media during this time. A press kit is available featuring photos, artifact images, and documents that are on display in the special exhibit.
One of those rarely heard stories is that of Lieutenant Wilford “Bud” Willy. Willy accompanied the eldest son of the Kennedy family, Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., on the dangerous and secret bombing mission into German controlled territory in France. The bomber carried a dangerously large payload and blew up prematurely before both airmen could bail out of the plane. A letter from Willy to 8-year-old son Buddy written four days before his death is on display along with several personal artifacts. The items are on loan from the Willy family and it is the first time they have ever been displayed in a museum exhibit.
Despite sharing a common mission and purpose, the exhibit will also show visitors how the service of each individual was seen through a different lens.
African Americans, Japanese Americans, and women would continue to endure their second-class position even on the battlefield. But their performance and exposure to desegregated European cities would also be proof that an integrated armed forces would not destroy troop cohesion. A young Medgar Evers, who would later become a leader in the civil rights movement, would tell his brother Charles, “When we get out of the army, we’re going to straighten this thing out!”
The exhibit will also include stories from the Kennedy family including Lt. John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 collision and the daring rescue that followed. Visitors will be able to touch a replica of the coconut husk on which the young John F. Kennedy used to write the location of his stranded crew. The husk was then passed on to two native islanders who assisted in the crew’s rescue. Visitors can also read a letter sent by the future President to his family days after the rescue.
As part of a program with Blue Star Museums, active military families will receive free admission to the Museum through Labor Day. Active-duty military members are always admitted free along with World War II veterans. All other veterans receive $4 off regular or senior admissions.
About the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is one of 15 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration and supported, in part, by the Kennedy Library Foundation, a non-profit organization.
The JFK Library and Museum is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The Library is located in the Dorchester section of Boston, off Morrissey Boulevard, next to the campus of the University of Massachusetts/Boston. Parking is free. There is free shuttle-service from the JFK/UMass T Stop on the Red Line. The Museum is wheelchair accessible and all videos shown throughout the Museum are closed-captioned. For more information, call (866) JFK-1960 or visit www.jfklibrary.org.