National Guard Memorial Museum

06/01/2026

recipient U.S. Army COL Bruce Crandall passed away over the weekend. He received the MoH for his courageous actions at the battle of Ia Drang during the .

COL Crandall served in the Washington National Guard at the beginning of his military career and ended his service in the California National Guard.

National Guard Association of the United States - NGAUS Washington National Guard State Historical Society Museum NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA

It is with profound sadness that the Congressional Medal of Honor Society shares the passing of Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Bruce P. Crandall, U.S. Army (Ret.), who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam. He passed away peacefully at his home on May 31, 2026, at the age of 93.

A legendary Army aviator, Colonel Crandall was awarded the Medal of Honor for repeatedly flying his UH-1 Huey helicopter into intense enemy fire on November 14, 1965, to deliver critical ammunition and evacuate wounded Soldiers. Completing 22 flights through relentless enemy fire, his actions saved countless lives and became one of the most celebrated acts of courage in Army aviation history.

With Colonel Crandall's passing, there are now 63 living Medal of Honor Recipients.

Please join us in extending our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the Crandall family.

To learn more about Colonel Crandall's remarkable life and legacy, visit: https://www.cmohs.org/news-events/press-releases/passingofbrucecrandall/

06/01/2026

Thursday, June 4, acclaimed author Alex Kershaw will discuss The Bedford Boys, the story of nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia—population just 3,000 in 1944—who died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day. To RSVP or sign up to join virtually, please visit: https://www.ngef.org/the-bedford-boys-one-american-towns-ultimate-d-day-sacrifice/
National Guard Memorial Museum Friends of the National World War II Memorial Virginia National Guard D.C. National Guard

05/29/2026

The story of nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia—population just 3,000 in 1944—who died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day.

Join critically acclaimed author of The Bedford Boys, Alex Kershaw, author's page of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4 pm. Presented by the National Guard Educational Foundation at the National Guard Association of the United States - NGAUS.

Please visit the link below for more information (a streaming option is available).

Join critically acclaimed author of The Bedford Boys, Alex Kershaw, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4 pm. Presented by the National Guard Educational Foundation. This discussion will take place in the Montgomery Room at the National Guard

05/29/2026

Join critically acclaimed author of The Bedford Boys, Alex Kershaw, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4 pm. Presented by the National Guard Educational Foundation. This discussion will take place in the Montgomery Room at the National Guard

05/28/2026

The story of nineteen boys from Bedford, Virginia—population just 3,000 in 1944—who died in the first bloody minutes of D-Day.

Join critically acclaimed author of The Bedford Boys, Alex Kershaw, author's page of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4 pm. Presented by the National Guard Educational Foundation at the National Guard Association of the United States - NGAUS

Please visit the link below for more information.

Join critically acclaimed author of The Bedford Boys, Alex Kershaw, on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 4 pm. Presented by the National Guard Educational Foundation. This discussion will take place in the Montgomery Room at the National Guard

05/27/2026

Thank you for your service in The National Guard and the Florida National Guard, Colonel Pruitt! 🎂🎉🐊🇺🇸

Happy belated 106th Birthday to World War II Veteran Colonel William H. Pruitt of St. Augustine, Florida!

During WWII, Pruitt served as a finance officer with the U.S. Merchant Marines, crossing the Atlantic Ocean eight times through dangerous, U-boat-infested waters to deliver critical supplies supporting the Allied war effort. After the war, he continued his dedication to service in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years, including work with the Florida National Guard. Pruitt was honored for a lifetime of service with the WWII Congressional Gold Medal in 2022.

Happy Birthday Colonel! We thank you for your service!

05/26/2026

Their courage crossed the sea. Their legacy lives on.

On D-Day, courage changed the course of history — and freedom found its foothold on the beaches of Normandy.

Join Friends of the National World War II Memorial on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET for a solemn D-Day Commemoration Ceremony at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.

Gathered at the Circle of Remembrance, located just behind the Atlantic Arch, before the bronze plaque engraved with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s D-Day Prayer, we will honor the brave Americans and Allied forces who stormed the beaches of Normandy, remember those who never came home, and reflect on the enduring cost of freedom.

Know a World War II veteran? We would be honored to recognize them during the ceremony.

Register to attend or register a WWII veteran for special recognition:
https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/ceremony-registration

For those unable to attend in person, the full ceremony will be livestreamed on Friends’ page.

05/26/2026

34th Red Bull Infantry Division 34th Infantry Division Association Minnesota National Guard National Guard Association of Minnesota - NGAMN National Guard Association of the United States - NGAUS

Beryl Richard Newman of Baraboo, Wisconsin, a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary actions on May 26, 1944, near Cisterna, Italy.

Newman served with Company F, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. On May 26, 1944, near Cisterna, Italy, Newman and his platoon approached a German machine gun emplacement. Newman, scouting ahead, remained standing under enemy fire to ascertain the positions of the emplacements. Noting them, he proceeded to lead a machine gun unit from his platoon to a position from which they could open fire on the Germans, but that was ineffective. Newman then single-handedly advanced on the two machine gun nests, wounding two Germans and causing the other two to flee. Newman and his platoon took eleven prisoners; Newman himself had destroyed three enemy machine gun emplacements.

Newman retired from the service with the rank of Captain. He died in 1998.

05/26/2026