Thanks to WWII veteran Roger Durbin the National WWII Memorial opened at the Rainbow Pool in 1995.

FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

RELATED CONTENT

WWII Veteran Randy James fought the Japanese during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

WWII veteran Samuel Hynes talks about the lasting effects of the war on his generation.

The Allies use double agents, code breakers and spies to undermine the German military throughout WWII, but cracking the Enigma code proves to be their greatest breakthrough.

A World War II veteran shares the story of the harrowing six months he spent in German prison camps and his eventual triumphant return to the United States. At just 18 years old, Hjalmar Johansson went on his first WWII mission as a nose gunner in a B-24 bomber. When his squadron came under heavy fire, Hjalmar and the rest of the crew were forced to abandon their plane behind enemy lines with no help in sight.

Senator Daniel Inouye fought to prove his American patriotism.

During World War II, feeding thousands of troops in enemy territory wasn't easy. Discover how soldiers carried C and K rations into battle with them and how the U.S. worked to improve the quality of the food.