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World War II
“Take Five” with Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck was one of the leading jazz pianists and composers of the 1950s and 60s and made his home in Wilton.
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Road Signs of the Air
In the 1920s, when aviation was still in its infancy, most pilots navigated using road maps and by following highways, rivers, and other landmarks that they could see from the air.
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Mounds Candy Bar Involved in Espionage – Who Knew?
…that a storied Naugatuck business had its own “navy” and…
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Providing Bundles for Britain and News for America
Janet Huntington Brewster Murrow was a Middletown native who grew up to be one of America’s most trusted news correspondents, philanthropists, and the wife of Edward R. Murrow.
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A Godmother to Ravensbrück Survivors
Philanthropist Caroline Ferriday aided women whose internment at a German concentration camp during WWII left them scarred, physically as well as psychologically.
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Chief G’tinemong/Ralph W. Sturges
This Mohegan Chief is remembered for successfully guiding the Tribe through the final stages of Federal Recognition, which it obtained in 1994.
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The Early Years of the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company
Wasp and Hornet engines secure the reputation and success of this 1920s start-up venture.
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Reporting News of Pearl Harbor – Today in History: December 7
On December 7, 1941, Mansfield resident and UConn history professor Andre Schenker took to the airwaves to report on the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Cromwell’s Iron Men Made Toys for Boys and Girls
When John and Elisha Stevens formed the J & E…
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Connecticut Servicemen in the “Bloody Bucket” Division
Nicknamed the “Keystone Division,” the United States Army’s 28th Infantry…
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Connecticut History Day 2022: Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences
Both successes and failures in the execution of debate and diplomacy lay behind some of the most monumental events in Connecticut’s history.
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Hiram Bingham IV: A Humanitarian Honored for Saving Lives during WWII
Career diplomat Hiram Bingham IV, whose family has lived in…
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Joseph Alsop: Cunning Political Columnist of Mid-Century America
Joseph Wright Alsop was one of the country’s most well-known political journalists of the 20th century and was drawn into some of the most influential power circles in the world.
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The Vonsiatsky Conspiracy Case
In 1942, Anastase Vonsiatsky of Thompson, Connecticut, was convicted of conspiring to betray state secrets to Nazi Germany.
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Ernest Borgnine: Breaking the Hollywood Mold
Ernest Borgnine, a native of Hamden who served ten years in navy, became one of the world’s most recognized and revered actors.
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Portland’s Guy Hedlund: Actor and Activist
Guy Hedlund was a Connecticut native made famous through his…
Read A Godmother to Ravensbrück Survivors
Philanthropist Caroline Ferriday aided women whose internment at a German concentration camp during WWII left them scarred, physically as well as psychologically.
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Leroy Anderson Composed Iconic Music in Woodbury
Leroy Anderson, a long-time resident of Woodbury, was one of…
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The Atheneum Joins War Effort – Who Knew?
…that the Wadsworth Atheneum contributed to home front morale and…
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Women and Defense: World War II on the Connecticut Home Front
Women who stepped into civil defense positions managed and implemented programs that educated the public, promoted war bond sales, and aided emergency preparedness.
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A Connecticut Nazi Spy Has a Change of Heart
On the morning of October 6, 1944, Niantic-born William Colepaugh…
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Connecticut Lawyer Prosecutes Nazi War Criminals at Nuremberg
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Thomas Joseph…
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Connecticut’s “Yankee Watch” Squadron Protects the Skies Here and Abroad
Based in Orange, the 103rd Air Control Squadron of the…
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First Human Test of a Nylon Parachute – Today in History: June 6
On June 6, 1942, Adeline Gray made the first jump…
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Hometown Hero: Wallingford Remembers Stanley Budleski
Yalesville green memorializes pilot who lost his life in World War II.
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War and the Fear of Enemy Aliens – Who Knew?
…that Greenwich had a special police unit trained to handle suspected foreign agents operating in Connecticut.
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Waterbury’s Radium Girls
In the early 20th century, girls working at the Waterbury Clock Company faced death and disease from exposure to radium in the workplace.
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Spring Training Baseball Comes to Wallingford
Spring training baseball is a tradition in the United States…
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A New Source of Farm Labor Crops Up in Wartime
During times of war, in Connecticut, as in many other states, women became an increasingly important resource in food production.
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The Debate Over Who Could Occupy World War II Public Housing in West Hartford
In the 1940s, African American war workers eligible for government-funded housing found access restricted to some properties despite vacancies.
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A Woman Who Developed Tolerance: Leila T. Alexander
On Saturday, November 18, 1944, at noon after the meeting…
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Daring World War II Escape of a Bethany Soldier
A member of the glider service, Rollin Booth Fowler crash landed in Normandy during World War II and was captured, only to execute a daring and dramatic escape.
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The Bazooka Changes War – Today in History: June 14
On June 14, 1942, the General Electric Company in Bridgeport…
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An Orderly & Decent Government: Searching for the Common Good, 1929-1964
Organized labor grew strong during wartime while discriminatory practices in housing and education persisted throughout the state.
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Danbury Prison Protest – Today in History: August 11
On August 11, 1943, conscientious objectors and other prisoners staged…
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Video – Home Front: Connecticut During World War II – Migration and Housing
This excerpt from the Connecticut Experience series provides a glimpse into the people, places, and events that have shaped our state’s history.
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Connecticut Daredevil Andrew Mamedoff Joins Royal Air Force
Andrew Mamedoff was a daredevil, pilot, and war hero born…
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Boone Guyton Tested the Limits of World-Famous Aircraft
Boone Guyton was one of the most prolific test pilots…
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Video – Home Front: Connecticut During World War II – Civil Defense
This excerpt from the Connecticut Experience series provides a glimpse into the people, places, and events that have shaped our state’s history.
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Video – Home Front: A State Divided as War Looms in Europe
This excerpt from the Connecticut Experience series provides a glimpse into the people, places, and events that have shaped our state’s history.
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D-Day – Today in History: June 6
Naugatuck, Tuesday, June 6, 1944 Night watchmen in Naugatuck’s factories…
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