World War II (1939-1945)

The single largest conflict in United States history, the Second World War spanned nearly six years, and entailed the efforts of more than ninety nations.  World War II began on the first of September, 1939, with the invasion of Poland, led by the combined forces of Germany and the Soviet Union, and a series of battles ensued. 

The war officially ended on the fifteenth of August, 1945, with the surrender of Japan. 

World War II involved the efforts of more than one hundred million military personnel, making it the most wide-spread war in world history.  Seventy million casualties had been accounted for at the conclusion of the war; the majority were civilian deaths.  Due to the vast amount of deaths, World War II remains the deadliest conflict in recorded history.

Endless Mountains Contribution

At the beginning of the Second World War, the Endless Mountains area was busy in providing allied nations with manufactured goods, such as firearms and artillery canons and foodstuffs. The city of Williamsport was home to Lycoming Engines, a company that helped the war effort by making aircraft engines and other components, and to a local airfield which was used for a training and re-supply base.

Click here for a breakdown of one of the World War II exhibits featured in the Endless Mountains Museum.

Click here for movie showcasing the German World War II exhibit memorabilia.

SOLDIER DIAGRAM

Roll over the highlighted parts of the soldier's uniform for a detailed look and description of the component.

The belt shown held a number of magazines for a specific rifle or sub-machine gun, typically the M1 Garand.
The bayonet attached to the rifle was a standard issue piece of equipment to every combat soldier.

The map case was used for holding documents of importance, including maps and military intelligence, and was generally resistant to water and severe weather.

 

 

The helmet displayed was standard-issue for most every soldier in the Second World War; it provided moderate protection from fragmentation grenade shrapnel and the elements. The helmet could be outfitted with a variety of camouflage patterns, and in some cases, with netting- soldiers would place foliage and grasses in the netting to better blend in with their surroundings.

 

The wooden rod shown served as the handle of a collapsible Pick that could be used for digging foxholes, fortifying machine gun emplacements, or planting anti-vehicle mines.
The pouch shown was used to store medical supplies.
The standard-issue MK2 Pineapple fragmentation grenade was effective against personnel and vehicles alike; the grenade had a lethal blast radius of 5 meters, and often caused injury at and beyond 10 meters.