Human stories

Rhoda Robinson was one of thousands of members of the American Red Cross sent to Britain to set up Aeroclubs at Eighth and Ninth Air Force bases. Through their hard work, service clubs were transformed into morale-boosting 'homes away from home'.

As the Second World War began, so did the race to build the atomic bomb. Germany began with an overwhelming head start, but in 1945 the Allies beat them to it. This is the story of the world’s first Nuclear arms race.

George Herbert Walker Bush was an aviator in the US Navy, and 41st President of the United States, his experience during the Second World War shaped the wars of the 20th Century.

Duxford's 78th Fighter Group were heavily involved in supporting the Normandy invasion, flying missions on 6 June and over the summer of 1944.

In the early hours of 4 July 1944, Second Lieutenant Lonnie Moseley woke up, ate his breakfast and reported to briefing room at Duxford. Within hours, he would be faced with making three life or death decisions.

Over two million American servicemen passed through Britain during the Second World War. In 1944, at the height of activity, up to half a million were based there with the United States Army Air Forces.

Roger Freeman was a farmer’s son who lived close to Boxted airfield in Essex during the Second World War. His teenage enthusiasm for the Eighth Air Force developed into a life-long interest.

The American Air Museum commemorates the 30,000 American servicemen and women who died while flying from Britain. Their names appear on our Roll of Honour, which draws information from our archive onto the museum's walls.  

Duke was a paratrooper who completed four ‘combat jumps’ into action. He parachuted from a C-47 Skytrain on 6 June 1944 – his third combat jump.