Veterans

Local Veterans and Their Stories

To preserve the memory and sacrifice of our veterans, the Freedom Museum is dedicated to documenting and sharing the stories of our local veterans, both past and present. Read some of the stories below that we’ve collected so far and check in regularly for new stories highlighting our veterans’ dedication, perseverance, and bravery.

Heritage League Artifact

Sunday April 6th, The Heritage League of the 2nd Air Division (USAAF) represented by Chris Clark and Beverly Tomb loaned the Freedom Museum a compass used by the Bombardier Navigator on a B-24 to guide the aircraft to the target area during the daylight bombing campaign during WWII.

The US Army Air force Type -12 direct reading compass was used at the Navigators station on the nav-table of the aircraft. It was a key tool the Navigator used on B-17, B-24, B-29 and transports including C-46, C-47, and C-54. The compass was made by the Bendix Corp. in 1942 and was actually used on missions. It was entrusted to the League by the lawyer in charge of disbanding the Second Air division.

The Freedom Museum is grateful to the Heritage League for adding an artifact that further tells the story of the Bombardiere and his task to navigate the aircraft and then to aim the bombs during the daylight bombing campaign in Europe. This valuable compass will join the Norden Bomb Sight, the Loop Antenna, and its control box, and the Fairchild F-56 high altitude camera, all artifacts used on the Liberator. Two of our local heroes, Sgt Monaghan (Top Gunner) and Capt. Baker (Bombardier Navigator), were B-24 aircrew who lived in Manassas. They are local men who joined the 8th Airforce to fight the Germans during WWII.

Drop by the museum and see this new artifact.

Black History Month 2024

Our story of local African American heroes at the Freedom Museum begins in WWI. In those days, 1917 specifically, Prince William County and Manassas were essentially farming communities in which the Railroad passed on the way from Washington DC to Richmond. Woodrow Wilson authorized the draft and African Americans like Harry Hatcher, and his brother of Gainesville VA answered the call! They deployed to France in the 372nd Infantry Regiment, First Separate Battalion. Harry gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country and was killed near the French town of Monthois. He is buried in the American Cemetery in the Muse Argonne. We remember him this month and his brother.

Love is on Full Display at the Freedom Museum

Museum president Jim Porter and director Kristin Perper explain that June is a popular wedding month, so the museum created a display of historic wedding memorabilia while honoring local families. Porter notes that many members of the Greatest Generation married and started families as WWII came to an end.

Two featured Manassas couples are Walser Conner & Edgar Rohr and Mattie Hooe Cannon & Harry J. Parrish, both married in 1944. The Rohrs were deeply involved in improving Manassas for decades. Mattie Parrish’s wedding photographer forgot to load film, but a guest captured a photo — now displayed alongside her dress in the museum window.

Full Circle Moment in Saipan

The Freedom Museum had a full circle moment recently. For people who have visited the Freedom Museum, they will remember Richard Bean from Brentsville who joined the Army and fought and died on the Japanese held island of Saipan in 1944. His remains were not found until 2013 when the Japanese nongovernmental agency, Kuentai went to Saipan to try to recover Japanese soldiers remains and return them to Japan. Jarae, a former Saipan resident and now Manassas, VA resident, contacted us to tell us he was the one to discover Bean when he was 12 years old on a family friend’s archeological dig. He was only 14 years old when he helped discover Richard Bean. In 2018, Jarae moved with his family from his tiny island to the town of Manassas.

Double V Campaign: Honoring Black Veterans

The Freedom Museum had a full circle moment recently. For people who have visited the Freedom Museum, they will remember Richard Bean from Brentsville who joined the Army and fought and died on the Japanese held island of Saipan in 1944. His remains were not found until 2013 when the Japanese nongovernmental agency, Kuentai went to Saipan to try to recover Japanese soldiers remains and return them to Japan. Jarae, a former Saipan resident and now Manassas, VA resident, contacted us to tell us he was the one to discover Bean when he was 12 years old on a family friend’s archeological dig. He was only 14 years old when he helped discover Richard Bean. In 2018, Jarae moved with his family from his tiny island to the town of Manassas.

Veteran Stories: Silver Star Medal Recipient Merle Hanock

The Freedom Museum had a full circle moment recently. For people who have visited the Freedom Museum, they will remember Richard Bean from Brentsville who joined the Army and fought and died on the Japanese held island of Saipan in 1944. His remains were not found until 2013 when the Japanese nongovernmental agency, Kuentai went to Saipan to try to recover Japanese soldiers remains and return them to Japan. Jarae, a former Saipan resident and now Manassas, VA resident, contacted us to tell us he was the one to discover Bean when he was 12 years old on a family friend’s archeological dig. He was only 14 years old when he helped discover Richard Bean. In 2018, Jarae moved with his family from his tiny island to the town of Manassas.

Veteran Stories: Prisoner of War George Idlett

Prisoner of War Survivor George D Idlett served as a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Force during World War II. Despite the challenges he faced, he fulfilled his honor of being an American soldier with perseverance and grit.

Artifact Analysis: The Stories Behind the art

During the World Wars, many new ways of creating art and photography came about to portray what battle and being on the front lines was really like. Check out the harrowing and brave stories behind three of the museum’s pieces and visit us to see many more.

William "Bill" Baker's First Combat Flight

During the World Wars, many new ways of creating art and photography came about to portray what battle and being on the front lines was really like. Check out the harrowing and brave stories behind three of the museum’s pieces and visit us to see many more.

Betty Scott - Possibly the First American Woman Aviator

During the World Wars, many new ways of creating art and photography came about to portray what battle and being on the front lines was really like. Check out the harrowing and brave stories behind three of the museum’s pieces and visit us to see many more.

Discovering Captain Sylvester Henry Epps

During the World Wars, many new ways of creating art and photography came about to portray what battle and being on the front lines was really like. Check out the harrowing and brave stories behind three of the museum’s pieces and visit us to see many more.

Artifact Analysis: The Norden Bomb Sight

Carl Norden, a young Dutch engineer, emigrated to the US in 1904 with ambition. Later, he would become the inventor of the Norden Bomb Sight, one of America’s most highly promoted weapons.

Aiming for the Stars: A Discussion on NASA's Future

Carl Norden, a young Dutch engineer, emigrated to the US in 1904 with ambition. Later, he would become the inventor of the Norden Bomb Sight, one of America’s most highly promoted weapons.

The Life of a VMF 213 Squadron

June 30, 1943, a typical day of that period, saw VMF 213 fly an intercept mission to Rendova in the morning and went out agian in the afternoon to cover shipping in the same area. They flew for the three and half hours, but could not locate any enemy planes. Others in the Squadron Maj. Weissenberger and Lt. Wilbur Thomas were more sucessful, and shot down a number of Zeros.

Surviving Hanoi Hilton

Paul Galanti, a pilot of an A-4 Skyhawk on the USS Hancock during the Vietnam War, details his survival and perseverance story of being a prisoner of war at the Hanoi Hilton.

Still Flying High and Mighty

Eli Tice grew up around Charlestown, West Virginia. Today, Eli works at American Helicopters, and working towards getting A & P (airplane mechanic’s) license, and training to become a commercial pilot. Eli was transported, and was suffering and had more than 20 surgeries.

Fighting to the bitter End, Then Shaking Hands: The End of World War 1

Private James W. Keys, a soldier from Prince William County, served in the famous “Wildcat Division” in World War I. He used scraps of paper and a tiny blue notebook to vividly detail his experiences. The following is the last chapter in his diary describing the final hours of the “Great War” as seen through his eyes.

Courage: To Do Your Duty in Spite of Fear

William Baker was a B-24 bombardier and flew 47 missions as a member of the 98th Bomb Group. He was from Norton, Virginia. Baker completed the Army training track for bombardiers before heading for Leece, Italy and the 15th Air Force for duty - read passages from his diary that detail his mission throughout World War II.

Escaping the impossible

The Maruson crew, with S/Sgt Monaghan flying as right waist gunner, was flying in the high right element lead ship position of the Lead Squadron with Lt. Kaiser’s plane on the right wing in the formation join-up plan during Group-assembly operations. After the collision, the Markuson plane, B-24 Model #42-51340, 576th BS Identifier – CI, Call Letter “M”, no nickname, crashed at Skeyton, England, with two crew members managing to bail out safely: 2Lt. Harold W. Huchcroft, the Co-Pilot, and T/Sgt. Paul L. Cain, the Flight Engineer.