New Orleans - Day 4 WWII Museum

Everyone we talked to told us that we must go see the WWII Museum. Did we really feel like going to a museum? Well, I'm so glad we did because it was fascinating.  Why is there a WWII museum in New Orleans? was my first question.  The answer is below:

 The Higgins flat bottom transport boat.  Higgins, a New Orleans local boat designer, designed and built this flat bottom boat that could land right on the beach.  President Roosevelt credits this boat for the success of the D-day beach landings and said the war wouldn't have been won without them.  That is why the museum is in New Orleans.  This boat is out in the lobby of the museum and there were a couple of WWII vets hanging out by it with pictures and stories.  So great to listen to these men.  They are the last of their generation.

The museum tackles the European war effort and the Pacific war effort separately. 

 Military aircraft and tanks.  This was really fascinating, because there are walkways up by the planes and you can see into their cockpits and shooting bays.  At each plane, they also show a short movie of the plane and how it was used.  Actual footage of the planes flying, shooting, taking off the aircraft carriers, etc.  They also had ambulances, half tracks, tanks and The Higgins p-boats.

German motorcycle used to dispatch orders and messages between the front lines. 

 A comparison between the uniform and equipment of an average American GI and that of a typical German soldier. The Museum required special mannequins for this display because regular ones bowed under the weight of the supplies. The museum also highlights the role of women in the war and what rationing was all about.  It tells the story while showing you the actual uniforms, letters, guns and ammunition (which HH loved),  flags they carried, medals they earned, everything you could imagine was there to help tell the story.  

 The Japanese were a scary bunch.  They would rather die than be captured and were called upon by their emperor to do just that.  Kamikaze pilots flew their planes into our ships causing great harm.  We hear so much about what we did to Japan, but our children need to know the torture that the Japanese did to our military men.  These things were touched upon and it was devastating.

We also paid extra to see a 45 minute 4D movie narrated by Tom Hanks.  It was incredible.  Definitely see this while you are there.  They offered another movie, but we didn't have time to see both.  We spent 4 hours there and I could have spent all day there, but give yourself at least 5 to really see everything.  The time flew by.  Every American should have to visit this museum.