The ore pitchblende was discovered in the 1750's near Joachimstal in what is now the Czech Republic. Used as a colorant in glazes, uranium was identified in 1789 as the active ingredient by chemist Martin Klaproth. In 1896, French physicist Henri Becquerel studied uranium minerals as part of his investigations into the phenomenon of fluorescence. He discovered a strange energy emanating from the material which he dubbed 'rayons uranique.' Unable to explain the origins of this energy, he set the problem aside. About two years later, a young Polish graduate student was looking for a project for her dissertation. Marie Sklodowska Curie, working with her husband Pierre, picked up on Becquerel's work and, in the course of seeking out more information on uranium, discovered two new elements (polonium and radium) which exhibited the same phenomenon, but were even more powerful. The Curies recognized the energy, which they now called 'radioactivity,' as something very new, requiring a new interpretation, new science. This discovery led to what some view as the 'golden age of nuclear science' (1895-1945) when countries throughout Europe devoted large resources to understand the properties and potential of this material. By World War II, the potential to harness this …

Manual for the flight and operation of two military basic training planes manufactured by Vultee Aircraft, Inc., the BT-13A and the BT-15.

Interview with Harry Hopkins, a United States Navy veteran from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, regarding his experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 while aboard the cruiser USS St. Louis.

Interview with H. T. Hudgins, a United States Navy veteran from Mathews County, Virginia, regarding his experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 while aboard the destroyer USS Bagley.

Interview with Stephen P. Yorden, a United States Navy veteran from Saint Benedict, Pennsylvania, regarding his experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 while aboard the destroyer USS Dewey.

Interview with John Stiles, a US Air Force navigator and Vietnam War veteran from Memphis, Tennessee. Stiles discusses joining the Air Force, the RF-4 Phantom II, deployment to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, flying reconnaissance missions over North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, being shot down and later meeting the Vietnamese pilot who did it, and Air America.