July 2024 at the Museum
This July, we’re honoring the servicemen and women who have and continue to safeguard our liberties by being open on Independence Day! We’re offering $5 admission to honor their service and sacrifice for our freedoms. Then on July 27, prepare for a night of top-secret operations for adults at our “Ghost Army” Spy Night. Step into the shoes of the “Ghost Army” and uncover a fascinating world of artistry, deception and intrigue.
“Ghost Army” Spy Night
Saturday, July 27 | 6 p.m.
Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with top-secret operations that will test your stealth and cunning. As an attendee, you’ll receive a confidential mission packet containing a series of deceptive operations that will take you on a thrilling journey throughout the Museum. This event is for ages 21+
PAST EVENTS THIS MONTH
Independence Day $5 Admission
Thursday, July 4 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Bring your family and friends to experience our country’s independence through the stories of Veterans who made our freedoms possible. Enjoy $5 admission all-day.
Bank of America Cardholder Weekend
Saturday, July 6 – Sunday, July 7 | Free
Calling all Bank of America account and cardholders. Visit the Museum for free during the first weekend of each month when you present your Bank of America card to our Welcome Desk!
Sensory Saturday
Saturday, July 20 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Join us for Sensory Saturday – a sensory-friendly museum experience that will offer enhanced sensory activities all day long including: reduced volume throughout the exhibit area, touch tours, hands-on educational activities, and more!
NVMM READS
“Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army”
One of the U.S. Army’s most successful, yet secretive creations, was the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, also known as the “Ghost Army.” Our July NVMM Reads provides a glimpse into the everyday operations of this deceptive unit through the lens of real-life Veteran Sergeant Victor Dowd.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
America’s Fight for Independence
248 years ago, our War for Independence was an experiment in forging a new nation, one free from British rule. In honor of Independence Day, we share some of the Revolutionary War’s major events and key Veterans who helped win freedom for the American Colonies.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN GLENN!
Museum Visionary, John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. was a U.S. Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman and U.S. Senator. Our Museum began with his vision and every day we strive to live up to the guiding principles he set forth: To Honor, Connect, Inspire and Educate. In honor of his birthday, we celebrate John Glenn’s dedication to our community, nation and Veterans.
NATIONAL BUFFALO SOLDIERS DAY
Legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers
On Buffalo Soldiers Day, we honor and remember the soldiers of the first peacetime, all-black regiments in the U.S. Army. More than 180,000 Buffalo Soldiers served in the U.S. Army up to the integration of the Armed Forces including then-Colonel Charles Young, the first African American Colonel in the U.S. Army.
Introducing the NVMM Summer Passport – a limited-time opportunity to experience all the Museum has to offer at a discounted rate.
For just $20, you’ll receive:
- Admission for you, one adult guest, and up to 2 youths (under 17)
- 10% off at the Museum Exchange
- Member-exclusive email communications and invitations
- The freedom to visit multiple times up until Labor Day
HOMAGE x NVMM
Homage is stepping up for our Veterans in a big way, and you can be part of it! Now through August 11, a portion of the proceeds from the USA x NVMM Collection will directly support the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, helping us continue our mission to honor those who’ve given so much for our freedoms.
July 1: Women’s Army Corps is activated
World War II created an unprecedented need for soldiers on the front lines leaving many other jobs to be fulfilled. The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was created in 1942 by Public Law 554 and converted to an active-duty status as the WAC in 1943 allowing more than 150,000 women to serve in the Army. These roles included radio operators, electricians, air-traffic controllers and postal workers. The WAC was disbanded in 1978, and all units were integrated with male units.
July 4: The Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Enacted during the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence explained why the Thirteen Colonies at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain regarded themselves as thirteen independent states, no longer under British rule. With this declaration, the new states took a collective step in forming the United States of America.
July 6: U.S. Naval Academy admits women for the first time
The Naval Academy inducted 81 female midshipmen, and in May 1980, Elizabeth Anne Rowe became the first female graduate. She joined Janie L. Mines, the first African American woman to graduate. Four years later, Kristine Holderied became the first female midshipman to graduate at the top of her class. Nearly 5,000 women have graduated from the Naval Academy and gone on to excel in their military careers and beyond.
July 16: U.S. Marine Corps test pilot, John Glenn, makes the first supersonic transcontinental flight
The transcontinental speed record held by an Air Force Republic F-84 Thunderjet was three hours 45 minutes, and Glenn calculated that the F8U Crusader could go faster. Because its 586-mile-per-hour (943 km/h) air speed was faster than that of a .45 caliber bullet, Glenn called the flight Project Bullet. He flew an F8U Crusader 2,445 miles (3,935 km) from Los Alamitos, California, to Floyd Bennett Field in New York City in three hours, 23 minutes and 8.3 seconds, averaging supersonic speed despite refueling in-flight three times at speeds below 300 miles per hour (480 km/h).
July 27: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
The Korean War ended with the armistice signing in 1953. For three brutal years, the U.N. — principally the United States, fought bravely to stop the spread of communism on the Korean Peninsula. The armistice created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to separate North and South Korea and allowed for the return of prisoners. In honor of the millions who served, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on July 27, 1995, in Washington, D.C. “Freedom is not free,” is inscribed in the memorial display.
July 28: National Buffalo Soldiers Day
This date memorializes the action taken by Congress on July 28, 1866, to establish the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments, and the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st Infantry Regiments. The 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments played an instrumental role in the Indian Wars, protection of national parks and the safe transport of settlers through the Western frontier. Over 180,000 Buffalo Soldiers served in the Army up to the integration of the Armed Forces. Today, we honor and remember the soldiers of the first peacetime, all-black regiments in the U.S. Army.
