Washington DC in WW2 History | World War II Database

3 Jul 1923

Photo(s) dated 3 Jul 1923

Aircraft carrier USS Langley (Langley-class) alongside the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC, United States, 3 Jul 1923. The white building at the photo’s top left is the present day National Museum of the Navy.

9 Jun 1939

Photo(s) dated 9 Jun 1939

President Franklin Roosevelt (striped tie) with Eleanor Roosevelt (far left) and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (between the Roosevelts) aboard the yacht Potomac, Washington, DC, 9 Jun 1939

1 Jul 1939

United States

(appx date) Planning of the new Essex-class carrier began at the United States Navy's Bureau of Ships at the Washington Navy Yard. ww2dbase [Essex-class | Washington Navy Yard | Washington DC | DS]

19 Sep 1940

United States

British members of the Tizard scientific mission met with their American counterparts at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC, United States and began exchanging results of their scientific research up to that point, including and especially their radar technology. All by itself, this first meeting almost immediately led to vast improvements to radar on both sides and also led to further advancements in related areas, such as development of the proximity fuze. ww2dbase [Vannevar Bush | VT Radio Proximity | Washington DC | DS]

23 Oct 1940

Photo(s) dated 23 Oct 1940

Aerial view of the White House, Washington DC, United States, 23 Oct 1940.

19 May 1942

Photo(s) dated 19 May 1942

President Franklin Roosevelt presenting the Medal of Honor to Brigadier General James Doolittle for Doolittle’s role in leading a bomber attack on Tokyo one month earlier, White House, Washington DC, United States, 19 May 1942.

28 Jul 1942

Photo(s) dated 28 Jul 1942

Admiral Ernest King, Chief of Naval Operations; Admiral William Leahy, Chief of Staff to the President; and General George Marshall, Army Chief of Staff at the White House, Washington DC, United States, 28 Jul 1942.

1 Aug 1944

Photo(s) dated 1 Aug 1944

United States Navy Vice-Admirals Aubrey Fitch (left) and John McCain on the occasion of Fitch relieving McCain as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air, Washington DC, United States, 1 Aug 1944.

12 Oct 1945

Photo(s) dated 12 Oct 1945

President Truman presenting the Medal of Honor to medical corpsman Desmond Doss at the White House, Washington DC, 12 Oct 1945. The medal was for actions on Okinawa, Japan. Photo 1 of 3.

13 Dec 1945

Photo(s) dated 13 Dec 1945

Staged photograph taken during the court martial trial of US Navy Captain Charles McVay. Former Japanese submarine I-58 commander Mochitsura Hashimoto is seen using a chart, Washington DC, 13 Dec 1945.

20 Feb 1947

Photo(s) dated 20 Feb 1947

President Harry Truman and members of the National Defense Research Committee, White House, Washington D.C., 20 Jan 1947.

20 Jan 1960

Photo(s) dated 20 Jan 1960

The former PT-796, a 78-foot Higgins boat, painted as PT-109, an 80-foot Elco boat, passing the reviewing stand in President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade in Washington DC, United States, 20 Jan 1960.

23 Dec 1999

United States

President Clinton granted a full pardon to Freddie Meeks, one of the few surviving members of the original 50 "mutineers" (Meeks was the only one of the 50 to formally apply for a pardon). ww2dbase [Port Chicago Naval Munitions Explosion | Washington DC | DS]

24 Nov 2018

Photo(s) dated 24 Nov 2018

Cutaway of a disarmed Mousetrap rocket and warhead at the National Museum of the United States Navy, Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC, United States, 24 Nov 2018. Note the museum’s caption in the lower right.

20 Dec 2018

Photo(s) dated 20 Dec 2018

Chronometer from the German U-505 at the National Museum of the United States Navy in Washington DC, 20 Dec 2018.

17 Jul 2019

United States

75 years after the Port Chicago explosion of 17 Jul 1944, by act of Congress, all 50 African-American sailors charged with mutiny following their refusal to resume loading munitions (all of whom had passed away) were fully exonerated of all charges and their records restored. ww2dbase [Port Chicago Naval Munitions Explosion | Washington DC | DS]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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