Description: Not only did the Smithsonian research in Washington, D.C., inform the course of World War II, the war also shaped the collections and research of the Smithsonian. Military medical staff sent thousands of specimens of disease carrying insects to the museum for identification. Soldiers stationed in far-flung locations provided the Smithsonian with collecting opportunities that
Description: Just as the Smithsonian rallied around America’s wartime needs in World War I, in World War II the Smithsonian stepped up to the plate to aid the armed services as they mobilized for war. Secretary Charles G. Abbot quickly created the Smithsonian War Committee to facilitate optimizing the Institution’s resources and knowledge for the armed services. As Secretary Charles D.