This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Novelty toy saved lives of D-Day paratroopers
Capt. Sam Gibbons, a 24 year old 101st Airborne paratrooper during the Normandy invasion, relied on a brass cricket signaling device to locate and identify fellow soldiers in the dark. The tiny toy, packed with gear, helped form a patrol as German fire raged overhead, shaping a pivotal early hours rescue amid chaos.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sam Gibbons
101St Airborne
Gibbons
Normandy
Congress
Michael Gannon
University of Florida
U.S
D-day
101St
82Nd Airborne
Airborne
Thuséum
Hve
John Duvall