Youngest Serviceman in World War II – Calvin Graham
Calvin Graham – the youngest serviceman in World War II – was only 12 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He did not wait a year or two before joining the service; no by May of 1942, he had enlisted in the US Navy. Some speculate the deaths of his cousins inspired him to join. He began shaving at the age of 11 to assist with passing himself off as older and had some friends of his parents forge his parent’s signature.
Due to the need for enlisted men, the petty officers at boot camp were not concerned with anyone’s age. Graham was therefore able to successfully complete the course. A fellow seaman later told the Chicago Tribune that the Navy had already suffered a high number of casualties and were desperate to build up its crew.
Graham first served on the USS South Dakota (BB-57) where he experienced the intense fighting first hand. He assisted in fire control during the Battle of Guadalcanal. During that time, he suffered a number of wounds, including burns and having his front teeth were knocked out. However, Graham didn’t let his injuries stop him. The New York Times later reported that despite his injuries, he continued to assist the wounded. The Smithsonian Magazine wrote that according to Graham, he would remove belts from the dead and use them as tourniquets for the wounded. He is also reported to have given the wounded cigarettes and stayed up all night encouraging them. As a result of his actions during this time, he received both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
However, within the year, Graham’s mother would reveal his age. He was sent to the brig for three months and all his medals were revoked. He would have served remained in the brig longer, but was released when his sister threatened to contact the newspapers. In May of 1943, one year after he enlisted, he received a dishonorable discharge. This caused him to also lose his disability benefits.
At age 17, Graham enlisted with the US Marine Corps. Three years later though he broke his back when he fell from a pier, thus ending his service career. Even though his service as a Marine would qualify him as a veteran, Calvin Graham still spent the balance of his life fighting for both medical benefits and a clean service record. It wasn’t until 1978 that he finally received his honorable discharge. At this time, all his medals – with the exception of the Purple Heart – were reinstated.
In 1988, his story was brought to the public via the television movie, Too Young the Hero. This prompted President Reagan to grant Graham full disability benefits. As a result, he received $4,917 increase in his back pay, $18,000 to cover past medical bills (though he was required to provide medical receipts). Unfortunately so much time had passed that many of the doctors he had seen had already passed away and many of the bills had been lost. As a result, he only received $2,100 of the original $18,000.
Despite his rights to the movie amounting to $50,000, after ½ the money went to two agents and another 20% went to a writer of an unpublished book about him, his total – before taxes – only amounted to $15,000.
Graham died of heart failure in November of 1992. Two years later, his Purple Heart was reinstated and presented to his widow. And with the intervention of both President Carter and then President Clinton, Calvin Leon Graham, the youngest serviceman in World War II, was recognized as receiving not only the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, but also the National Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with bronze Battle Star device and the WWII Victory Medal.
secure a system was capable of bombing ships that would fall outside the range of their defensive guns. About the same time, the U.S. Army had undertaken a similar project. The Bombsight became one of the military’s top secret and closely guarded projects of WW II. The intricacy of this instrument allowed a more accurate timing as to when it was necessary to drop a bomb in order to accurately hit the target below.
ties to the militaries of the US and China. Pakistan’s budget of over $5 billion is smaller than all the other top ten militaries, but it does exceed the overall defense budget of a number of other countries around the world. While Pakistan has about the same number of naval craft as the United Kingdom (see below), they have more aircraft and helicopters and an incredible total of 9,000 tanks and armored vehicles. They have assisted the United States in their War on Terrorism by fighting the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and along their own borders.
Active Military (including army, navy and air force) – 197,700
Iran has one of the best small forces in the world. Half of this countries government’s income goes towards defense. Their modern day military was first founded in 1923 and currently boasts over 500,000 active members. In addition, its defense budget of $10 billion has allowed more aircraft than the US and UK combined and almost the same amount of aircraft and helicopters as China, a country with a much larger force and budget.
Turkey’s Army dates back over 2,000 years. Their modern day militaries were not established though until 1920. Turkey has over 600,000 members in its military forces and its budget is close to $19 billion. This country comes in fourth for the total number of tanks and armored vehicles – 11,000 plus. All Turkish males – once they reach 20 years of age – are required to serve in the military. There are very few exceptions to this requirement.
Much of Germany’s notable military history began with the rise of Hitler. They were responsible for the start of WWII when they invaded Poland. When the war was over, the country divided and the West German Army was formed. It wasn’t until the 1990s the country reunited. Currently, Germany has more than 200,000 active military members who are well-trained and well-equipped. Germany boasts of one of the best tanks in the world – the Leopard II.
France’s military does not have the reputation as a super power, but its numbers would say differently. Their military totals over 360,000 members spread throughout their navy, air force and paramilitary branches. All three branches are very well rounded, but many feel their navy is bar far their strongest branch. France’s defense budget comes in just over $58 billion. Despite this impressive budget, it still has the smallest number of aircraft and helicopters than any other country on this list.
has more than 1.3 million members. India has an additional 2.1 million in reserves and their paramilitary has 1.3 million members. In all, India has more than 4.7 million total members.
the reserve. Their paramilitary total comes in at around 5,000. The total military budget for Russia is in excess of $64 billion. Only two countries have a higher military budget than Russia – the United States and China.
active service members in its military making it the largest active force in the world. With a reserve of 800,00 and a paramilitary of 1.5 million, in all, China has more than 4.5 million military members. China’s defense budget of $129 billion is continually increasing each year by an average of 12 to 15%. This total makes it the second largest defense budget in the world – second only to the United States. China is believed to house as many as 240 nuclear warheads.
The defense budget for the United States is more than the combined totals of the previous nine countries coming in at over $689 billion. The US has just over 1.4 million active military members, another 1.4 million reserve members and 11,000 in its paramilitary. The US ranks second behind Russia in the total number of warheads, but it does have the largest number of active warheads. The United States leads in the overall aircraft and helicopters – 21,000 – but is just barely ahead of China with its total of tanks and armored vehicles. The United States also has an impressive 12 aircraft carriers in its fleet.
Step close and get a sense of the strength of the cold metal on AFHMs authentic, fully restored, fully operational battle tanks, which are prominently displayed throughout the museum. Get a sense of the combat they endured throughout their service. Take a moment, put yourself in the turret – feel the power, feel the fear, feel the pride.
Lt. Colonel Creighton Abrams – Top WWII Tank Commander for the United States – Using M4 Sherman tanks, Abrams and his crew are credited with destroying an estimated 50 German armed fighting vehicles. Abrams military career continued on through the Korean War and Vietnam War. The XM1 – a US Army main battle tank was named the M1 Abrams in honor of Creighton Abrams. Abrams reached the rank of Four Star General before retiring in 1974.
General Heinz Guderian – Germany’s father of armored blitzkrieg – Guderian is known for heavily utilizing the blitzkrieg strategy during World War II, a strategy which greatly assisted with Germany’s successful invasion of Poland in 1939.
Major General Stanislaw Maczek – Superior Polish armed forces field commander – Maczek led armored units in World War II from its onset in 1939 until it ended in 1945. He played several key roles in the war, including the capturing of Wilhelmshaven in May, 1945.
Captain Michael Wittmann – Led Germany’s most lethal tank attack of WWII – Captain Wittmann’s kill record includes 138 tanks, 132 antitank guns and a countless number of vehicles. He is most famous for an attack in June of 1944, when he devastated as many as 14 tanks, 2 antitank guns and 15 additional vehicles a 15 minute time frame.
The B-17 Flying Fortress is a well-known aircraft from WWII is best remembered for the strategic bombing missions over Germany focusing on industrial and military targets. The Norden bombsight (which was top secret during World War II) was used on these missions to ensure accurate hits of the intended targets. The B-17 could fly higher than any other aircraft of its time and, even though it was a bomber, the plane was equipped to properly defend itself. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during WWII. It dropped more bombs over Germany than all other bombers combined.
Focke-Wulf Fw-190 – This single-engine German aircraft from WWII is referred to as one of the top fighters of all times. The Fw-190 made a significant impact in the skies over Europe and was feared by many of its counterparts. The versatility of the aircraft allowed the German Air Force Luftwaffe to use it as a fighter, fighter-bomber and as an anti-tank aircraft.
Ilyushin-2 Shturmovik – This WWII Russian aircraft is known for its incredible record in destroying enemy tanks, which earned its reputation as the #1 anti-tank aircraft in the world. The Ilyushin-2 Shturmovik also maintains the record as the highest manufactured aircraft design in aviation history. Stalin considered this aircraft crucial to the Soviet military.
Junkers 87 Stuka – This two-seater aircraft, flown by the Luftwaffe, was known for both its dive bombing capabilities and its successful anti-tank capabilities. One Luftwaffe ace alone destroyed well over 500 Russian tanks with the Stuka. The downside of the Stuka was its lack of maneuverability and defensive armament; as a result, it required a heavy escort of fighters to successfully complete its missions.
Messerschmitt Bf-109 – The Bf-109 is often described as one of the greatest fighter aircrafts in aviation history. The earlier developed Bf-109 was developed as an interceptor and would eventually be modified to be used as a bomber escort, a ground-attack aircraft and a reconnaissance aircraft. This distinguished aircraft, flown by the German Luftwaffe, served on all European fronts of World War II and was considered their single, most important aircraft fighter.
Messerschmitt 262 – Though this aircraft did not receive flight status until late in the war, its design actually began before WWII. The Messerschmitt 262 was introduced in April of 1944 and was considered an advanced aircraft by WWII standards. However, its overall impact on the war itself was minimal. The design of the Messerschmitt 262 was used by German scientists in future prototypes, which were being created at that time with speeds up to Mach-1. Because of its late introduction into the war, few of the original aircraft were manufactured.
Mitsubishi A6M Zero – Though originally perceived by the Americans as an inferior fighter, the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero proved itself a worthy match. The Zero became a dominant fighter aircraft during the first two years of the Pacific theater and was known for its maneuverability and long range. Along with its firepower, the A6M remained unmatched until the American carrier-based fighter F6F Hellcat came into service. The A6M retains its title as one of the most agile aircraft ever manufactured.
North American P-51 Mustang – The USA’s P-51 Mustang, a long-range fighter and fighter-bomber, was introduced in 1942. The aircraft was used throughout World War II, and pilots of the P-51 Mustang are said to have shot down over 4,900 enemy aircraft. The performance of this aircraft is responsible for regaining air superiority, which up until the P-51, was believed to have been dominated by the Luftwaffe. Many consider this P-52 Mustang the top fighter of World War II.
Supermarine Spitfire – A historical combat aircraft, the WWII British Supermarine Spitfire was a fighter aircraft which served in all combat theaters of WWII. Used by the RAF (Royal Air Force) and other Allied countries, the Spitfire was the only fighter aircraft Britain produced throughout the war. This single-seat aircraft saw action in the European, Pacific and other theaters of WWII and was known for its high victory to loss ratio. Many consider this WWII Supermarine Spitfire one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Vought F4U Corsair – The F4U Corsair was known for its air supremacy during WWII in the Pacific theater. Used as both a carrier fighter and a ground attack aircraft, the F4U outclassed the Japanese Zero. Japanese pilots actually considered the Corsair to be one of the most formidable American fighters of WWII. Due to its high speed capabilities and its maneuverability, this spectacular aircraft continued in service into the Korean War serving mainly as a fighter-bomber.
One of the most feared weapons of World War II, the King Tiger Tank (also known as Tiger Tank II) donned an almost impenetrable front armor. Produced by Henschel, the King Tiger was introduced into action on the Eastern Front in May of 1944. This tank design housed a crew of five. The main gun specification of the King Tiger was to be a variation of the 88mm anti-aircraft gun, capable of destroying enemy tanks from a great distance. The velocity of this gun was about 1000m a second when firing an amour piercing round. The gun’s accuracy allowed it to pierce 150mm of metal armor even if the tank’s position was more than 2 kilometers away from the intended target. The shell’s ability to travel at about 2200m in an estimated 2.2 seconds (and sometimes even faster) meant this tank had the capability to destroy enemy tanks from a distance, keeping the Tiger out of enemy range.
The United States became involved in WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The bombing was in retaliation for the United States refusing to trade items Japan desperately needed to assist them in their war with China. The attack at Pearl Harbor claimed over 2,000 lives. A total of eight battleships were either damaged or destroyed severely impacting the Pacific Fleet. It was the only battle that took place on American soil. The United States entered the war and began fighting on two fronts – Europe and the Pacific.
Young men in the United States signed up by the thousands for military duty. Patriotism was at an all-time high. The war was in the fore front of everyone’s mind. All citizens became involved in the war at some level. Military themed posters were distributed throughout the United States encouraging the conservation of the resources needed by the military to fight a successful war. Rubber, oil, gasoline, coffee and many other day-to-day items were being curtailed and food was being rationed. Automobile production ceased beginning in February of 1943 in order to use the manufacturing plants to produce items needed for the war. Women entered the work force to assist with making these much needed items.
A huge demand for aircraft existed during WWII. Countries continued massive production runs and were constantly evaluating performance and safety with practicality and firepower making adjustments to meet and exceed the air power of the enemy. Several aircraft rightfully earned their place as being synonymous with WWII. The B17 Flying Fortress, the P51 Mustang, the P40 Warhawk and the British Spitfire just to name a few. Advancements made throughout this time period were staggering and set the pace for future prototypes and continued advancement in military aircraft.
Step close and get a sense of the strength of the cold metal on AFHMs authentic, fully restored, fully operational battle tanks, which are prominently displayed throughout the museum. Get a sense of the combat they endured throughout their service. Take a moment, put yourself in the turret – feel the power, feel the fear, feel the pride. 
Military vehicles were used throughout the war for transporting troops, carrying infantry, artillery and anti-aircraft weaponry. Halftracks were popular due to their versatility. They were equipped with regular wheels on the front of the vehicle, which allowed for easier steering, but the back of the halftrack had caterpillar tracks. These would help with propelling the vehicle merging the benefits of the cross-country abilities of the tank with the easier handling of a wheeled vehicle.
The Armed Forces History Museum in Largo, FL is proud to have a display case dedicated to Colonel Leonard T. Schroeder with the boots, equipment and uniform Schroeder was wearing that infamous day in World War II when he became the first man to step foot on Normandy Beach. Other items are featured in additional display cases throughout the museum. The case above has a number of additional items also generously donated by Colonel Schroeder. His voice can be heard narrating his D-Day experience by visitors as they through the AFHM’s D-Day Diorama.
The WWII Women’s Army Air Corps was implemented in 1942 through joint efforts of various Army bureaus. Coordinating it all was Lt. Col. Gilman Mudgett. When the expected 11,000 women turned into 150,000 (throughout WWII), Mudgett’s initial plans had to be revised.
Besides the nurses, the WAACS were the first women to serve in the US Army. With the shortage of men, it was necessary for the Army to impose a new policy which supported women serving in uniform. The majority of the women who served remained stateside; however, some were sent abroad to Europe, North Africa and New Guinea. Two weeks after the Normandy Invasion, WACS landed on the beach to further assist the Army.
While some men vehemently opposed women serving in uniform, others – like General Douglas MacArthur – were supportive of women in the service. General MacArthur is said to have referred to the women as some of his best soldiers. Others who supported women in this new role felt the women were better disciplined, worked harder and complained less. General Dwight D. Eisenhower also recognized their contribution to the war stating, “their contributions in efficiency, skill, spirit and determination are immeasurable.”
