STOCK PHOTO

Tom Brokaw dubbed the men and women of the World War II era “The Greatest Generation” because of their unselfishness and willingness to sacrifice and fight for their country.

“These men and women came of age in the Great Depression, when economic despair hovered over the land like a plague,” Brokaw wrote. “Then, just as there was a glimmer of economic recovery, war exploded ...  they answered the call to help save the world from the two most powerful and ruthless military machines ever assembled ... they faced great odds and a late start, but they did not protest.”

“WWII: 48 Local Stories That Changed The World,” a new exhibit at the Frazier International History Museum will feature the stories of local men and women, both civilians and veterans, and their contributions to the war effort.

“There was just my mother and I and even though Mom hated for me to go in training, why, I wanted the adventure!” Gertrude (Neff) Gray, a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps, told exhibit curators.

“World War II has been a part of so many exhibits movies, documentaries and television shows. We wanted to tell a story in a unique way and in a way that was unique to Louisville,” said Krista McHone with the Frazier International History Museum.

The exhibit will include 48 oral histories, interactive audio and video clips (including newsreel footage and radio commercials), hands-on elements, more than 100 photographs, music and dozens of artifacts, including equipment, uniforms, maps and personal memorabilia.

“We wanted to tell all sides of the story,” McHone said. “The exhibit has stories from people who served on the warfront and with the military and people who did their part on the homefront.”

The exhibit will also include two living history performances – one about a war-time president and the other about American music and dance during World War II. Other events include a Veteran’s Day program for school groups, two lunchtime history lectures about the roles women and romantic relationships played, a talk about the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and the “Frazier Canteen,” a USO dance on Valentine’s Day weekend.

“When we started working on the exhibit about two years ago, we put out public notices,” McHone said. “We talked to a few people and it snowballed from there.”

Ed Jackey was a Motor Machinist Second Class in the Navy. He gave the exhibit his impressions of being engaged in battle.

“It (battle) was kind of fun for a minute or two, until you decided all that stuff that’s going up is going to come down,” he said.

Bob Oakes, a Technical Sergeant in the Air Force recalled being captured by the German military.

“At Stalag Luft, the biggest problem with being a prisoner of war is that they didn’t feed you anything ... A cat made the mistake of wandering in our compound one day and we had cat stew. Tasted pretty good,” he said.

The exhibit opens Saturday, Oct. 10 and runs through March 28.

The Frazier International History Museum, 829 W. Main St., is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for service members, $7 for seniors 60 and over, $6 for children under 14 and students and free for children under 5.

For more information, call 753-5663 or visit fraziermuseum.org.