The Henry Ford announces the opening of Our War Too: Women in Service, a groundbreaking special exhibition honoring the extraordinary contributions of nearly 350,000 American women who answered the call to serve their country during World War II. The exhibit, organized by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and sponsored by The Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation is now open in the Gallery by General Motors in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and runs through September 7, 2025.
While the American Home Front is often the focus of WWII-era women’s stories, Our War Too brings long-overdue attention to the courageous and pioneering women who served in the uniformed branches of the U.S. military and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). It also pays tribute to the 73,000 women who served in the Army and Navy Nurse Corps. These trailblazers stepped into vital roles in the US Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and beyond—forever changing the face of military service.
The exhibit features powerful artifacts from the National WWII Museum’s collection that spotlight the personal stories, motivations, and achievements of individual servicewomen. From nurses and drivers to engineers and bakers, these women filled critical roles with skill and determination—often in the face of social and institutional resistance.
Visitors will also experience innovative interactive elements, including:
- Digital scrapbook featuring wartime memory books curated by women themselves.
- Three Short films examining the service and legacy of these trailblazing women.
- “We Were There” interactive biographies, utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence to allow guests to engage in virtual conversations with three WWII servicewomen:
- Romay Johnson Davis, driver in the segregated 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion
- Virginia Leeman Wilterdink, US Army nurse with the 314th General Hospital Unit
- Florence Smith, baker in the Coast Guard’s Women’s Reserve (SPARs)
These stations contain a library of more than 1,000 responses per subject, offering a deeply personal, conversational glimpse into the lives of these remarkable women.
Our War Too: Women in Service is more than a historical exhibit—it’s a celebration of courage, a reckoning with untold stories, and a reminder of how the bravery of yesterday’s women shaped today’s opportunities.
Don’t miss this inspiring and educational experience, on display exclusively at The Henry Ford through September 7, 2025.
For more information, visit www.thehenryford.org
