World War, 1939-1945

President Harry S. Truman joins hands with two soldiers and two sailors who served during World War II and have just received the Congressional Medal of Honor. From left to right: Sergeant John R. McKinney, Woodcliff, Georgia; First Lieutenant Daniel W. Lee, Alma, Georgia; President Truman; Lieutenant Donald A. Gary, Oakland, California; and Commander Joseph T. O'Callahan. The ceremony took place in the Oval Office at the White House. The original photo has been retouched.

President Harry S. Truman (standing, center) poses with some of the twenty-eight recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor who were decorated at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The men were honored for bravery during World War II. A motion picture camera is in view in the background by the door. All others are unidentified.

Marine Colonel Justice M. Chambers of Rockville, Maryland, holds his seven month old twins, Peter and Paul, while President Harry S. Truman (left) is shaking hands with one of the youngsters. President Truman has just awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to Col. Chambers for gallantry at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, February 19-22, 1945, during World War II. On the right is Mrs. Chambers and behind her is General Clifton B. Cates, Commandant of the Marine Corps. All others are unidentified.

Military officials and dignitaries are seated in the East Room of the White House for a Congressional Medal of Honor presentation ceremony. A portrait of First Lady Martha Washington is visible on the wall behind the men. George Marshall, United States Army Chief of Staff, is seated third from the right on the first row. General Omar Bradley is seated on the far right on the second row. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal is seated front row, left. and Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson is seated in the front row, second from left. All others are unidentified.

President Harry S. Truman is shown presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Sergeant John D. Hawk, Bremerton, Washington. The award ceremony took place during Truman's visit to Washington state. Sergeant Hawk was given this award for bravery in France, August 20, 1944. The award ceremony took place at the state capitol in Olympia, Washington. Washington Governor Monrad C. Wallgren is slightly visible on the far right. Others in view are unidentified.

President Harry S. Truman shakes the hand of a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient shown in a wheelchair, right center. Other recipients and guests can be seen looking on during the ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Numerous photographers are present directly behind the president. Press Secretary Charles Ross is standing by the candelabra next to the door in the background. First Lieutenant Cecil H. Bolton is seated second from left, front row.

President Harry S. Truman, center, decorates a soldier during a Congressional Medal of Honor presentation ceremony in the East Room of the White House, as other recipients and guests look on. In the background, standing directly in front of the candelabra, is Press Secretary Charles Ross. Standing in front of the flag, leaning over the table of medals is Major General Harry Vaughan. All others are unidentified.

Kenryo Sato, a Japanese war criminal, sits in the courtroom listening in on the International Military Tribunal of the Far East in Tokyo, Japan. A military police officer stands by his side. Others are unidentified.

President Harry S. Truman is shown bestowing the Congressional Medal of Honor on Sergeant Ralph G. Neppel, 21, Glidden, Iowa. Sergeant Neppel is one of 28 soldiers who received this award in the East Room of the White House on this day. Sergeant Neppel lost his legs below the knee in action in Germany, December, 1944. This photo was submitted by the photographer to the third White House News Photographers Photo Contest and is titled "Nation's Highest Honor."

Yoshijiro Umezu was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment