USA, May 10:
During World War II, the esteemed generation of Americans, often dubbed the Greatest Generation,
wholeheartedly contributed to the war efforts, a feat that included the involvement of Walt Disney and his
eponymous studio. In the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, Walt Disney swiftly
mobilized nearly his entire studio to aid the war endeavors.
Disney’s contributions spanned a wide spectrum, from crafting over 1,200 insignias for the Armed Forces
and affiliated groups to producing animated short films featuring beloved Disney characters. Additionally,
the studio ventured into creating instructional materials, government educational films, posters, and
publications. Such was the significance of Disney’s wartime output that it was safeguarded by troops
around the clock, attesting to its vital role in bolstering national morale.
This year, from June 3 to December 30, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on historic Ford Island will
showcase over 550 remarkable examples of The Walt Disney Studios’ extensive wartime contributions.
Housed within the Museum’s Raytheon Pavilion, the “The Walt Disney Studios and World War II”
exhibition is the result of a collaboration between The Walt Disney Family Museum and Pearl Harbor
Aviation Museum, curated by Kent Ramsey. In 2022 the exhibition was successfully installed at the
Museum of Flight in Seattle.
