The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion: The African American Heroes of the D-Day Invasion

Students will learn about the brave men of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion and their extraordinary mission to help protect US soldiers during the D-Day Invasions on June 6, 1944. The 320th was the only unit to storm the beach that day that was composed entirely of African American soldiers. They provided critical protection to the ships and soldiers below them from attacks by enemy aircraft. During the webinar you will learn about the men of the Battalion from interview clips with author Linda Hervieux, who wrote Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Black Heroes, at Home and at War about the battalion. You will hear as well from one of the Battalion’s members, William Dabney, through video recorded selections of his oral history. Museum educator Kelly Goodner will also walk you through how barrage balloons worked and why they were used during the war. This video is appropriate for grades K-12.

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