Footnote and the National Archives launches Internet’s largest interactive World War II collection, which includes an interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial, WWII Hero Pages, and WWII photos and documents previously unavailable on the internet.

In January 2007, Footnote.com partnered with the National Archives and other archives to digitize valuable records that contain the collective story of the United States. Now featuring over 47 million documents and photos on the site, Footnote.com tools bring history to life by allowing users to connect with their past and with each other.

Included in the WWII collection is the first-ever interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial. Similar to the Vietnam War Memorial project that Footnote.com released last March, the USS Arizona Memorial is a fully searchable digital image of the national monument.

The USS Arizona Memorial allows Footnote.com users to search for people they know by simply typing in a name. The image viewer will zoom in to the specific area of the wall where that name appears. By placing the cursor over the name, users can access an interactive box featuring additional information about the sailors, including a place to contribute photos and stories about that individual.

For a limited time, Footnote.com is providing free access to its National Archives WWII collections that include:

• Pearl Harbor Muster Rolls
• Missing Air Crew Reports
• U.S. Air Force Photos
• Submarine Patrol Reports
• Japanese Air Target Analysis
• Army JAG Case Files
• Navy JAG Case Files
• Naval Press Clippings
• Allied Military Conferences

“There’s more than just names, dates and places,” explains Ted Young, a WWII veteran whose oldest brother died on the USS Arizona as a result of the Pearl Harbor bombing. “I hope that someday our grandsons or great-grandsons will see this and have a better picture of what was going on in our time.”

In addition to the USS Arizona Memorial, Footnote.com is also releasing Hero Pages, an easy way to create a tribute or memorial to our war heroes. These Hero Pages feature an interactive timeline and map, a place to upload photos, documents and letters, and a place to share stories about individuals who fought in WWII.

Footnote.com and the National Archives have already created over 9 million Hero Pages from the Army enlistment records. Footnote.com invites those who were impacted by World War II to come and find or create a Hero Page, and preserve those memories that are disappearing too quickly.