Global Valour: The Irish in World War II

Editor's Note: The following piece has been shared with IrishCentral from the American Irish Historical Society's (AIHS) Treasures of Time, stories from the collections and archives of the American Irish Historical Society in New York City.

Not infrequently do we discuss the role of Irish immigrants in the American military, starting in the early days of the Revolutionary War and spanning across numerous civil and global conflicts.

Throughout this history are many examples of Irish political ties impacting the move of American wars. For instance, we’ve spoken in the past on the role of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment, a Union Army brigade in New York that was founded by Irish immigrants and abolitionists.

In our exhibit earlier this year, we looked at the way 18th-century United Irishmen and their partnerships with French revolutionaries supported the cause of American independence.

But when we approach the 20th century and the rise of large-scale global conflict, we see a new wave of interaction between Ireland and America through the movement of soldiers. Not only were Irish immigrants changing war in the United States, but American soldiers changed the landscape of Ireland.

The United States and Ireland both were not the central focus at the start of World War II. Like many smaller nations, Ireland has frequently remained neutral during external wars and been hesitant to risk its safety.

In the first half of the 20th century, Ireland would be putting its rocky nationhood to considerable risk if entering a global battle.

Though a much larger nation, the United States had similar concerns and did not officially enter the war until December 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.

Once the war became more explicitly global in the 1940s, both Irish and American soldiers found their roles in somewhat surprising stations. From the Irish side, a number of Irish nationals traveled to the United States and Canada to enlist and fight, echoing the earlier practices of the Revolutionary War. From America, the opposite occurred.

In January of 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced an agreement with Prime Minister Winston Churchill for American troops to be stationed in the United Kingdom. On paper, this seemed to be a simple move towards Allied troops in London or other English stations. However, a mere 21 years after the Anglo-Irish Treaty, borders and land control made the decision a bit more complicated.

Rather than sending Americans to London, the troops were scheduled to be stationed in Belfast, under English control. This sparked controversy, as American Catholics with Irish heritage were viewed as a liability to British control in Ireland.

According to Simon Topping’s 2022 article in The Irish Times, Belfast Prime Minister J.M. Andrews stated his concern outright, saying he was, “most anxious that no impression should be given that we were handing over responsibility for the defence of Northern Ireland to the United States. Irresponsible or wrong-minded people might misinterpret this as the first step to handing Northern Ireland over to Éire.” This concern extended even to individual soldiers, with the question of who should be placed in charge of an American garrison carefully controlled by the English with the goal of preventing further Irish uprisings.

The significance of placing Irish Americans in English-controlled Ireland was not noted only in Europe and the UK. In his 2014 article in "New York Irish History," historian John T. Ridge explored the complex feelings of New Yorkers with Irish heritage on the question of Irish neutrality. He explains that the New York Irish were initially very supportive of the Irish neutral stance on WW2, with the American Friends of Irish Neutrality garnering many members with a rapid pace. However, after the events of Pearl Harbour, the tides quickly shifted, and Irish New Yorkers widely and openly supported the war, even purchasing defense bonds to fund the cause.

In our collections at AIHS, we hold a number of cards (pictured below) of our members who served in WW2. Naturally, the majority of these members were Irish Americans who enlisted after 1942. Among these names included are Harold R. Brophy (a lawyer and judge advocate) and Reverend Vincent J. Brosnan (a Catholic Chaplain, 43rd Gen. Hospital).

While the cards in our collections focus on our members only, the number of Americans with Irish ancestry during WW2 was significant throughout the country.

(AIHS)

(AIHS)

Whereas Irish neutrality had previously been a safeguard for a cautious nationhood, it shifted after Irish Americans joined the war. From county association meetings to public posters, the fight for WW2 became a point of national pride for both American and Irish identity. Symbols like the shamrock and battle cries like those taken from the early days of the 69th regiment regained popularity with the armed forces.

Four-leaf clover lucky charm of Pfc. Joseph Robert Wallner, attached to a .45 caliber bullet. Gift of Sonja Wallner, 2012.034.029. (Image and description courtesy of the National World War II Museum / AIHS)

Back in Belfast, American soldiers reconnected with Ireland on somewhat shaky grounds. African American soldiers were surprised to be welcomed and respected, seen as equals more so than they were at home. Others, however, found that they needed greater time to adjust to Northern Irish customs.

American soldiers were given pamphlets explaining the cultural differences between Ireland and America, with a particular emphasis on manners and politeness. However, contrary to the fear of Irish uprising, the result was a strengthened relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.

In the south, de Valera and others opposed this placement of American soldiers and saw it as a risk to the blossoming Irish nation. The challenges of waning nationalism in the north saw an opportunity for its growth in Dublin and in the United States itself. New York and Boston in particular saw a rise in Irish pride in soldiers whose parents or grandparents had immigrated. Societies like our own made records of the Irish heritage found in American soldiers to promote this national identity as unique and significant.

Rather than serving as another American soldier, the Irish-Americans of WW2 held true to their hyphenated identity and remembered the legacy before them. As the war approached its end, soldiers with Irish heritage came to the beaches of Normandy from both Ireland and the United States.

While the numbers cannot be exact, we know that the Irish identity held strong throughout the world, continuing to be remembered as unique and true.

On this Memorial Day, we look at the story of WW2 soldiers not as an Irish one nor an American one, but something strong that comes from that place in between.

This column is adapted from the blog of the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS). Read the full stories at AIHSNY.org/blog.

Founded in 1897 and located on Museum Mile in New York City, the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) preserves and promotes the history and cultural legacy of the Irish in America through its archives, art collections, and public programs. Learn more at AIHSNY.org.