Most visitors to Gettysburg concentrate on the town’s Civil War heritage, particularly the battlefield and the National Cemetery. Fewer realize Gettysburg also played a role in World War II — a story now highlighted in a new combined bus and walking tour presented by Gettysburg Battlefield Bus Tours and Tigrett Leadership Academy.
“Our World War II in Gettysburg tour shares the inspiring stories of leaders who came to Gettysburg during that era, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Prime Minister Winston Churchill,” said Antigoni Ladd, co-founder and curriculum director of Tigrett Leadership Academy. “Join us to explore the people and places in Gettysburg that contributed to the Allied victory in World War II.”
The nearly three-hour experience runs Saturdays from Aug. 6 through Nov. 9, with departures at 2 p.m. from the Gettysburg Tour Center.
On the tour, participants learn about World War II veterans laid to rest in Gettysburg National Cemetery, including servicemen who fought in major campaigns such as D-Day, Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Bulge. The route also highlights a former intelligence training camp that prepared troops for psychological warfare and discusses how wartime scrap metal drives nearly led to the removal of several local monuments.
“We’re pleased to continue this multi-year partnership with the history experts at Tigrett Leadership Academy,” said Max Felty, president of Gettysburg Tours, Inc. “This program gives visitors a fresh perspective on Gettysburg’s lesser-known World War II connections and expands appreciation for the town’s layered historical significance.”
The tour blends bus transportation with walking segments to bring World War II stories to life at sites around Gettysburg. It is designed for history enthusiasts, veterans, students and anyone interested in the broader American experience during the 1940s. Reservations are recommended due to limited seating and seasonal scheduling.
Highlights covered on the tour include personal accounts of local veterans, contextual background about how Gettysburg supported the war effort at home, and the leadership visits that linked the town to national decision-makers. Guests will leave with a deeper understanding of how Gettysburg’s past spans beyond the Civil War to include contributions to the global conflict of World War II.