An offbeat but compelling traveling exhibit is taking up much of the front lobby exhibit space at the World War II American Experience museum in Gettysburg. Between now and the end of October, “The Longest Yarn; a Thread Through History” will show in crocheted and knitted objects a detailed survey of D-Day and the first hours of the invasion.
Created to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion, the exhibit consists of 80+ display cases that show planning meetings in London (including the all-important weather briefing when the forecasters told Ike there would be a break in the horrible weather that might allow Allied Forces to pull off the invasion, and Ike’s final decision). The cases also show soldiers and equipment boarding ships, familiar battle scenes, landing ship-tanks (LSTs) unloading tanks, and mundane equipment such as jeeps and helmets, as well as journalists, field hospitals, and fields full of landed gliders.

The exhibits show some of the most familiar scenes from popular history, such as the U.S. Rangers climbing Point du Hoc, paratroopers boarding gliders, a sky full of airplanes, Pegasus Bridge, and the village of St. Mere Eglise in ruins. The exhibit definitely draws inspiration from “The Longest Day,” with scenes such as the paratrooper crashing through the greenhouse, soldiers gambling on ships, the German soldier first seeing the invasion fleet, and the American general with a broken leg, getting towed on a farm cart.
The project was initiated in Carentan, Normandy, by local resident Tansy Forster as a tribute to a U.S. veteran, radio interceptor Harry Kulkowitz, who had stayed with them during the anniversary from 2004 through his death in 2017. Originally conceived as a “topper” for a garden gate, the project grew quickly. The “Army of crocheters and knitters” has grown to more than 100. Since its 2024 debut, the exhibit has been seen by more than 250,000 people
Unsurprisingly, the project has a definite focus on the “eastern beaches” where British and Canadian forces fought. Several scenes are set in Carentan, an important objective of British forces, and several others show the eastern beaches less familiar to American audiences: Gold, Sword, and Juno. One scene shows the Mulberries, the artificial harbors that were towed across the Channel to bring supplies and equipment ashore.
Although a military exhibit made up of crocheted and knitted objects may sound a little “craftsy,” the knitters and supervisors set primary emphasis on accuracy in all details. The World War II American Experience is the lead U.S. sponsor for this exhibit tour. It debuted in Cape May, NJ, Kulkowitz’s hometown, and will move on to the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach after completing its run in Gettysburg. Loni Buck, director of the museum, said, “The Longest Yarn is more than an exhibition—it’s a cultural phenomenon that weaves history, art, and community into a compelling narrative, a powerful tribute to courage and sacrifice.”
Leon Reed, freelance reporter, is a former US Senate staff member, defense consultant, and history teacher. He is a 10 year resident of Gettysburg, where he writes military history and explores the park and the Adams County countryside. He is the publisher at Little Falls Books, chaired the Adams County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee and is on the board of SCCAP. He and his wife, Lois, have 3 children, 3 cats, and 5 grandchildren.