CALL SIGN: GRIM REAPER

By Andrea Hoffman, Collections Manager Part of fulfilling our museum’s mission to commemorate Wisconsin veterans includes gathering as complete a story as possible in our donation process. Ideally, we supplement our object collections with archival components like letters and photographs and vice versa. When Vietnam veteran James Mosel of Chippewa

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Lincoln’s Railcar Plate

By: Andrea Hoffman (Collections Manager) In November of 1864, the United States Military Railroad’s car shop in Alexandria, Virginia began construction of a new official railcar for President Abraham Lincoln. When it was completed a few months later, the new car, dubbed the “United States,” was considered the most opulent private

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Mess Night at the Museum

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is pleased to announce a new quarterly event: MESS NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. These Mess Nights are based off of the naval military traditions, which have a long history in the Navy and Marine Corps. While the tradition and ceremonies vary from branch to branch, Mess

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A Story of a World War II Fighter Pilot Fritz Emil Wolf

By RICHARD WOLF, Guest Columnist, THE BUGLE Winter 2011 Cover Story (a Quarterly Publication of the WVM). With the Flying Tigers Fritz E. Wolf was born in Shawano, Wisconsin on February 8, 1916. He attended Shawano High School where he excelled in leadership, character and athletics, graduating in 1933. His athletic prowess

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History of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum

This account was written by the late Dr. Richard H. Zeitlin, former director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Dr. Zeitlin was a respected historian, author, and scholar. He led the museum and it's foundation for nearly 30 years, overseeing major changes that included our crucial move to 30 West Mifflin.

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Wisconsin Veterans Museum: A Living Memorial by Dr. Richard Zeitlin

When state legislators passed Chapter 125 Laws in 1901 few would have guessed how important that enactment was. The law mandated that state officials establish a memorial dedicated to commemorating Wisconsin’s role in the Civil War and “any subsequent war.” The law obligated the state to provide space for purchasing

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Wisconsin Veterans Museum conducted its 2,000th interview for its Oral History Program

On July 10, 2015 the Wisconsin Veterans Museum conducted the 2,000th interview for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Oral History Program. Volunteer interviewer Ellen Bowers Healey interviewed Dennis F. Kinney, who served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force and retired in 1968 after 20 years of service. Below

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Making History by Guest Author SSG Sonia Buchanan

My decision to join the military came a little later in life than most. The military has always played a major role in my life. My father served in the Navy for 27 years. In fact, out of nine children, seven of us joined a branch of service or married

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Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr

Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr – Ho-Chunk Nation Warrior Medal of Honor Recipient North Korea, 1950 By the time Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. wrapped his arm around a tree so he could remain upright, he’d already been shot eight times. The Korean War was in its early stages. Red

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Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day

“I am very happy about hering [sic] that you are back from the war, and others. Things have changed as you were gone. Things like football”. Matt Cain, 2nd grade, Elvehjem Elementary, February 22, 1973. On May 15, 1967, Madison native Major Donald L. Heiliger was hit by anti-aircraft fire

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