The Admirals Wept: Billy Mitchell and the Atlantic Bombing Tests of 1921
Over one hundred years ago powered flight turned eighteen years old. In 1921 the U.S. Air Force did not exist, rather it was a part of the U.S. Army as the U.S. Army Air Service. The Royal Air Force was three years old. Aircraft carriers were few in number and
Staff Profile: Luke Sprague
Tucked away in a third-floor office surrounded by monitors and audio equipment you’ll find Luke Sprague, Wisconsin Veterans Museum Oral Historian, working to preserve the stories of our veterans in their own words. A veteran himself, Luke graduated with a BS in cartography from UW-Stevens Point as a commissioned second
Brownie the WWII War Dog from Wisconsin
Pets become part of our families. During World War II, many families sent loved-ones off to war. Did you know that some family pets were called to serve as well? In fact, there is a well-known dog from King, Wisconsin who did just that. Oren Kendley raised his dog, Brownie,
Milo G. Flaten: the Battle of Saint-Lô, July 7-19, 1944
Milo G. Flaten was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shortly after the start of World War II. After graduating high school, Flaten received a draft notice. Following basic training, Flaten was sent overseas aboard the RMS Queen Mary to England, where he learned he
Catherine Pampel on the Importance of Helping Others
Gunner's Mate Second Class Catherine Pampel Catherine Olivia Stoffel (later Pampel) grew up near Kewaskum, Wisconsin, on her family's farm. From an early age, Pampel dreamed of a life in service to others and had ambitions of being a fireman, police officer, or EMT. After graduating high school, Pampel decided
Akira R. Toki on being Japanese American during World War II
In observance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum presents the story of Madison area hero, Sergeant Akira R. Toki, who served with A Company, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. While Toki has been a notable figure for decades, the Wisconsin
Chester Krause on the Liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp
Chester L. "Chet" Krause served with the 565th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion in World War II. In honor of the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp during World War II, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum presents the story of veteran Chester L. “Chet” Krause, one of the
Alannah McReavey on Giving Back
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum supports Women's History Month. As part of that effort, we are featuring Alannah McReavey, who agreed to interview with us for the statewide women veterans oral history project: I Am Not Invisible. Here is her story. Alannah McReavey served with the United States Army Reserves from
Tarra Gundrum on What is Possible
Tarra Rimone Pickens (later Gundrum) grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended Cleveland Junior Naval Academy, an area Navy Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (NJROTC) high school, and determined by the age of seventeen that she wanted to join the United States Marine Corps, enlisting in 1998 at seventeen-and-a-half
Urban A. Sippel with the First Special Service Force at Anzio
In this blog post, Urban A. Sippel of Glenbeulah, Wisconsin, retells his story with the 1st Special Service Force (1SSF) during World War II in Italy, from November 1943 to June 1944. He supplies a detailed account of the 1SSF at the Anzio beachhead and later breakout as part of