By Andrea Hoffman, Collections Manager On November 21, 1944, the B-29 “Snafuperbomber” with the 40th Bomb Group was attacked over Japan while approaching its target city of Omura. While badly damaged, the crewmembers managed to keep the B-29 airborne back across the China Sea. But when the aircraft’s usable fuel

Part of the Rose Ray WVM Collection  This formal portrait is of Rose Jrolf and Fred Ray on their wedding day in 1945. Rose is wearing a large lily and ribbon corsage and Fred is wearing a carnation boutineer. Rose enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in 1943 and

Part of the Thomas F. Diener WVM Collection  Thomas F. Diener, a Milwaukee native who served in the 2129th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon (Aviation) during World War II, and his girlfriend (and later wife) Betty Gene Dealy during his stateside training and service in England.     Thomas Diener proposing

Part of the George Wanserski WVM Collection by Laura Farley This is a love story about Wisconsin natives George Wanserski and Florence Lange that spans nearly five years of separation and struggle to raise their family. Married July 18, 1934, the Wanserskis set up home in the Milwaukee area and

By Gregory Krueger, Curator of Exhibits After completing the Armor Officer’s Basic Course, where he made the Commandant’s List, Hanson was commissioned an Army Armor officer in 2000 as platoon leader with Task Force 1-64 Armor, Camp Dobol, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Returning stateside, he served as a tank platoon leader with Company

By Russell Horton, Reference Archivist “If I die a prisoner of war, I would like to have this diary sent to my Father, A. Ingersoll, Waupun, Wis.” -Frank J. Ingersoll, Diary Entry, ca. September 1864 In the first two years of the Civil War, soldiers from either side of the

By Andrea Hoffman, Collections Manager Certain pivotal events in our nation’s history have remained “where were you when” moments for all who lived through them, with one of the most prominent being the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor 77 years ago this December. While most of our World War II

By Kevin Hampton, Curator of History On this Veterans Day, we mark the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I and a closing of the official centennial commemorations. As the days and weeks around Veterans Day will be busy with various programs and ceremonies, when you hear

By Yvette Pino, Traveling Art Exhibit Coordinator In June 1942, Milwaukee artist Harold F. Schmitz was drafted into the U.S. Army and served with the 955th Topographic Engineer Company. At the time of his conscription, he was working in the art department of Hammersmith-Kortemeyer (H & K) Publishing. The company,

By Gregory Krueger, Curator of Exhibits At the start of the Civil War, Union forces were under the command of Winfield Scott. Scott, an old Army veteran, outlined a plan to defeat the southern states based upon the premise of a naval blockade of southern ports. Hoping to suffocate Southern