Headshot photo of Valdor W. John, Sr. for post

Valdor W. John, Sr on the Battle of Taejon (75th Anniversary)

Seventy-five years ago, the North Korean military invaded South Korea. Here is the story from veteran Valdor W. John, Sr., who fought at the Battle of Taejon and witnessed first-hand the Allied effort to delay the North Korean advance. John became a prisoner of war and then survived the Tiger

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six soldiers with guns in the bed of a truck in the desert

Unique Bonds that Come from Serving Together

The intense experiences of military life often create special bonds among those who serve together. Veterans may refer to their comrades as brothers, sisters, buddies, or family. But in some ways, these descriptors don't quite capture the true nature of these unique relationships. In the following interview excerpts, several veterans

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Headshot photo of veteran Willie B. Williams

Willie B. Williams: We Were Like Family

Vietnam Veteran Willie B. Williams When Mik Derks for interviewed Willie B. Williams, a DeForest, Wisconsin resident at the time, the result was an intimate picture of an infantry squad leaders’ life in Vietnam in 1966. Williams remembers the good times of camaraderie with his squad's singing group and, more

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Headshot of John Koppen while serving in Vietnam

Wisconsin Veteran Holiday Vignettes

The holiday season offers a unique opportunity to touch on a poignant topic for veterans, the holidays, and usually, we would provide you with a full context for each veteran who served. However, in this case, we would like to focus on short, stand-alone stories that provide a better sense

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View from the cockpit, Vietnam. WVM.1947.I522

Looking for Light

Looking for Light - in this blog, which is an extension of the article in the Winter 2023 issue of The Bugle, we’re sharing more background on the images featured in the magazine. The variations of light captured in these images vary from heavenly cloud formations to battle silhouettes. They

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Headshot photo of James K. Overman

Oneida Warrior James K. Overman on racism and rescuing pilots

James K. Overman of Delafield, Wisconsin, is the son of a World War I veteran and raised with a love for aviation. After receiving a draft notice in 1951, a year after graduating high school, Overman opted to enlist in the Air Force to ensure he got to fly planes

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Close up photo of Nao Tou Lor

Memories of War with Nao Tou Lor

Nao Tou Lor was born in 1953 in the province of Xieng Khouang, Laos. His father worked with the French, and Nao Tou Lor remembers visiting the French fort near his home at an early age. Circa 1962, the Vietnamese arrested his father and took him. Nao Tou Lor and

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Vietnam War image

50th Anniversary of End of Vietnam War Marked at Wisconsin Veterans Museum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Madison, Wis. (March 24, 2023) - On March 29, 1973, U.S. ground forces withdrew from South Vietnam. The withdrawal officially ended years of war that forever marked a generation. To mark the 50th anniversary of the official end of the Vietnam War, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum will

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Ho-Chunk Nation Warrior Owen C. Mike

Ho-Chunk Warrior Owen C. Mike

This is the story of Ho-Chunk warrior, Owen C. Mike, known as Jąąpwakącąk in the Hoocąk language. A leader of the Buffalo Clan, Ho-Chunk Nation, Mike served in the Vietnam War and received the Silver Star Medal and Bronze Star Medal with valor device for his actions while under fire

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GUEST BLOG BY RICK BERRY, VIETNAM VETERAN AND WVM VOLUNTEER

“…AND WHEN CHARLIE HAS THE GROUND UNIT SURROUNDED, WE USE WHAT WE CALL THE HIGH-OVERHEAD APPROACH.” My Mom included the cartoon on the right in a scrapbook she complied regarding my military service. Portions of the scrapbook are exhibited on a touch screen display in the “Souvenirs of Service” exhibit

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