Other Duties As Assigned: Finding WVM Beyond These Four Walls
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum name may give the impression of a fixed place appealing to a captive audience. The work the museum staff accomplishes, however, reaches beyond the confines of the physical museum space in Madison, Wisconsin to offices in our State Capitol Building, exhibits at presidential libraries, historic markers
Jessica E. Williams on Leading with Empathy
With a college degree, Jessica E. Williams could have entered the United States Army Reserve as an officer. Instead, she chose to enlist and take a different leadership path. Williams, who grew up on a five-acre farmette in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, had not originally intended to join the military. But after
Wisconsin Connections to the American Revolution
While Wisconsin did not become a territory until 1836 and a state until 1848, its ties to the American Revolution go far deeper than may be apparent. Many will think of the 250th anniversary of our independence as something that happens in the original thirteen colonies but those who made
The Story of Millie and Clarence
Separated by war, their loving commitment endured after Clarence was taken prisoner by German troops. Twenty-one-year-old Clarence Beltmann of Milwaukee enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1942, one of the tens of thousands of young men caught in the swell of patriotism that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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
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
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
Dunday Recalls Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT)
In March 2005, Blair Dunday enlisted under the Army's Delayed Entry Program (DEP), knowing that the Army would train her as an 89B (ammunition specialist). She delayed entry until July 2005 as she cared for her younger siblings and began her six-year enlistment. Dunday attended basic training at Fort Leonard
Roses of No Man’s Land – Base Hospital 22
At the Outbreak of War: Army Nursing Corps During World War I, the entire nation was mobilized for service. As in the Civil War and other previous conflicts, women answered the call by volunteering as nurses. This exhibit concerns itself with two people and one unit with Wisconsin ties. Helen Bulovsky
Coulee Region Veteran Gary Castona Remembers
This blog post features extracts from an oral history interview with a Wisconsin veteran Gary Castona from La Farge, Wisconsin, in the Coulee region. He relates his experiences of Vietnam combat service and later Cold War Germany. Like many veterans, Castona’s military service affected the rest of his life. His