The Museum's Permanent Collection

This week we will be taking a look into one of our newer collection items and at our new exhibit here at the museum. THe BPH-2 Helmet is a part of a new collection that shows the impact and history of service. This particular BPH-2 Helmet was used primarily in 1965 and 1966, Its coloring and engraving is unique to its own. This helmet was designed for aircrews for patrol, transport, and reconnaissance missions, essentially for non fighter or non high performing fighter jets.

The Army Air Corps during World War 2 found many different types of personalities, strong-willed persons, and people willing to fight for freedom in the extreme. Harold and Phyllis Caskey was one of these people,, and they found love and commitment within it. Phyllis Caskey grew up in Minden, Iowa, and decided she would be a nurse one day. After high school she attended Jennie Edmundson School of Nursing. She graduated in 1943 and joined the Army Air Corps as a nurse in the s

Women have been an overlooked part of military history for as long as there has been military history. Women have served in many honorable positions that have often been overlooked that women's history month allows us to commemorate. In honor of the first week of this special month, we are talking about Melva H. King and the Woman Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). Melva H. King was born in Propherton, Illinois, and World War II was in full swing when she was

Valentine's Day mementos!

With ice, snow, and inclement weather warnings on the way this weekend there are lots of things to be cautious and safe about. With all the tips, tricks, and hacks to stay warm and be prepared for the cold weather, there are also some vintage tips and tricks that can help as well. In a 1957 military order of "Things to Do Under Atomic, Biological, or Chemical Attack", there is an interesting guide on how to survive a nuclear attack in the age of nuclear anxiety. This pamphle

The festivities around the holidays never ceased no matter what time or place you happened to be. Parties and events typically fill up our schedules during this time just as it did Winter Hop Dance Card (1920-1921) over a hundred years ago for others. A nostalgic item from holiday parties is a winter hop dance card found at holiday events from a different time period. A dance card is a small booklet that usually has a string attached to it that would be tied to a ladies wrist

Fighting harsh winter conditions in the cold European winters during World War II was a feat in its own when it came to surviving the war. A staple during these times and a swift relief from the cold was a hot cup of coffee, sometimes the difference between a good or bad day. Innovative for the time, military hand-warmer mugs were produced from 1941 to 1945, specifically for the U.S. Navy. These mugs were typically made of milk glass, were about an inch thick, and were handle

On December 12, 1944, George Sewak was pronounced Missing in Action just days before the Battle of the Bulge. In a telegram sent to Sewak's mother, Mrs. Julia Sewak, it accounts that her son had gone missing in Germany and that she would be promptly notified of any changes. Right after being notified of her son's missing status, the Battle of the Bulge would begin on the Western front. The Battle of the Bulge commenced on December 16, 1944, and was a key turning point of Worl

We dedicate this Artifact Friday to the 2 nd  Battle of El Alamein, which took place on October 23, 1942. Every theatre of war has its turning point. In the pacific, it was the Battle of Midway. In Europe, the Invasion of Normandy. For the North Africa campaign, that turning point took place at the small Egyptian railroad town of El Alamein. It was here that the Panzerarmee Afrika, led by General Erwin “the Desert Fox” Rommel, was put on the backfoot by Lieutenant-General Ber