Nurses at Base Hospital 22

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

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A Son’s Service

More than 122,000 Wisconsin men and women served in the military during World War I, in all branches of service and in hundreds of different units. However, the largest concentration of Wisconsinites served in the 32nd Division, which consisted of the Wisconsin and Michigan National Guards. Much like today, individual

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The Story of One Wisconsin WASP: Happy Landings, the Jeanette Kapus Story

Whether they were WACs, SPARs, WAVES, or WASPs, no witty acronym or cute nickname could belie the fact that women performed dangerous jobs across the country and around the globe during World War II.  By 1945, there were women serving in every branch of the United States military, standing a remarkable

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Finis la Guerre: The Eleventh Hour and the End of World War I

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

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A Veteran’s First Vehicle: Incorporating the Automobile into the Army during WWI

By Bobby Brito, Oral History Intern The Great War inaugurated the twentieth century, while the proliferation of the internet can be thought of as one of the events that bookended the twentieth century. Conventional conversations would not typically involve both events in relation with each other. However, through my work

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Holiday Greetings from the Field by Mary Kate Kwasnik

A wise man once crooned that this is the most wonderful time of the year. As the winter holidays roll in, cheer seems to surround us. Coffee shops break out their festive red cups , the radio croons out classic holiday songs and the city is suddenly frosted in tiny,

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Helen Bulovsky-The Wild Nightmare

by Kevin Hampton, Curator of History   “…the thing that seems to do the boys most good is to see and hear American girls talk.” Helen Bulovsky always wanted to care for others. When war came, she was determined to do her part. Despite a chronic heart condition that all

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The Life and Letters of World War I Aerial Observer Lt. Mortimer M. Lawrence – January 1918

No. 1 Det. Aerial Observers A.E.F.   Dear Folks:- This is not going to be much of a letter for the simple reason that there is nothing to write.  Of course there is lots I’d like to say but it is no use for it will be all cut out.

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The Life and Letters of World War I Aerial Observer Lt. Mortimer M. Lawrence – December 1917

Christmas Day Dec. 25, 1917   Dear Mother:- Received your night letter this morning.  Thank you for all your good wishes.  I hope you received my message O.K. We had our Christmas dinner at three o’clock this afternoon and it sure was a dandy.  I enclose my place card &

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The Life and Letters of World War I Aerial Observer Lt. Mortimer M. Lawrence – November 1917

Tuesday Nov. 27, 1917   Dear Mother:- Yesterday’s letter was intended to take the place of the one I didn’t have a chance to write Sunday. Jack Bainbridge’s brother, wife and family are mighty fine people and were certainly nice to me.  The brother is about forty-one or so and

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