“The American Soldier” is an exhibit currently at the Durham Museum that tells the story of the numerous wars throughout U.S. History and the people that fought in them. The exhibit opened at the Durham on Sept. 22 and will remain open until Jan. 6, 2013.
The exhibit contains two parts. One section, titled “Worn with pride: Americans in Uniform,” is comprised of displays showing the uniforms worn in each war. There are also artifacts such as weapons, gas masks, discharge papers, a prayer book and an ID case that belonged to soldiers who died in the wars.
Items of special note include the haversack of William Lewis (the only Nebraskan soldier killed in combat during the Spanish-American War), the front pages of editions of the World-Herald that were written during wartime and a section that focused on the impact women had on each of these wars. Every relic is accompanied by a story. This makes the exhibit relatable on a level that is rarely achieved by museum displays.
Durham Museum employee and Vietnam War veteran, Chuck Haller, is impressed by the amount of pieces in the exhibit.
“I have a few things from back then but seeing all of this in one place is really something you don’t see everyday,” Haller said.
Haller was a paratrooper in active duty for seven years and flew airplanes in the United States Air Force for 30 years.
“Being able to go to 87 countries was a wonderful opportunity and I’m glad that most of my time was served during peacetime,” Haller said.
Other attributes of the exhibit are areas that show the progression of different military supplies and direct quotes from people who were soldiers, nurses and photographers during each of the wars. The uniforms, shoes and dog tags of military women and men have changed over time. The display shows just how much and how little some military traditions and experiences have grown and developed.
The second section of the soldiers exhibit is a photography gallery. The gallery is titled “The American Soldier From the Civil War to the War in Iraq: A Photographic Tribute.” It includes very moving photographs depicting the most horrific to the most rewarding experiences that come with being a soldier.
“I am drawn to the exhibit because I can relate to the young men in these photographs who are fighting the wars that older men make,” Vietnam War veteran Mike Woods said.
The photography portion is very moving for many people who have gone to see it. Durham Museum volunteer Laurette Hess said that she had to visit the gallery over a series of days because it was too much to take in at once.
“We had a woman leave crying one day and she told me that her children went to Iraq which was why seeing those photographs was so emotional for her,” Hess said.
The Soldiers exhibit will be at the Durham Museum for almost three more months. The entrance fee is $8 and those who visit should be sure to allow adequate time to take in all the details of the exhibit.