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New Smithsonian Guide Honors the Service and Sacrifice of America’s Veterans | Smithsonian voices

Posted on by L. Dreeye
New Smithsonian Guide Honors the Service and Sacrifice of America’s Veterans | Smithsonian voices

USAT November 2024 Cover.png

Smithsonian educators, in collaboration with USA TODAY, recently developed a special guide called: America’s Veterans: Honor, Service and Sacrifice. This guide is dedicated to honoring and recognizing the incredible contributions and sacrifices made by veterans throughout American history and today. It is a heartfelt tribute to the impact veterans have had on our country and is intended to help readers celebrate and better understand their service.

“For us in America, the reflection on Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the service of the country, with gratitude for the victory…” President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed on November 10, 1919. Veterans Day, once called Armistice Day, commemorated the end of World War I on November 11, 1919. It became an official holiday in the United States in 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans.

America’s Veterans: Honor, Service and Sacrifice The guide shares important stories from Smithsonian exhibits, memorials, and collections. It highlights the significance of the iconic poppy flower as a symbol of remembrance and the subsequent inspiring work of civilian Moina Michael to sell silk poppies to raise money for disabled veterans.

A red postage stamp honoring Moina Michael as the founder of the memorial poppy.

3c Single Moina Michael (1948)

National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1980.2493.4065.

The guide explains who is considered a veteran and why people join the military. Readers will learn about the six branches of the military and their contributions to our nation’s defense. The guide also helps define the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day and includes a timeline of important events related to Veterans Day. There are also fun activities such as creating postage stamps to honor veterans and conducting oral history interviews to preserve veterans’ stories. The directory highlights organizations and individuals that provide post-service support to veterans.

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Combat boots worn by Andre M. Jones during the Iraq War (2003)

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, gift of Andre M. Jones, 2016.14.3.

The directory describes various military awards and decorations, such as the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the 65th Infantry Regiment “Borinkeners” for bravery during the Korean War and the Nisei Congressional Gold Medal awarded to 18,000 Japanese American soldiers during World War II. Also on display are the National Defense Service Medal and the Cherokee Patriotism Medal, among others. It offers ways to celebrate Veterans Day and honor veterans, and explores the importance of the flag.

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E. P. and L. Restain, “The Flag That Flowed for a Hundred Years” (1876)

Department of Home and Social Life, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Harry T. Peters Lithograph Collection, America on Stone, 228146.

The focus is on famous figures such as Senator Daniel Inouye and ordinary soldiers who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. The guide explores the various paths veterans take after service, such as pursuing government positions or continuing to serve the community, as Kevin Kicking-Woman (Blackfeet) did when he became a teacher after serving.

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National Native American Veterans Memorial, November 2020, on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. Designed by Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes).

Photo by Alan Karchmer for the National Museum of the American Indian.

Monuments and memorials, including the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., are highlighted on a self-guided tour, and there is also an event encouraging readers to organize a veterans memorial tour in their own community. .

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Claggett Wilson, Flower of Death. Explosion of a heavy projectile. Not what it looks like, but how it feels, sounds and smells” (c. 1919), watercolor and pencil on cardboard, image: 16 1/2 x 22 inches (41.9 x 55.9 cm).

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Alice H. Rossin, 1981.163.18.

The guide also highlights how veterans engage in arts and culture by showcasing artwork and artists that pay tribute to the veteran experience. For example, it features an Edson flag by artist Marie Watt, a detailed depiction of a dress honoring the artist’s grandfather Grandpa Bluebird, the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I, and war artwork by World War I veteran Claggett Wilson and others. .

Finally, the guide shares personal stories of veterans, demonstrating their courage and resilience. From Bee Falk Hajdu and the WASP women military pilots of World War II, to the actions of Dorie Miller and Jose Quintero who defied the odds during World War II and the Vietnam War, respectively, to Pfc. Romay Johnson Davis and the Central Postal Service Battalion “Six Triple Eight”—the first and only all-female, all-African American unit deployed overseas during World War II—Mitchelin BigMan (Apsaaloke (Crow)/Hidatsa) and Native American women warriors serve for the freedom of Iraq.

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David Stone Martin, “Dory Miller” (1943), color photolithographic halftone poster, 76.5 × 56.5 cm.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, NPG.88.173.

This guide offers a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to learning about the important role veterans play in our society and how we can show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice. This Veterans Day, we encourage you to have meaningful conversations with the veterans in your life about the manual and its contents. If you are a veteran, share your stories and experiences with your loved ones. And most importantly, thank you for your service.

Editor’s Note: The guide, America’s Veterans: Honor, Service and Sacrifice, is now available to view and download, with additional resources available online through the Smithsonian Learning Lab.