History Day offers visitors an opportunity to remember historic sacrifices

Against a backdrop painted in the blood of sacrifice, the Military Veterans Museum makes an effort to honor those who have served for the United States. By hosting an event for the public, the entire community was able to celebrate the people who brought light to the present day world. 

On May 4, the Military Veterans Museum and Education Center in Oshkosh held their annual open house for Military History Day. The event brought in people from around the state of Wisconsin for reenactments and to display military artifacts. It consisted of raffles, a military reenactment, children's games like a stretcher carry, military vehicle displays from Oshkosh Corp, and the Military Veterans Museum Motorpool. 

Military Veterans Museum and Education Center president Stu Tribbey served in the Army as a communication officer in South Korea. Tribbey believes in the mission of the museum to educate the community on military service and history in Wisconsin and the United States as a whole. 

“The goal of the museum is to educate and preserve military history and educate the general public on that military history while also honoring the Veterans who have served,” he said.

In observing Military History Day, Tribbey believes it is important for people of all ages to seek out information about military history. 

“This event is of great importance to our local community because what it does is bring in hundreds of people who will not typically visit the museum, and then they get to see all our artifacts, vehicles, and pieces of history,” he said. 

Volunteer JoAnne Graf, a Marine veteran from Wisconsin, believes this event ensures the public has a way to remember those that have served in the military. 

 “It really serves as a tool for remembrance for this community to let people know that throughout time in World War II, the Vietnam War, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom. There are many that have served and this type of event serves as a remembrance for them,” she said. 

The museum currently has an exhibit on loan from the Madison Military History Museum called “I Am Not Invisible” which puts a spotlight on women who have served and are serving in the military. Putting a focus on underrepresented groups serving in the military allows for further exposure of their service in the community and country. The exhibit is on display through the month of June and highlights varying service experiences of women in the United States. 

“From my own personal experience, when I was in the Marine Corps, you still had a lot of people that didn’t think women belonged in the service and at the time women were just admin or nurses, but now it’s coming about where they’re filling so many different roles, fighter pilots and combat for example,” Graf said.

The advancements made for gender equality in the military is inspiring to young women in America.

“Women are starting to fill a lot of different roles in the military, just like the men, and I think that’s really important to see and for people to recognize how women’s roles have changed throughout history and are in more positions where they can do different things,” she said. 

Military History Day was well celebrated in Oshkosh, highlighting just how vital local veterans are in the community. 

“It's just so important to remember what we’ve fought for, who has fought, and why we’ve fought.”

by Ciera S

Published May 20 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue VIII