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    "What a treat! This amazing space is open to visitors for a nominal fee, opening a world of historical books, periodicals and displays highlighting our nation's military history. Colorful posters, photographs and multimedia exhibits will pique your interest in this material, as will the state-of-the art theater, oral history room and resources... This is a worthwhile diversion on your visit to the city." -Thomas B.
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    • 104 S. Michigan Ave.
      Chicago, IL 60603
      312-374-9333

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PMML DATABASE

Library Catalogs

Search our catalog and scope out our consortial partner, the Consortia of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) and other libraries worldwide.

Search

PMML DATABASE

Collections

Search the Digital Collections representing our digitized holdings across a wide spectrum of materials include artifacts, prints, posters, maps and more.

Search

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Merchandise

Browse our unique collection of books, exhibit merchandise, precious coins and more.

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  1. Home
  2. Past Exhibits
  3. Citizen Soldier

Citizen Soldier

This Citizen Soldier exhibit features artifacts from Sollie Kaplan's service in the Army in World War II, Jon D. Bayer's service in the Navy during the Vietnam War, Edward Drenka's service in the Coast Guard during World War II, Robert O. Harder's service in the Air Force in the Vietnam War and Robert Luchs's service in the Marine Corps during the Korean War.

Citizen Soldier

Journals

Journals provide insights to the everyday lives of servicemembers.

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Journal from the Walter R. Jager Collection.

Walter R. Jager Journal 

Walter R. Jager kept a journal from January 1917 to April 1918 that details his enlistment in the U.S. Army and service in World War I

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Journal from the Samual Gervitz Collection

Samuel Gervitz Journal

Samuel Gervitz kept detailed journals of his experiences in the U.S. Marine Corps in the late-1940s.

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Log Book from the Robert S. Colella Collection

B Company 1-12 Cavalry Log Book

These log books document the day to day of an Army unit deployed to Iraq.

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Army

The U.S. Army is the oldest and the largest branch of the U.S. military. From the beginning, the mission of the Army has been to protect and defend the United States using land forces. With that mission in mind, the Army has evolved over time from the various state militias which made up the first Continental Army, to the highly organized branch it is today. 

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Photograph from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

Sollie Kaplan Photograph

Sollie Kaplan was born July 28, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 7, 1942.

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Souvenir from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

House of Commons Admission

A House of Commons ticket sub used by Sollie Kaplan when stationed in London in 1945.

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Photograph from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

Liberation of Paris

This photo of Parisians surrounded by Allied tanks was taken shortly after the liberation of Paris in August, 1944.

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Insignia Pin from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

Army Transportation Corps Officers Insignia

The Transportation Corps is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army established in July 1942.

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Ribbon Bars from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

Ribbon Bars

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (left) and the Army Good Conduct Medal (right) received by Lt. Sollie Kaplan.

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Knives from the Lt. Sollie Kaplan Collection

Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knives

Sollie Kaplan purchased this pair of Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knives from the Wilkinson Sword Company while stationed in London during World War II.

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Navy Seal

Navy

The U.S. Navy marks October 13, 1775, as its official birthday and has taken part in every war in which the United States has been involved.

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Photograph from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

Photograph of Jon D. Bayer 

John D. Bayer enlisted in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman in 1965 and trained at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Artifact from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

Medical Kit - Surgical

This Surgical Instrument Kit, Minor Surgery was used by Navy Hospital Corpsman and contains surgical tools that can be used in the field to perform minor surgical procedures.

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Artifact from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

Medical Kits - Propper Plus Instrument Kit

The Propper Plus Instrument Kit includes an otoscope for ear examinations and an ophthalmoscope for eye examinations. 

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Bayonet from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

M6 Bayonet

The M6 bayonet was created in 1957 for the newly introduced M14 battle rifle.

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Artifact from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

Naval Station Great Lakes Plaque

Approximately 40,000 recruits pass through the facility annually, with an estimated 7,000 recruits at the installation at any time. Jon D. Bayer served as the Director of Community Health at the Naval Hospital at the Naval Station Great Lakes from 1993-1999. 

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Document from the Capt. Jon D. Bayer Collection

Vietnamese Handout: Medical Phrases

This handout contains 74 translations, from English to Vietnamese, of phrases that would help a hospital corpsman provide care for an injured Vietnamese person.

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Marine Corps

Marine Corps

The U.S. Marine Corps recognizes November 10 as its official birthday; on that day in 1775, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution to raise two battalions of Continental Marines.

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Photograph from the Robert Luchs Collection

Photo of Robert Luchs

Robert Luchs at the 1st Marine Division Command Post in Korea in April, 1954.

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Medal from the Robert Luchs Collection

Korean Service Medal

Robert Luchs received his medal for his service as a Marine in Korea through 1954. 

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Photograph from the Robert Luchs Collection

Seoul, Korea

Photo taken by Robert Luchs while on liberty in Seoul, Korea.

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Insignia Pin from the Robert Luchs Collection

1st Marine Division Lapel Pin

This pin was worn by Robert Luchs as he served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea until 1954.

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Drawing notepad from the Robert Luchs Collection

Saltwater Shower

Robert Luchs satirized saltwater shower on transport ships in this comic.

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Military Pay Certificates from the Robert Luchs Collection

Military Payment Certificates

Robert received these military payment certificates used as a form of currency used to pay U.S. military personnel in certain foreign countries from 1946 to 1973.

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Coast Guard

Coast Guard

With origins in the Revenue Cutter Service and Life-Saving Service, the U.S. Coast Guard’s history dates back to the birth of the nation in the late 18th century.

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Photograph of Edward P. Drenka from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

Edward Drenka Photograph

Edward Paul Drenka was born August 5, 1925. In October, 1942, at the age of 17, Drenka enlisted in the Coast Guard as an Apprentice Seaman.

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Photograph from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

Edward Drenka ROTC Photograph

Photograph of Edward Drenka from his time in ROTC. He enlisted in the Coast Guard as an Apprentice Seaman.

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Medal from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal

Edward Drenka was awarded his Coast Gaurd Good Conduct medal for service with the Coast Guard from 1942-1946.

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Uniform from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

Coast Guard Service Dress Blues and Cap

Edward Drenka’s Service Dress Blue Coast Guard uniform.

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Document from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

Honorable Discharge Certificate

Edward Drenka was honorably discharged in April, 1946 after four years of service in the Coast Guard.

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Medal from the Edward P. Drenka Collection

World War Two Victory Medal

World War Two Victory Medal awarded to Edward Drenka.

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Air Force

Air Force

After the end of World War II, the Army's aviation component, the Army Air Corps, became the U.S. Air Force, an independent branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Air Force considers September 18, 1947, as its official birthday.

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Artifact from the Robert O. Harder Collection

Periscope Aircraft Sextant

This periscopic sextant belonged to Robert O. Harder, a navigator-bombardier on a B-52 Stratofortress during the Vietnam War.

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Document from the Robert O. Harder Collection

Radar-Mapping

This is a page from Robert O. Harder’s Air Navigation Manual (AF Manual 51-40).

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Medal from the Robert O. Harder Collection

Vietnam Service Medal

Robert O. Harder was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal for his service as part of Operation Arc Light during which he flew 145 combat missions.

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Medal from the Robert O. Harder Collection.

Air Medal

Robert O. Harder was awarded an Air Medal on May 28, 1970 for showing, “outstanding airmanship and courage…in successful accomplishment of important missions under extremely hazardous conditions.”

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Book from the Robert O. Harder Collection.

Flying from the Black Hole

In 2009, Robert O. Harder published Flying from the Black Hole: The B-52 Navigator-bombardiers of Vietnam.

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104 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
312-374-9333

Tuesday – Saturday 
10:00 am to 4:00 pm 
Closed Sunday & Monday

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