FROM THE SECRETARY-DESIGNEE

Greetings! I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as WDVA Secretarydesignee for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. As many of you know, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum continues to stand as a shining beacon of Wisconsin’s proud veteran heritage. With the new year already here, we remain resolute to find ways to embrace challenges and opportunities to tell more veterans’ stories.

Collecting, telling, and sharing unique stories of veterans that represent cozy small towns to larger diverse urban regions of Wisconsin, is key to bridging the narrative between the extended veteran community and our state’s citizens. I am pleased that this issue is dedicated to emphasizing veteran stories from the southeastern corner of Wisconsin and the greater Milwaukee-area, while also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and those who served during this era.

It is noteworthy to mention this year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Museum in its current location on the Capitol Square in downtown Madison. It is has stood as a stalwart reminder for those elected officials who represent Wisconsin citizens. In addition, it has attracted thousands of annual visitors, tourists, and students eager to learn about the proud service, sacrifice, and heritage of our state’s veterans. I am excited to see what new stories will be told in the coming year.

With Governor Tony Evers recent announcement of additional financial support in his 2023-25 state budget for WDVA services and support programs, I am excited to see how that can benefit our continuing efforts with the Museum in the coming year.

My humble appreciation to the exceptional efforts of our Museum’s director Chris Kolakowski, his dedicated curators, talented staff, and the WVM Foundation Board for their commitment to telling the stories of our rich Wisconsin veteran history representing all areas of our state.

I encourage you to visit the museum this year and discover the new exhibits and stories of our veterans on display with a personal connection from your region of Wisconsin.

Yours in Service,

James Bond Secretary-designee, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs

From The Director

Dear Friends of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Greetings from Madison! It is an exciting time at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum as we honor the past and look toward the future. This issue will give you a sense of what is going on.

This time of year, we observe two very important anniversaries. First is the 50th anniversary of the end of major U.S. involvement in Vietnam on March 29, 1973. The All-Volunteer Force, which was created in January 1973 and built by the Vietnam generation of leaders, serves the United States to this day. The largest single cohort of veterans today is the Vietnam generation, and they deserve recognition for their service and legacies.

The second anniversary is 30 years at 30 West Mifflin Street in downtown Madison. We stand on the shoulders of Dr. Richard Zeitlin, who masterminded the move out of the Capitol and into our facility, pictured at left. However, we’ve also pretty much outgrown our current space and need to secure the museum’s future for the next 50-75 years. Our vision and plan, developed with our partners, will do just that once funding is secured.

This issue also continues our approach of focusing on a specific region of Wisconsin, highlighting stories in our collection from that area. This time we’re exploring the wealth of stories in Milwaukee and environs.

Our extensive online offerings continue to attract audiences from across the state, nation, and world. We are continuing them with a mix of in-person events at the museum itself, and you can find the latest information on our website.

All of this is only possible with the help and support of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation. Working together, I am confident we will sustain this momentum and continue to make great things happen.

Best wishes to all of you and thank you for your continuing support. See you at the museum soon.

Best,

Chris Kolakowski

Hans Chester Jensen , who often went by Chester, was born in Bristol, Wisconsin. He was living in Kenosha County when he enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps on January 17, 1938. He served for more than two years in China before the U.S. entered World War II, helping to protect U.S. citizens living there during fighting and civil unrest. He re-enlisted in January 1942 and served in the Pacific Theater with the 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He was killed in action on Guadalcanal on September 25, 1942.

Mary Weis, a Milwaukee native, enlisted into the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, also known as SPARS (Semper Paratus—Always Ready). During World War II, she held the rank of storekeeper and worked as a payroll accountant in Boston. As the war came to an end, she helped many sailors muster out of the Coast Guard and return home.

Following her active service, she served 20 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve. She helped found Milwaukee’s first all-female American Legion post and was very active in many veteran organizations.

By: Russ Horton Reference Archivist