Wisconsin Veterans Museum

05/30/2026

Hosea Rood was the first employee ever tasked with the responsibilities of our museum, and today would be his birthday.

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is itself celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, a future that Hosea Rood likely never imagined for his small room in the State Capitol.

To read about Hosea Rood, and his importance to the creation and upkeep of our museum, read our blog post below.

On May 30th, 1845, Marianna Rood (nee Thorngate) and her husband Charles Persons Rood gave birth to their first child, Hosea Whitford Rood. Later that year, the family moved from Persia…

05/27/2026

In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we share these Korean War-era brass nameplates acquired by Rabbi Morton Shalowitz while serving in South Korea from 1953 to 1954.

Shalowitz entered service in the U.S. Army Officer Reserve Corps as a chaplain in August 1952. The Chicago native was first assigned to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and Fort Riley, Kansas, before being reassigned to Eighth Army Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, in August 1953. During his 11 months overseas, then-Lieutenant Shalowitz supervised the creation of Beth Yehee Shalom (“House of Let There Be Peace”) synagogue. Its dedication in May 1954 by General Maxwell D. Taylor marked the opening of the first synagogue established on Korean soil.

Rabbi Shalowitz remained in the U.S. Army Reserve following his return to the United States later that year. Over the next decade, he served congregations ranging from North Dakota to Florida before settling permanently in Wisconsin after relocating to Fond du Lac in 1963. From there, Shalowitz retired from the military as a colonel in 1983 and from Temple Beth Israel as its rabbi in 1992. He remained in Fond du Lac until moving to the Jewish Home and Care Center in Milwaukee, where he passed away in 2011.

05/26/2026

In celebration of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum's 125th Anniversary, we will be posting a series of videos featuring our staff and one item in our collection that resonates with them.

Expect a new video every week through June. Happy 125th!

05/25/2026

Today, we will be keeping our post simple.

Today is Memorial Day, a day of reflection and mourning for all of those who have died while serving the U.S. Armed Forces. We remember them and their sacrifice.

05/25/2026

In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we’re highlighting Harold J. Meldman, who served as a radio announcer and writer for the Army in occupied Japan following World War II.

Meldman was born May 1, 1915 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He joined the Army in April 1945 and served until November 1946. While stationed in Japan after the war, Meldman worked in radio. He directed and announced a show called What’s Cookin’ and interviewed USO performers and celebrities who visited his station.

After leaving the military, Meldman returned to Milwaukee, where he continued his career as a furniture salesman. He remained active in the local Jewish community, including committee work with the Milwaukee Jewish Home for the Aged and involvement with the Men’s Club of Temple Shalom. He passed away on January 23, 1996 and is buried at Anshai Lebowitz Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Meldman’s story is proudly represented in our collections through letters, photographs, and news clippings documenting his service in occupied Japan, including photographs he took of Hiroshima shortly after the atomic bombing.

05/20/2026

Watch our museum director's latest talk on Wisconsin's role in our nation's founding and history:

This video features our museum director, Chris Kolakowski, giving a...

05/20/2026

When you're watching the Indy 500 this weekend, remember the legend who raced for 35 consecutive years: A.J. Foyt, or... Feucht?

Columbus, Wisconsin native Darrel Feucht earned his nickname, "AJ" for a pretty simple reason. His last name sounds a lot like the accomplished racing driver A. J. Foyt. Feucht may not be as well-known as his namesake, but his service is equally impactful.

In the spring of 2012, the Wisconsin National Guard's 82nd Agribusiness Development Team deployed to Asadabad in Afghanistan's Kunar Province with the primary objective of improving the agricultural practices of Afghan farmers. There, Columbus, Wisconsin native Colonel Darrel D. "AJ" Feucht commanded the 58 Army and Air National Guard members of the 82nd ADT as they provided agricultural development planning and support activities in northeastern Afghanistan.

Col. Feucht had been in command of the 64th Troop Command when he was first brought on to lead the 82nd ADT in 2010, the first unit of its kind for the Wisconsin National Guard. Subsequent preparation for the 82nd ADT included training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences during the summer of 2011. While the unit was ultimately remissioned in May 2012, its members remained in country serving in other capacities. Col. Feucht returned stateside in September 2012 and retired the following year after nearly 30 years of service.

Photo courtesy of Otto Caldwell and the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

05/20/2026

In celebration of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum's 125th Anniversary, we will be posting a series of videos featuring our staff and one item in our collection that resonates with them.

This video features our Curator, Sarah Kappelusch, and the medal of Red Cloud Jr. As a member of the Ho-Chunk himself, Red Cloud's medal was first in the possession of the Ho-Chunk Nation and on display there. It made its way to our museum at the request of Red Cloud’s aunt, where it remains proudly on display in our galleries.

Happy 125th Anniversary! Expect a new "staff pick" video every Tuesday.

05/17/2026

Charles Hubbard, a Red Cedar, Wisconsin native, was working on the family farm in Dunn County when he was drafted into the US Army in May 1918.

After training stateside, he deployed to Europe two months later. He served with Veterinary Hospital No. 9, located near St. Nazaire, France. Horses and mules were vital to the war effort during World War I, and Veterinary Hospitals treated them for wounds, injuries, diseases, illness, parasites, exposure to gas attacks, and more. Hubbard returned to the States in June 1919 and eventually settled near Durand, Wisconsin, where he operated a farm.

He maintained a lifelong interest in horses. WVM proudly preserves the story of his service through letters he wrote home, papers, and photographs.

05/16/2026

Armed Forces Day is celebrated every May 16th to recognize servicemembers all across the U.S. Military.

If you're looking for an activity to celebrate, we are open from noon to 5pm. Entry is always 100% free.

See you soon!