VFW Needs Artifacts of War

A Robert Parry emailed and ask me to post this a week ago; sorry it took me so long to get around to it.

VFW Post 2070 Asks Veterans to Contribute Artifacts
For “Mobile Museum” Project
Local Combat Veterans of All Wars And Their Families Are Asked to Lend Photographs, Uniform Items and Other Artifacts of Service to Educate Community About the Price of Freedom

Monrovia, February 7- Monrovia-Arcadia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2070 is gathering pictures and artifacts from local combat veterans and their family members in order to create a traveling exhibit about the area’s history of military service. While the post is focusing its efforts on its own members – each of whom has served in combat – it is especially interested in receiving pictures and artifacts from family members of area service members from many years ago, such as World War I and II.

“This community has a long history of service, you can see this inthe memorials in Library Park. It is important that we, as veterans, preserve this history and tell others about the price of freedom,” said Wally Berg, Commander of Post 2070 and a Korean War veteran.

Items that have been loaned to the exhibit so far are from veterans of more recent conflicts, and include pictures of service men in Iraq, a fragment of an Improvised Explosive Device, a copy of an email home, an Iraq Campaign medal, a camouflaged Bible and field-worn cards regarding rules of engagement and casualty evacuation.

Entitled “Monrovians At The Front… Your History of Service” The display will offer exhibits from each conflict that the U.S. has been in since World War I, and will feature photographs, documents and artifacts of individual local residents’ combat experiences as well as the community’s experiences as a whole.

“We are seeking photographs and artifacts that people may have documenting things that happened here in Monrovia in support of World War I, WWII, and Korea,” said Robert Parry, the Post’s Junior Vice Commander, and a veteran of the war in Iraq. “Anything anybody has that they think would help tell the story of local veterans’ service will be appreciated.”

He added that all area veterans are invited to participate, whether they grew up in the area, or if they moved to town many years after their service. Siblings and children of veterans who have since passed away might have old photographs and artifacts, and they are encouraged to join in the project.

All artifacts will be considered to be loaned, and photographs, letters and other documents will be displayed only as photocopies, if the donor so desires. All artifacts will be considered loans, unless specifically donated. Each section will also include a list of are residents who have been killed in action.

When completed, the Post intends to display the exhibits in a mobile case that can be shown at area schools, loaned to local libraries or featured at appropriate gatherings. When not on loan, the exhibit will be on display at Post 2070 for the public to peruse. If possible, the post would like to have the display’s first exhibition by Memorial Day.

Anyone who is interested in loaning an artifact or photograph is encouraged to email Mr. Parry at rcjparry@gmail.com, or visit Post 2070 on Magnolia Avenue just north of Huntington Drive to speak to an officer.

ABOUT VFW POST 2070
Founded in 1931, Arcadia-Monrovia VFW Post 2070, located at the corner of Magnolia Ave. & Chestnut St. in Monrovia , offers comradeship and support to veterans of all the Nation’s wars. The Post’s programs support tomorrow’s citizens through school programs about the price of freedom, while it honors the warriors of years past and offers them a unique place to gather with those who have also paid that price. Founded in 1899 by veterans of the Spanish-American war, VFW today counts more than 2.4 million members, including the 250 comrades of Post 2070.

For Additional Information:
Robert Parry
Jr. Vice Commander
310-651-0231