Eyes of the Army!
http://eyesofthearmy.dva.state.wi.us
2008 marks the 90th Anniversary of the end of World War I. To commemorate this important historical moment in American history as well as the central role of Wisconsin’s veterans in the conflict, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum presents, “Eyes of the Army: The Life and Letters of World War I Aerial Observer Lt. Mortimer M. Lawrence.” This new online exhibit follows the service of 1st Lt. Mortimer M. Lawrence, a native of Beaver Dam, as he travels from basic training camp at Fort Sheridan, Illinois to the skies above war-ravaged Europe as a member of the 104th Aero Squadron. Participating in daring and dangerous aerial reconnaissance missions along the Western Front, Lawrence not only received the Silver Star for bravery, but is credited with shooting down the last German aircraft of World War I. A prolific writer, Lawrence recorded his experiences of Army life from May 1917 to May 1919 in the numerous and detailed letters he sent home to friends and family. Eyes of the Army, which will showcase nearly the entire Lawrence Collection over the course of the next two years, publishes each letter as well as any accompanying photographs or materials 90 years from the day they were written, giving viewers the impression that they are experiencing Lawrence’s day-by-day adventures in real-time. These documents contain a plethora of information and offer viewers a truly firsthand account of what life was like for a World War I flyer. Utilizing new technologies and especially the Internet to make history more accessible to people everywhere, Eyes of the Army is an exciting new exhibit.
