♪♪ >>> WE ALL PROBABLY HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN OUR FAMILY'S HISTORY WHO HAS SERVED OR IS SERVING IN THE MILITARY.

FOR ME IT'S MY SON.

HE'S IN THE ARMY, AND HE'LL ACTUALLY BE STATIONED IN SOUTH KOREA SOON.

WHAT ABOUT YOU, CHARLENE, ANYONE YOU WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO?

>> MOST DEFINITELY.

MY DAD WAS IN THE ARMY IN WORLD WAR II.

AND TODAY WE'RE LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF OHIO'S MILITARY HISTORY STARTING WITH CAMP SHERMAN.

IT WAS A TRAINING CAMP FOR SOLDIERS DURING WORLD WAR I.

>> ALTHOUGH THE CAMP NO LONGER EXISTS, IT HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON CHILLICOTHE AND WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY'S GROWTH.

HERE'S MORE ON THAT HISTORY.

♪♪ >> I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT CENTRAL OHIO RESPONDED ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO THE ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR I.

THIS IS NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE REALLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A BRIEF SPANISH AMERICAN WAR, WE REALLY HADN'T BEEN IN A MAJOR WAR SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.

>> THEY NEEDED HUGE TRAINING CAMPS TO BE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY PROCESS THE RECRUITS THEY WERE GETTING.

NOT ONLY THERE VOLUNTEERISM BUT THROUGH THE DRAFT.

CAMP SHERMAN LOCATED NEAR CHILLICOTHE SERVED AS SORT OF A HUB TO SEND THESE MEN TO SO THEY COULD BE TRAINED AND THEN SENT OVERSEAS.

♪♪ >> CAMP SHERMAN WAS BUILT IN APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS.

WAS DESIGNED ORIGINALLY FOR 45,000 PEOPLE, PLUS 12,000 ANIMALS.

THE MAIN CAMP AREA WHICH WAS OVER 2,000 ACRES, THERE WAS THE MANURE GROUND WHICH WAS ALSO A LITTLE OVER 2,000 ACRES.

THE RIFLE RANGE WHICH WAS ABOUT 6,000 ACRES, AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER LARGE AREA WHICH IS SOUTH OF HERE.

>> THEY BUILT BETWEEN 1,000 AND 2,000 BUILDINGS ON THE SITE, AND THEN THEY HAD SIMILAR BUILDINGS THAT WERE NECESSARY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CAMP.

THE LAUNDRY, WE HAD THE BASE HOSPITAL.

>> HAD THE CAMP SHERMAN LIBRARY.

THERE WERE 11 YMCAs.

THERE WAS A YWCA.

THIS IS ONE OF SIX CAMPS WHO HAD BLACK SOLDIERS, AND THE YMCA FOR REASONS AT THE TIME COULD NOT HANDLE THE AREA OF THE BLACK SOLDIERS.

SO IT WAS THE YWCA THAT STEPPED UP AND BUILT THERE.

>> IT WAS FINISHED WHILE THEY WERE IN THE TRENCHES FIGHTING TRENCH WARFARE FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE WE GOT INTO THE WAR.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MILITARY PERSONNEL TO TEACH THEM HOW TO FIGHT THIS KIND OF WAR, SO THEY BROUGHT OVER FRENCH AND BRITISH OFFICERS TO TRAIN THE MEN THAT WERE HERE.

>> THE WAR IN EUROPE IS GOING ON WHERE BOTH SIDES HAVE A NUMBER OF NEW WEAPONS.

WE HAVE THE MACHINE GUN, SO WE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT WHEN FIRING OUT OF THE TRENCHES.

WE HAD POISON GAS, THERE WERE TWO KINDS OF POISON GAS INTRODUCED OVER THERE.

WE HAD THE AIRPLANE WHICH DURING THE COURSE OF THE WAR TURNED INTO NOT JUST FIGHTER PLANES BUT BOMBERS.

THE TANK.

SO THEY HAD TO LEARN NEW TACTICS.

>> THE MEN WERE ENCOURAGED TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE COMMUNITY WAS ENCOURAGED TO MAKE THE MEN WELCOME HERE.

THE FAMILIES WERE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THEIR SOLDIERS AT THE CAMP SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE 10,000 TO 15,000 PEOPLE IN TOWN LOOKING FOR A HOTEL ROOM, AND THEY WERE BRINGING WITH THEM 10,000 AUTOMOBILES.

AND THIS ALSO CAUSED TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH HOTEL ROOMS FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT UP SOME OF THESE PEOPLE FOR THE NIGHT?

BUT THEY DID SOMETIMES RUN OUT OF SPACE, SO YOU MIGHT FIND PEOPLE SLEEPING IN RAILROAD CARS ON THE SIDES, THEY MIGHT BE IN THE CITY PARKS, ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS.

THEY WERE BEDDING DOWN JUST ABOUT WHEREVER THEY COULD.

>> THE INFLUENZA WAS A WORLDWIDE EPIDEMIC.

NEITHER SIDE OF THOSE IN THE CONFLICT WANTED TO REPORT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD IT OR DIED FROM IT.

SPAIN WAS A NEUTRAL COUNTRY AT THAT TIME, SO THEY REPORTED ALL OF THEIR DEATHS AND ILLNESSES.

SO IT KIND OF GOT THE NICKNAME THE SPANISH FLU.

HERE IN CAMP SHERMAN, THERE WERE 1,177 MILITARY WHO DIED HERE.

>> CAMP SHERMAN HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM THE FLU FROM ANY OF THE OTHER MILITARY CAMPS.

PERCENTAGEWISE CHILLICOTHE HAD ONE OF THE LOWEST BECAUSE THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK PRECAUTIONS.

CAMP SHERMAN WAS QUARANTINED, AND THE CITY ITSELF BEGAN ALSO QUARANTINING PART OF TOWN.

>> THEY HAD SO MANY DYING SO FAST THAT THEY WERE LOADING THEM IN WAGONS AND TRUCKS AND TRANSPORTING THEM DOWNTOWN.

THE MILITARY HAD TO BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP DO THIS BECAUSE THE LOCAL FUNERAL HOMES WERE JUST OVERWHELMED.

>> THE MAJESTIC THEATER WAS USED AS A SORT OF MAKESHIFT MORGUE WHERE THE BODIES COULD BE PREPARED AND DRAINED BEFORE THEY WERE SENT BACK TO THEIR HOMETOWNS.

>> ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT CAMP SHERMAN WAS THE BLACK SOLDIERS WERE ISOLATED.

THEY WERE ACTUALLY WHAT THEY CALL BLACK DIVISIONS.

THEY DIDN'T GET THE FLU.

THERE WERE ALSO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS WHO WERE HERE.

THEY'RE ISOLATED.

THEY DIDN'T GET THE FLU.

SO IT WAS THE MAIN PART OF THE BASE WHO ACTUALLY ENDED UP WITH THE FLU AND PASSED AWAY.

>> THE 11th HOUR OF THE 11th DAY OF THE 11th MONTH IN NOVEMBER OF 1918, THE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED SO PEACE PROCESS COULD BEGIN.

>> IT TOOK SIX MONTHS TO GET THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES TO OFFICIALLY DECLARE THAT THE WAR WAS OVER.

AT THAT POINT THEY COULD CONFIDENTLY PROCESS THE MEN OUT AND START SENDING THEM HOME.

>> MOST OF THE MEN THAT WERE IN TRAINING AT THE CAMP WERE LEADING BY -- LEAVING BY THE END OF 1918.

CAMP SHERMAN WAS THEN MADE A DEMOBILIZATION CAMP.

>> A NUMBER OF THE BUILDINGS WERE USED AFTER THAT.

OF COURSE THEY CLEARED THE LAND.

CAMP SHERMAN WAS DISMANTLED, NEW HIGHWAYS WERE BUILT THROUGH SOME OF THE PROPERTY.

THE CAMP SHERMAN PARK OUT THERE.

>> IT WAS HERE SUCH A SHORT TIME, AND THEN IT WAS GONE.

SO PEOPLE TEND NOT TO REMEMBER THAT IT WAS THERE UNTIL WE HAVE A BICENTENNIAL AND PEOPLE ARE RECOGNIZING THE THAT CAMP SHERMAN WAS THERE AND WAS A MAJOR PART OF OUR HISTORY.

>> NOT EVERYONE WHO JOINS THE MILITARY GOES INTO BATTLE.

EVERY BRANCHT MILITARY HAS -- BRANCH OF THE MILITARY HAS SUPPORTING ROLES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

RECENTLY THE OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION RECEIVED A DONATION FROM A LOCAL WOMAN WHO SERVED IN ONE OF THESE SUPPORTING REELS AS A MARINE.

>> I AM ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH WOMEN WHO ARE MARINES.

>> WE HEAD OVER TO LOOK AT THE COLLECTION WHICH GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF WHAT HER TRAINING AND SERVICE LOOKED LIKE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >>> OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION HAS A LOT OF COLLECTIONS IN STORAGE IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THEM.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT TODAY THEY'RE OPENING UP THEIR VAULT TO US TO SHOW US ONE OF THEIR COLLECTIONS.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT IT IS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING ME THIS COLLECTION.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MILITARY.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE?

>> YES.

THIS IS A COLLECTION THAT WAS DONATED BY A WOMAN NAMED MARY GARRISON.

SHE'S FROM THE COLUMBUS AREA.

SHE SERVED IN THE MARINES FROM 1975 TO ABOUT 1979.

SO THESE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT SHE WORE OR USED WHILE SHE WAS IN THE MARINES.

>> WOW, AND BEING A FEMALE IN THE MARINES IN THE 1970s IS UNIQUE IN ITSELF.

IS THAT ONE OF THE REASONS YOU GATHER THIS COLLECTION?

>> YES, EXACTLY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF UNIFORM COLLECTIONS FROM WORLD WAR I AND RADIO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE -- AND WORLD WAR II, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COLLECTIONS OF WOMEN WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY.

THIS IS OUR ONLY COLLECTION THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT IS A FEMALE WHO SERVED IN THE MARINES.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE ITEMS HERE?

>> SURE.

THIS IS EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE UNIFORMS THAT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED WHEN SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MARINES.

THIS IS PROBABLY UTILITY UNIFORM.

THAT'S A BASIC UNIFORM YOU WOULD GET WHEN YOU FIRST WENT INTO BASIC TRAINING.

SHE DID ABOUT TO PARIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GET TRAINED, LIKE EVERY OTHER MARINE DID AT THAT TIME, STILL DOES TODAY.

THOSE ARE VERY BASIC WE CALL THEM UTILITY PANTS.

BASED ON THE TIME, THE MEN WORE AT THAT TIME, I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY EXACT THE SAME.

THEY DIDN'T MAKE SPECIAL UNIFORMS FOR TRAINING FOR WOMEN.

LATER ON WHEN SHE BECAME A -- A SERGEANT, SHE'D BE ISSUED UNIFORMS, SOME SKIRTS FROM THAT TIME.

ACTUALLY IN THE PICTURE, SHE'S WEARING HER SUMMER UNIFORM, AND THAT WOULD BE A SKIRT FROM THAT.

AND THESE BLUE SLACKS HERE ARE ALSO WHEN SHE WAS IN THE MARINES.

>> SO I SEE SOME JACKETS HERE.

ARE THESE HERS, AS WELL?

>> YES, ALL OF THE UNIFORMS YOU SEE HERE, ALL THE SHIRTS, JACKETS, ALL BELONG TO SERGEANT GARRISON.

YOU CAN SEE THE SERGEANT INSIGNIA PATCH ON THE SHOULDERS.

THIS ONE HERE, I CAN GRAB ON THE END.

>> I'D LOVE TO SEE IT.

>> THIS IS A DRESS BLUE UNIFORM.

THIS IS THE JACKET.

YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

THE INSIGNIAS, THAT'S THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS INSIGNIA, THE EAGLE WITH THE GLOBE AND ANCHOR.

AND AGAIN, THE PATCH ON THE SIDE THERE.

>> IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL UNIFORM.

NOW SHE DIDN'T TELL YOU THE STORY BEHIND THAT?

ARE THERE THINGS ON THIS UNIFORM THAT WOULD TELL WHEN YOU IT WAS?

>> YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL IT'S THE MARINES.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE THIS FOR DRESS, NAVY BLUE AND THE RED PIPING.

AND THE MARINES HAVE THE INSIGNIA ON THERE, AS WELL.

>> THESE WOULD BE UNIFORMS SHE WOULD WEAR AT DIFFERENT TIMES OR MAYBE WHEN SHE CHANGED RANKS?

>> YEAH, THESE WERE ALL FROM WHEN SHE WAS A SERGEANT.

SOME OF THIS VERY FRONT HERE, THOSE ARE MORE -- ANOTHER UTILITY SHIRT.

YOU SEE KIND OF BASIC GREEN.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A COAT THAT SHE WAS GIVEN PROBABLY WHEN SHE FIRST STARTED AS A MARINE.

MAYBE IN BASIC TRAINING.

>> AND WHAT IS THIS BAG HERE?

>> THIS IS A TYPICAL GARMENT BAG THAT SHE WAS ISSUED.

IT'S GOT THE USMC LOGO.

>> SHE DONATED THESE ITEMS?

>> YES, A COUPLE YEARS AGO SHE DONATED THESE ITEMS TO US.

KIND OF A NEW COLLECTION TO US.

>> DID SHE GIVE YOU STORIES BEHIND THESE?

>> YEAH.

WHEN IT WAS DONATED, PEOPLE INTERVIEWED HER AND GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HER SERVICE.

>> SO SHE DONATED OTHER ITEMS THAT AREN'T ON THIS TABLE THAT I SEE IN THAT BOX.

CAN YOU SHOW ME A FEW OF THEM?

>> YES.

WE HAVE MORE ITEMS IN THE BOX.

I'LL PULL THIS ONE OUT HERE FIRST.

THIS IS A HAT BOX.

HAS A HAT INSIDE.

>> THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> YEAH.

THIS IS, AGAIN, A FORMAL DRESS BLUE CAP THAT SHE WOULD WEAR WITH THE JACKET THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE.

>> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THE MILITARY ALWAYS LOOKS VERY WELL KEPT, THEY REALLY ARE ABOUT THEIR APPEARANCE AND HOW THEY LOOK, AREN'T THEY?

>> YES.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY PART OF OUR TRAINING WAS LEARNING HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF HER UNIFORM, KEEP IT NICE AND CLEAN, HOW TO WEAR IT, ALL OF THAT GOES INTO HER TRAINING AS A MARINE.

>> I THINK MOST OF US NEED MORE TRAINING ON THAT ANYWAY.

THAT'S AMAZING.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE?

>> YEAH.

THESE ARE HER COMBAT BOOTS.

SHE DOES NOT SERVE IN COMBAT WHILE SHE WAS IN THE MARINES.

SHE SERVED BASICALLY DURING PEACETIME.

THESE ARE THE BOOTS SHE WAS GIVEN, SHE WOULD HAVE WORN THESE DURING BASIC TRAINING.

>> SO QUICKLY, WHAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THE TIME THAT SHE SERVED?

WHAT SORT OF CONFLICTS WERE GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD?

>> YEAH, WHEN SHE WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL THE VIETNAM WAR WAS STILL GOING ON.

IT ENDED IN 1975 WHEN SHE WAS GOING INTO THE MARINE CORPS.

SHE BASICALLY SERVED DURING PEACETIME.

>> SO SHE STILL HAD TO BE SORT OF READY TO GO INTO ACTION IF SOMETHING DID HAPPEN, OR WAS SHE NOT TRAINED FOR THAT?

>> POSSIBLY.

SHE WENT THROUGH BASIC TRAINING, SO SHE LEARNED HOW TO FIRE A WEAPON AND ANYTHING YOU WOULD -- THAT ANY OTHER MARINE WOULD GO THROUGH.

AFTER SHE COMPLETED THAT SHE WENT INTO MOS TRAINING.

MILITARY OPERATION SERVICES.

THAT'S WHEN THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THINGS YOU CAN GO INTO, ADMINISTRATION, INTELLIGENCE, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE HE WENT.

ALSO SIMILAR TO THE COMBAT BOOTS BUT THE OPPOSITE, THESE ARE THE DRESS SHOE THAT'S SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

SHE WOULD WEAR THESE FOR FORMAL OCCASIONS, BUT SOMETIMES THEY WOULD WEAR THESE ALSO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

THIS STYLE HERE WAS VERY POPULAR IN THE 1970s.

>> NOW WERE THESE ISSUED LIKE THEY ISSUE THESE TYPE OF SHOES, OR DID THEY GIVE PARAMETERS FOR THE TYPES OF SHOES -- >> THEY WERE ISSUED, WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HER WITH HER UNIFORM.

SHE HAD TO WEAR THESE SHOES.

>> DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING LES?

>> YES, TO GO ALONG WITH THE SHOES, THIS BLACK PURSE.

YOU WOULD BE ISSUED A PURSE AS A FEMALE MEMBER OF THE MARINES.

>> SAME THING.

SAME AS SHOES, THAT'S YOUR PURSE.

>> 1970s.

THEY DID CHANGE THIS LATER ON.

IF YOU SAW A FALL FROM THAT TIME THEY SHOULD HAVE THE SHOES AND -- >> AND A SIGN OF THE TIMES.

WOMEN DIDN'T USE PURSES AS MUCH.

THAT'S AMAZING.

>> ALSO HAVE SOME MEDALS THAT SHE WAS AWARDED.

I CAN SEE THIS -- THIS FIRST ONE HERE IS CALLED THE NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL.

>> AND HOW WOULD SHE HAVE RECEIVED THAT?

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS YOU CAN GET SERVING IN A NONCOMBATIVE ROLE IN THE MARINES.

SO FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, THEY WOULD GIVE YOU A MEDAL LIKE THIS.

>> OKAY.

BEAUTIFUL.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY PUT THOSE ON THEIR UNIFORMS, OR THEY TEND TO KEEP THEM IN THE BOXES?

>> YOU SHALL USUALLY WEAR THEM ON THE UNIFORM OR WEAR THE RIBBON BAR THAT REPRESENTS THAT MEDAL.

THERE'S ONE MORE MEDAL THAT SHE RECEIVED I CAN SHOW YOU.

THIS IS THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.

YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE BOX.

>> UH-HUH.

SO WHAT'S THE EMBLEM ON IT, WHAT ARE WE SEEING?

>> THIS IS A TYPICAL MARINE EMBLEM.

THIS IS UNIQUE BECAUSE YOU RECEIVE THIS AFTER YOU SERVE FOR THREE YEARS WITH DISTINCTION.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

IS THAT EVERYTHING?

>> I THINK I HAVE A COUPLE MORE -- >> I WANT TO SEE MORE.

THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.

IT'S LIKE -- >> HERE'S THE CAP.

THIS IS ALSO WHEN SHE WAS PROBABLY FIRST IN TRAINING, A BASIC CAP.

LOT LESS FORMAL THAN THE FORMAL CAP, OF COURSE.

>> TO THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THEY'D WEAR THESE THINGS.

>> EXACTLY.

AND A COUPLE MORE FORMAL ITEMS FOR THE UNIFORM, MARINES ALWAYS DRESSED VERY WELL.

THESE WERE WHITE GLOVES THAT SHE WOULD WEAR WITH HER UNIFORM.

>> DO THEY WEAR GLOVES TODAY?

>> YES, MARINES IN DRESS BLUES HAVE THE GLOVES ON, MEN AND WOMEN.

TO MATCH THAT THERE'S A WHITE SCARF, AS WELL, THAT SHE WOULD WEAR AGAIN FOR FORMAL OCCASIONS.

>> HOW DO YOU STORE THEM?

>> SURE.

YEAH, WHEN THIS WAS DONATED, WE GO THROUGH AND THE CAT -- CATALOG EVERYTHING, GO THROUGH EACH ITEM, PHOTOGRAPH IT, GIVE IT A SESSION NUMBER.

AND THEN FOR TEXTILES WE USUALLY WRAP THEM IN SOME PLASTIC OR FOAM AND STORE THEM MOSTLY IN BOXES.

>> AND DOES THE PUBLIC EVER GET TO SEE COLLECTIONS LIKE THIS?

>> NOT OFTEN.

IF THEY'RE PUT ON EXHIBITS, THEN THEY WOULD GET TO SEE THEM.

BUT A VERY SMALL FRACTION OF OUR COLLECTIONS ARE ON EXHIBIT AT THE HISTORY CENTER.

MAYBE EVENTUALLY THESE WILL BE PUT ON.

>> SO THIS REPRESENTS SORT OF ONE TYPE OF THE MILITARY PERIOD OF TIME.

WHAT TYPES OF THINGS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AS FAR AS ITEMS TO FILL YOUR COLLECTION?

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY UNIFORMS, LIKE I MENTIONED, A LOT FROM WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II, AND SOME CIVIL WAR, AS WELL, AND OTHER 19th CENTURY WARS.

BUT WE DON'T TEND TO HAVE AS MANY THINGS FROM KIND OF THE LATE 20th CENTURY AND EVEN INTO THE 21st CENTURY.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE ITEMS THAT ARE MORE RECENT HISTORY OF PEOPLE FROM OHIO THAT HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY.

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY UNIQUE THAT SHE GAVE YOU THESE ITEMS WHEN SHE WAS STILL LIVING.

IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK ABOUT DONATING THEIR ITEMS WHILE THEY'RE STILL ALIVE INSTEAD OF SORT OF WAITING?

>> YES, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

WE GET A LOT OF DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO THEIR GRANDFATHER PASSED AWAY AND THEY HAVE HIS COLLECTIONS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY THINGS.

IF YOU'RE STILL LIVING, YOU CAN TELL US THE STORIES BEHIND ALL OF THESE OBJECTS.

>> THE STORY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE CONNECTED TO THE ITEMS, RIGHT?

>> YES, OF COURSE.

>> ARE THERE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT IF YOU DON'T TAKE THEM -- WHAT ARE WAYS PEOPLE CAN THINK ABOUT PRESERVING THESE, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE THESE TYPES OF THINGS?

>> YES.

WE LOVE THE PEOPLE WHO CONTACT US AND REACH OUT TO US.

WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

IF FOR SOME REASON WE CAN'T TAKE A COLLECTION BECAUSE WE HAVE SIMILAR ITEMS ALREADY IN OUR COLLECTION, YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

SOMETIMES THE LIBRARY, IF YOU HAVE PHOTO IMAGES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, AS WELL.

THERE'S THE VETERANS MUSEUM HERE IN COLUMBUS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL TAKE ITEMS, AS WELL.

>> THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF THE COLLECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE THAT THE AUDIENCE DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET TO SEE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO LOOK AT IT.

>> YES, THANK YOU.

♪♪ >>> BESIDE LOOKING AT PHOTOS, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT THE CIVIL WAR LOOKED LIKE.

IT WAS PRE-FILM, PRE-INTERNET, AND PRE-SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> WEIGH MAY NOT HAVE VIDEO, BUT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FASCINATED WITH THAT HISTORY AND TAKE PART IN CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENTS LIKE BATTLES, ENCAMPMENTS, AND OTHER RELATED EVENTS.

OFTEN THESE EXPERIENCES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

>> WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH ONE OF THESE RE-ENACTORS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS POPULAR PASTIME.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE RE-ENACTING WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE AND THE FACT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TIME AND HOW DID THEY DO THAT.

YOU MANEUVER, YOU DO ALL THESE THINGS.

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN?

IT'S A LOT TO ORCHESTRATE.

SOME POINTS WE REPLICATE THE COMMAND STRUCTURE AND FOLLOW THE SAME TRAINING MANUALS THAT THEY DID DURING THE CIVIL WAR WHICH THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO PORTRAY WHAT THEY DID THAN TO USE THE TOOLS AT HAND.

SO WE DO THAT.

RE-ENACTORS ARE NOT JUST RE-ENACTORS ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN WE SEE THEM DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEY'RE RE-ENACTORS EVERY DAY, DOING RESEARCH ON BOTH THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR ITSELF AND WHAT WE CALL THE MATERIAL CULTURE AND DISCOVERING EVERY DETAIL YOU CAN ABOUT CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT AND HOW PEOPLE LIVED THEIR LIVES.

WHICH HAS ACTUALLY PROVED VERY BENEFICIAL TO COLLEGES WHO ARE SEEING THESE -- THIS TIME PERIOD RE-CREATED WITH EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE HAD AT THE TIME.

INVALUABLE LESSON ON HOW LIFE WAS LIVED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RE-ENACTORS PRIDE THEMSELVES IN IS WORKING VERY, VERY HARD AT PRESERVING HISTORY IN ITS PHYSICAL FORM.

AND THAT MEANS HISTORIC BUILDINGS, ARTIFACTS, BATTLE PLANS, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT, AND BATTLE FOR ACREAGE ITSELF.

WHY WOULD YOU SPEND ALL THE MONEY IT TAKES TO EQUIP YOURSELF AND TO TRAVEL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO SLEEP ON THE GROUND AT NIGHT, TO, YOU KNOW, RUN AROUND IN HOT IN THE SUMMER AND ALL THESE THINGS, AND THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT FOR SOMETHING MORE THAN YOURSELF.

FOR THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF RE-ENACTORS I MET OVER 20 YEARS, THEY SIMPLY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT OUR NATION NOT FORGET WHAT WENT ON.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT WENT ON DURING THE CIVIL WAR, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDAMENTALLY IS THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO US AS A PEOPLE IF WE CANNOT COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT OUR PROBLEMS AND SOLVE OUR DISAGREEMENTS.

THAT'S SO OVERWHELMING FOR RE-ENACTORS.

LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE DON'T EVER WANT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

SO IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE THAT, WE BRING IT TO LIFE.

PEOPLE TODAY LIVE IN COMPLEX WORLDS, AND 50 YEARS AGO WAS NO DIFFERENT.

♪♪ >>> I'M SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS ONE.

THIS IS A PANORAMA THAT WE HAVE OF AN ALL-BLACK, ALL-WOMAN SQUADRON.

IT IS SQUADRON W OF THE 318th ARMY AIR FORCE'S BASE UNIT.

WHEN THEY WERE LOCATED AT LOCKBOURNE ARMY AIRBASE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

AND THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN JUNE OF 1947.

THESE WOMEN WERE A PART OF THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS OR ALSO KNOWN S WACS.

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AT TUSKEGEE WHEN THE AIRMEN WERE THERE.

MOST PEOPLE KNEE THE AIRMEN WERE STATIONED AT LOCKBOURNE AFTER WORLD WAR II, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW WOMEN UNITS WERE HERE AND HELPING WITH THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN AND LOCKBOURNE, AS WELL.

SO IT'S AMAZING TO HAVE THIS FANTASTIC PHOTO OF ALL OF THESE AMAZING BLACK WOMEN AND THEIR ROLE THAT THEY PLAYED IN THE HISTORY OF THE ARMED FORCES.

THE WACS ARE THE WOMEN ARMY AIR CORPS, AND THEY WERE A PART OF THE MILITARY WHEN THE MILITARY WAS STILL SEGREGATED.

THESE WOMEN HELD SO MANY IMPORTANT POSITIONS AT THE BASE.

THEY WERE RADIO OPERATORS, THEY PACKED PARACHUTES, THEY WERE MEDICAL AND X-RAY TECHNICIANS, HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

WE BELIEVE WE KNOW WHO TWO OF THE WOMEN ARE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.

OVER HERE ON THE LEFT WE HAVE FIRST LIEUTENANT ALETTA CRANE.

ON THE RIGHT SEATED WE HAVE VERDIA MAY HICKENBOTTOM, WHO WAS A FIRST LIEUTENANT, AS WELL.

THESE WOMEN WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE A PART OF THE WOMEN'S AIR SERVICE PILOTS OR THE WASPs, BUT THEY WERE ELIGIBLE TO BE PART OF THE WOMEN AIR CORPS.

SO THAT IS HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MILITARY.

♪♪ >>> ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING PASTIMES IS THE IDEA OF THE LIVING PHOTO.

IF YOU HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF A PERSON OR EVEN SOME CASES OF A SCENE, YOU CAN PUT 1,000 PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU TRY TO REPRODUCE THE PHOTOGRAPH BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

>> ARTHUR MOLE WAS KNOWN FOR DOING THESE UNUSUAL PHOTOGRAPHS.

HE WOULD GET LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND HE WOULD PUT DIFFERENT SHIRTS AND STUFF ON THEM.

HE SHOT IN BLACK AND WHITE, SO HE HAD DIFFERENT SHADES OF GRAY IN ORDER TO DO THIS.

>> THE CLASSIC EXAMPLE THAT TAKES PLACE AT SHERMAN DURING WORLD WAR I BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AT CAMP SHERMAN.

BUT IT FORMED A PICTURES OF WOODROW WILSON, THE PRESIDENT.

>> HE HAD A 75-FOOT TOWER THAT HE WOULD BE UP WITH HIS CAMERA.

THEN HE WOULD USE A MEGAPHONE TO SHOUT INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS CHOREOGRAPHER.

THEY WOULD WORK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS USING CHALK TO LAY OUT THE FIGURE AND WHAT COLORS WOULD GO WHERE.

THEN THEY GOT THE BOYS TO COME OUT, AND THEY PUT THEM IN T-SHIRTS THAT WERE NECESSARY.

SOME OF THEM CAME OUT IN THEIR LONG UNDERWEAR.

FUNNY STORY CAME IN.

THIS LADY CAME IN AND SAID MY UNCLE SAID HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE WEARING HIS LONG UNDERWEAR OUT THERE FOR THAT PICTURE.

SO THEY PUT HIM OVER UNDER WILSON'S EAR WHICH IS WHERE HE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE TIME.

IT TOOK 21,000 MEN AND OFFICERS TO MAKE UP THAT PICTURE.

THE GROUP UP ABOVE WILSON'S PART IN HIS HAIR, THERE WERE OVER 8,000 MEN JUST DOING THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.

IT WAS QUITE A COMPLICATED AFFAIR, BUT IT TURNED OUT RATHER WELL AND PRESIDENT WILSON AUTOGRAPHED THE PHOTO WHEN WAS IT DONE.

♪♪ >>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF OUR EPISODES ON YOUTUBE OR COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOOD.ORG.

>> PLUS SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

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