Illinois State Military Museum

Imagine the threat of chemical warfare and having to be ready to put these masks on. The two shown are both Russian made during the Cold War timeframe, made of rubber that covered your whole head. Your vision would be severely diminished as well as your speaking and hearing. There doesn't seem to be a way to keep hydrated.

If you come to the museum you can see how the United States version exceeds these. Open Monday-Friday 1:00-4:30 and Saturdays 9-4:30.

132nd Infantry, 66th Infantry Brigade, 33rd Division, Illinois National Guard (Originally the Second Infantry, Illinois National Guard)

Deployed for Mexican Border Campaign: June 1916 - October 1916
Preparation training for WWI in Texas: June 1917- May 1918
Travel to Europe: May 1918
Arrived in France: June 1918
Enter Combat: July 1918
Armistice Day: November 11, 1918
Board ship back to US: May 1919
Welcome Home by family: June 1919

Corporal Lee W. Reuter (soldier on right) finally reunited with his family after two years.

You can see the patch worn presumably on his mother's sleeve during the long wait for his return.

The rest of the 33rd Division would have followed a similar timeline.

Illinois’ brief bicycle unit

During the Michigan 1936 Second Army Maneuvers: Battle of Allegan County, Illinois had it’s only experiment with a bicycle unit. Brevet Captain Webber Borchers of the 130th Infantry, Service Company in Decatur, Illinois was invited by commanders to form a bicycle reconnaissance unit as an experiment during the maneuvers. He formed a squad of eight men: George Walraven, Raymond Carroll, Walter Morey, Walter Flora, John McKeonn, Paul Lyons, Fred Gilman, and himself. A few of the men were only 17 at the time but it was no matter and they were sworn in for the exercise.

The Bicycle Reconnaissance Unit took a defensive position in the brush and ambushed and enemy infantry patrol of a dozen men. The 6th Regular Army Infantry patrol were taken as “prisoners of war” and were non to pleased it was by a bunch of “National Guard play soldiers.”

Though the Bicycle Reconnaissance Unit was disbanded after the maneuver the members all went on to become officers of various branches of service during World War II.

R. S. Patten, of the 114th Illinois Infantry, kept himself busy making this wood cane while in the overcrowded Andersonville prison during the Civil War. Wooden cane with carved vines and acorns throughout the length of the shaft.

Schools mostly out for the summer! We will miss our tour groups that keep us busy in the spring and fall.

Our excellent living historians have educated nearly 3000 students since January!!

Thank you for your support!!!

Our office is getting an overhaul! We are saying goodbye to this house. The cumbersome process of moving into temporary office space has begun.

The June 13th WWII event will happen as planned but the office may be fenced off and the footprint a little smaller. Looking forward to seeing you then regardless!

In our World War One Medal of Honor Johannes Anderson exhibit is a little dagger on a chain. The is a German Empire chatelaine that he acquired. The little dagger is not even three inches. It is like a decorative Swiss army knife.

May 19, 1863:
14 year-old drummer boy earned the Medal of Honor for awe inspiring courage under fire

Heavy fighting at Vicksburg, Mississippi had largely depleted the ammunition of Company C of the 55th Illinois Infantry. Colonel Oscar Malmborg lost several runners in attempting to get resupplied. Musician Orion P. Howe, a fourteen year-old drummer boy whose father and brother were in the same regiment, volunteered to fetch the much needed ammunition. To the amazement of his comrades, Howe dashed through enemy artillery and small arms fire. Despite a severe wound that would affect him for the rest of his life, Howe successfully returned with the ammunition, and then reported directly to Major General William Tecumseh Sherman as ordered. He remains one of the youngest recipients of the Medal of Honor. The previous Illinois National Guard Armory in Waukegan named after him.

We have some captured Confederate items on display. Imagine digging up that "D" knife in your back yard.

The flag is the Confederate States of American Flag not to be confused with the Confederate Battle Flag with a red background, blue x with white stars.