Military

The Museum's superb military collections document the history of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States. The collections include ordnance, firearms, and swords; uniforms and insignia; national and military flags and banners; and many other objects.

The strength of the collections lies in their enormous depth. Some 3,000 military small arms and 2,400 civilian firearms document the mechanical and technological history of the infantryman's weapons from the beginning of the gunpowder era to the present. Among the 4,000 swords and knives in the collection are many spectacular presentation pieces. The collections also include Civil War era telegraph equipment, home front artifacts from both world wars, early computers such as ENIAC, Whirlwind, and Sage, and materials carried at antiwar demonstrations.

black and white stereograph mounted on yellow cardstock; printed on recto "Providence, R.I.
Description (Brief)
black and white stereograph mounted on yellow cardstock; printed on recto "Providence, R.I. / American Scenery / Park."; Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Providence, Rhode Island; carved relief inscription reads "Erected by the people of Rhode Island to the memory of the brave men who died so that their country might live"; this monument is dedicated to the 1st Rhode Island and the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (African-American) who fought in the Civil War; at the top of the monument is a female allegorical figure holding a laurel wreath in her outstretched right arm and a sword in her left hand; the four buttresses of the base hold four bronze statues representing infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval veterans; the large bronze plaques on the base list the residents killed in the Civil War; the bronze bas-relief plaques with carved releif depictions representing war, victory, peace and history illustrated with African-American women; the monument was designed by Randolph Rogers; the figures were sculpted in Rome and cast in Munich before being assembled in Providence; the monument was dedicated in 1871; monument is surrounded by a white picket fence
date made
ca 1871
referenced
Rogers, Randolph
ID Number
2012.3033.0582
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0582
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2013.0327.1202
accession number
2013.0327
catalog number
2013.0327.1202
Ink wash sketch of African-American troops and small camouflaged buildings. The soldiers are moving about the buildings, carrying mattresses. Sketch done on heavy white paper.Currently not on view
Description
Ink wash sketch of African-American troops and small camouflaged buildings. The soldiers are moving about the buildings, carrying mattresses. Sketch done on heavy white paper.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
artist
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
ID Number
AF.25815
catalog number
25815
accession number
64592
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-10-12
maker
Signal Corps' Army Pictorial Service and Army Communications Service
ID Number
2013.0327.0674
accession number
2013.0327
catalog number
2013.0327.0674
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2013-04 through 2013-06
maker
Drew, Ed
ID Number
2017.0220.0003
accession number
2017.0220
catalog number
2017.0220.0003
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2009-01
Associated Name
Obama, Barack H.
maker
Ficara, John
ID Number
2010.0172.01
catalog number
2010.0172.01
accession number
2010.0172
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2013.0327.1203
accession number
2013.0327
catalog number
2013.0327.1203
From the photographer, handwritten on the verso of the photograph: "Spc. Tyson Johnson III, 22, a mechanic with the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, was wounded September 20, 2003 in a mortar attack on the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
Description (Brief)
From the photographer, handwritten on the verso of the photograph: "Spc. Tyson Johnson III, 22, a mechanic with the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, was wounded September 20, 2003 in a mortar attack on the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. He suffered shrapnel wounds, a punctured lung, and lost his kidney. / Photographed at his home in Prichard, Alabama, May 6, 2004. / From the Purple Hearts Series"
Location
Currently not on view
date printed
2021
date made
2004-05-06
maker
Berman, Nina
ID Number
2021.0057.0007
accession number
2021.0057
catalog number
2021.0057.0007
From the photographer, handwritten on verso of photograph: "PFC Alan Jermaine Lewis, 23, a machine gunner with the 3rd Infantry Division, was wounded July 16, 2003 when his vehicle hit a land mine while he was delivering ice to other soldiers.
Description (Brief)
From the photographer, handwritten on verso of photograph: "PFC Alan Jermaine Lewis, 23, a machine gunner with the 3rd Infantry Division, was wounded July 16, 2003 when his vehicle hit a land mine while he was delivering ice to other soldiers. He lost both legs and suffered multiple fractures. / Photographed at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin November 23, 2003 / From the Purple Hearts series"
Location
Currently not on view
date printed
2021
date made
2003-11-23
maker
Berman, Nina
ID Number
2021.0057.0002
accession number
2021.0057
catalog number
2021.0057.0002
Press print; two photos below caption describing photographs. left photo is a young African-American U.S.
Description (Brief)
Press print; two photos below caption describing photographs. left photo is a young African-American U.S. marine; at right is his father, seated at a table, holding a handkerchief to his face; Dan Bullock, left; Brother Bullock, right (Brother Bullock is Dan's father)
Bullock lied about his age and enlisted at age 14.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969-06-12
ID Number
2016.0293.0006
accession number
2016.0293
catalog number
2016.0293.0006
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date printed
2021
date made
2007-05-25
maker
Berman, Nina
ID Number
2021.0057.0031
accession number
2021.0057
catalog number
2021.0057.0031
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1940s
ID Number
2018.0166.0085
catalog number
2018.0166.0085
accession number
2018.0166
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date printed
2021
date made
2008-06-16
maker
Berman, Nina
ID Number
2021.0057.0027
accession number
2021.0057
catalog number
2021.0057.0027
black and white stereograph mounted on orange cardstock; photograph by Leander Baker; printed on recto "Leander Baker, / Photographer / Providence Views."; Soldiers' and Sailors Monument, Providence, dedicated to the members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and the 14th Rhode Isl
Description (Brief)
black and white stereograph mounted on orange cardstock; photograph by Leander Baker; printed on recto "Leander Baker, / Photographer / Providence Views."; Soldiers' and Sailors Monument, Providence, dedicated to the members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment and the 14th Rhode Island Regiment Heavy Artillery (African-American) who fought and died in the U.S. Civil War; dedicated in 1871; view of backside of female allegorical bronze statue at top with and outstretched arm; on the base are four buttresses (two visible) topped with bronze statues which represent infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval veterans; large bronze plaques on the base list names of soldiers killed in the war; monument designed by Randolph Rogers and Alfred Stone
date made
ca 1872
ID Number
2012.3033.0595
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0595
portfolio by Don Unrau, "War Story: Vietnam Veterans 1984-1989"; green cloth binding; twenty (20) individual photographs, one (1) title page, two (2) extra pages with credits and illustration index; part of an edition of twenty (20); 20 photographs of individuals include handwrit
Description
portfolio by Don Unrau, "War Story: Vietnam Veterans 1984-1989"; green cloth binding; twenty (20) individual photographs, one (1) title page, two (2) extra pages with credits and illustration index; part of an edition of twenty (20); 20 photographs of individuals include handwritten note below image from person being photographed.
Individuals depicted: Kim Larsen, Chris Buchan, Gary Alexander, Chuck Jett, Orlando, Martinez, Robert Lee, John J. Serini, Roy Opp, Deryle Perryman, Roy (Spike) T. Miller, Jr, Gerald Naranjo, Bennie Slaughter, Gerry Gergen, Mike Moerhke, John Heiss, John Hamlin, Tom Schmitz, Marv Freedman, Joan Duffy Newberry, Jim Hagerman.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1984-1989
maker
Unrau, Donald T.
ID Number
2017.0023.0001
catalog number
2017.0023.0001
accession number
2017.0023
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1864 circa
depicted (sitter)
Foote, Andrew H.
ID Number
2018.0124.05d
accession number
2018.0124
catalog number
2018.0124.05
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1864 circa
depicted (sitter)
Burnside, Ambrose E.
Garrison, William Lloyd
Shaw, Robert Gould
ID Number
2018.0124.05e
accession number
2018.0124
catalog number
2018.0124.05
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1864 circa
depicted (sitter)
Grant, Ulysses S.
ID Number
2018.0124.05c
accession number
2018.0124
catalog number
2018.0124.05

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