Military - Overview
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.
"Military - Overview" showing 8 items.
A Belleau Farm
- Description
- Pencil and ink drawing on paper. The work depicts a damaged farm in Belleau, France during World War I. Several buildings have sustained heavy damage, probably during the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918. An entire building is missing its roof on the left, and interior walls are visible.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-08
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25921
- catalog number
- 25921
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
A Repair Shop at Issoudun
- Description
- Pencil and crayon drawing on paper. The work depicts the interior of an airplane repair shop at Issoudun, France during World War I. Men are working on disassembled airplanes. A piece of an engine or airplane body is suspended in the ceiling above the overhead beams.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25924
- catalog number
- 25924
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Bramme
- Description
- Charcoal drawing on paper. Two American soldiers and a woman stand in front of a large building in the town of Bramme, a village on the Mosel River. There are a few other people dotting the background of this World War I village street scene.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1918
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25954
- catalog number
- 25954
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Building Operations at Is-sur-Tille
- Description
- Charcoal and watercolor sketch on paper. Buildings under construction at Is-sur-Tille, France during World War I.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-06
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25960
- catalog number
- 25960
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Champs des Mars
- Description
- Charcoal and watercolor sketch on paper. Soldiers in the Champs des Mars, World War I.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-03-25
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25962
- catalog number
- 25962
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Chateau-Thierry
- Description
- Mixed media sketch on paper. A view of Chateau-Thierry, France during World War I. An inscription below the drawing reads, "Looking down on to the city; the Germans occupied the part of the town beyond the river (marked by the line of high buildings) and the hills shown in the distance."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-06-27
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25963
- catalog number
- 25963
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Courtyard in Echternach
- Description
- Mixed media sketch on paper. Soldiers, horses, and wagons gathered in a courtyard in the town of Echternach, Luxembourg. Many of the soldiers are under a temporary structure on the left.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-11
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25964
- catalog number
- 25964
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Courtyard with Vehicles
- Description
- Mixed media drawing on paper. Made in France during May of 1918.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918-05
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- associated person
- War Department
- artist
- Smith, J. Andre
- ID Number
- AF*25972
- catalog number
- 25972
- accession number
- 64592
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center