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.
8,083
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Trade catalogs from Gallant Mercantile Co.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Gallant Mercantile Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_17194
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
German Stick Grenade
- Description
- Physical Description
- Brown metal stick grenade.
- General History
- The stick grenade, which was the standard hand grenade of German soldiers during World War I, was designed to detonate after either a 5.5 or 7 second delay, although some exploded on contact. Impact grenades (those that exploded upon landing) were less popular than those with a timed fuse because impact grenades held a higher probability of accidental explosions. In addition to the stick grenade, the German Army used disc, hand, and ball grenades during World War I.
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN81696W02
- accession number
- 1977.0273
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Together We Win
- associated date
- 1917 - 1918
- associated person
- Flagg, James Montgomery
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN82616T18
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Military Cross
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1856
- ID Number
- NU.66.28916
- catalog number
- 66.28916
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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H. J. Green Sling Psychrometer
- Description
- This instrument is said to have been used by Richard E. Byrd, USN, during his flight to the North Pole on May 9, 1926. It consists of two mercury-in-glass thermometers mounted on an aluminum frame. This frame is marked "H. J. GREEN B'KLYN N.Y." and "No. 648 U.S. WEATHER BUREAU" and "8078" and "8079" and equipped with a wooden handle. The wet bulb thermometer has a milk white back; its clear front is marked "U.S. 8078" and graduated every degree Fahrenheit from -40 to +129. The dry bulb thermometer has a milk-white back; its clear front is marked "U.S. 8079" and graduated every degree F from -40 to +129.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- user
- Byrd, Sr., Richard E.
- maker
- H. J. Green
- ID Number
- PH.314552
- accession number
- 204612
- catalog number
- 314552
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Doughboy Uniform
- Description
- Physical Description
- Brown wool button-down jacket and brown wool breeches.
- General History
- Enlisted soldier's uniform. The brown, doughy color of the uniform led to these soldiers being referred to as "doughboys," though the exact derivation of the nickname has been debated.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- early 20th century
- associated date
- 1917-1918
- ID Number
- 1977.0082.06
- accession number
- 1977.0082
- catalog number
- 1977.0082.06
- 81199M
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Code Designator Slide Chart - FELSENTHAL FAA-141A
- Description
- This slide chart is designed to assist in coding United States Air Force forms for inventory control. The envelope is of clear plastic printed in blue, with a white plastic card that slides crosswise. The sliding card has columns for eight Air Force forms (forms number 158A&B, 158C&D, 813, 814, 815, 158-7, 366J&K, and 366L&M). The numbers in each column indicate the place on the form on which the data is to be entered. For example, in all eight forms spaces 1through15 are for the stock number and spaces 31through 34 are for the organization number. The first 56 spaces are described on the front of the sliding card. The remainder (up to 80) are on the back.
- It is possible that the forms described are 80-column punch cards, such as those made by IBM for use with electronic data processing equipment.
- A mark on the front of the envelope reads: Code Designator (/) Slide Chart. A mark on the back of the envelope reads: Felsenthal Instruments Co.1963 (/) Chicago 31, Illinois (/) MFR’s PT.NO. FAA-141-A.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1963
- maker
- Felsenthal Instruments Co.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.44
- catalog number
- 336428
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Model 1943
- Location
- Currently not on view
- used date
- 1943 -
- ID Number
- 1977.1020.01
- accession number
- 1977.1020
- catalog number
- 1977.1020.01
- 82766M
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Calculating Disc, Sherrill Compass Deviation Calculator, Felsenthal FAO-2
- Description
- According to marks on this small plastic instrument, it was “furnished” by the Sherrill Research Corporation of Peru, Indiana, and copyrighted in 1944. At that time, Sherrill was making compasses for the U.S. military and sold this calculator to easily correct compass readings. Instructions are on it.
- According to a tag received with the object, Felsenthal made the instrument for the U.S. Army as the FAO-2 and sold it in 1943.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1943
- ca 1944
- maker
- Felsenthal Instrument Co.
- Felsenthal Instrument Co.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.15
- catalog number
- 336399
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Three Soldiers
- Description
- Engraving after painting by Salvator Rosa once in the Cabinet at Houghton Hall, Norfolk, England. Sold to Russia in 1779; first in the Hermitage Palace, later in the Gatchina Palace. Disappeared during World War II; present location unknown. Print removed from George P. Marsh’s copy of The Houghton Gallery, vol. 2. Marsh probably wrote the numeral 60 in pencil in the lower right corner.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1778
- 1788
- publisher
- Boydell, John
- Boydell, Josiah
- engraver
- Heath, James
- original artist
- Rosa, Salvator
- ID Number
- 1978.0534.03.62
- accession number
- 1978.0534
- catalog number
- 1978.0534.03.62
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Trade catalogs from Gatling Guns
- Date
- 1800s
- Company Name
- Gatling Guns
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_17803
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
pants
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1983.0095.144
- accession number
- 1983.0095
- catalog number
- 1983.0095.144
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Trade catalogs from Luftschiffbau Zeppelin G.m.b.H.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Luftschiffbau Zeppelin G.m.b.H.
- Related companies
- Zeppelin Airship Co. ;
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_27973
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
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Plate 59. Battery A, Fourth U.S. Artillery, Robertson's Brigade
- Description
- Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by James Gardner, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
- This is one of the celebrated horse batteries of the Army of the Potomac. In the batteries designed for cavalry service, every man was mounted, except in action, when the cannoniers necessarily served the guns on foot. The picture represents the four 12-pounder light brass pieces "in battery," with limbers and caissons to the rear, and on the left the battery wagon, forge, ambulance, and wagons for transportation, embracing the entire equipage of a light battery in the field. Beyond, another battery is seen in camp. The horses being hitched in, and limber chests open, would seem to indicate that an inspection is about to be made. Just in the edge of the woods is brigade headquarters.
- When General Pleasanton commanded the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, in 1862, Captain Robertson (now General) was his Chief of Artillery, and was in the van of the forces, in the campaign which terminated at Antietam. The Captain aided materially in driving the rebels out of Frederick City, after a severe artillery fight. Following them closely, he fired the first shot at the battle of South Mountain, keeping the rebels engaged till the arrival of General Burnside's command. Again, at the battle of Antietam, his batteries were busy doing great execution. He was promoted subsequently, and held a command in the reserve artillery, for some time, always with the reputation of being a thorough artillery officer.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Gardner, Alexander
- ID Number
- 1986.0711.0283.09
- accession number
- 1986.0711
- catalog number
- 1986.0711.0283.09
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Trade catalogs from Perkins Marine Lamp and Hardware Corp.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Perkins Marine Lamp and Hardware Corp.
- Related companies
- Perko, Inc. ; National Marine Lamp Co. (Forestsville, CT) ;
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_30864
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
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7th Cavalry
- user
- Harrison, William B.
- ID Number
- 2015.0089.01
- accession number
- 2015.0089
- catalog number
- 2015.0089.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Immunization Register
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2015.3028.17
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3028
- catalog number
- 2015.3028.17
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Boonie hat
- user
- Vandermolen, Patricia A.
- ID Number
- 2013.0256.02
- accession number
- 2013.0256
- catalog number
- 2013.0256.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Designating Flag, Headquarters, 14th Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland
- Description
- Rectangular wool bunting flag. Yellow fringe on all sides except hoist. Field is red and white stripes with blue union. In the union, there are 13 white cotton stars arranged in an oval pattern around a yellow acorn. The hoist has two grommets. Threads are green, white, tan, and yellow. Hand and machine stitching. The inscription on the hoist reads "14TH ARMY / CORPS HEAD QUARTERS."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AF.25273A
- catalog number
- 25273A
- accession number
- 64127
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Designating Flag, Headquarters, 1st Army Corps
- Description
- Wool bunting swallowtail flag. Blue field with a white circle in the center of the flag. A red number "1" is either painted or appliqued in the white circle. There are reinforcement squares of fabric at each hoist corner. The white hoist, which has yellowed, has a metal grommet at each end. Inscription on hoist reads "1ST ARMY/CORPS HEADQUARTERS".
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- AF.25232S
- catalog number
- 25232S
- accession number
- 64127
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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