Faces of War & Hunting Charlie
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NEWSLETTER • SPRING 2017 IN THIS ISSUE 1 Current Exhibits 2 Upcoming WTTW schedule 3 President’s Letter 3 Donor Profile 3 Help PMML’s Mission 4 2016 Liberty Gala 5 2016 Liberty Gala highlights 6 Hunting Charlie highlights 7 FACES OF WAR highlights 8 WWI Centennial 9 Gift Shop 10 Rentals and Intern Spotlight The Pritzker MIlitary Museum & Library is a 11 The General: William Levine founding sponsor of the World War One Centennial 12 100 Cities/100 Memorials Commission. Turn to page 7 to learn more! FACES OF WAR & HUNTING CHARLIE TWO ORIGINAL EXHIBITS EXAMINE THE VIETNAM WAR “I KNEW WE WERE IN FOR A HELL soldiers and as guerrillas. They were the North just Charlie. American soldiers called them OF A FIGHT. It would go right down Vietnamese Army, the NVA, the People’s Charlie, they called themselves liberators. to the wire. This enemy was well trained, well informed, aggressive Army of Vietnam and they were the People’s and they were not afraid to die. I was Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam. The Vietnamese art pieces in the exhibit are on convinced it was going to be a long Collectively the United States often called them loan from Albert Goodman. Goodman inherited war...not winnable. THE ENEMY WAS the Viet Cong. It was commonly shortened to the rare works from his long-time friend, Bruce EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE.” VC, which in military alphabet code was spoken Blowitz, who left part of his extensive Southeast as Victor Charlie. It was further shortened to Asian art in Goodman’s care after his passing This quote from the late Harold “Hal” Moore in 2015. The exhibition, both online and in the (1922–2017), then a Major in the 1st Cavalry exhibit space, are an effort to honor the wishes Division of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam of Blowitz that the world be able to see these War, is one of dozens of testimonies highlighted pieces to provide perspective on the Vietnam in the Museum & Library’s newest exhibition, War. See the full exhibition at Hunting Charlie: Finding the Enemy in the pritzkermilitary.org/HuntingCharlie. Vietnam War. The one-of-a-kind exhibit takes visitors through a point-and-counterpoint visual Just one floor up, on the second level of the tour by pairing North Vietnamese propaganda Museum & Library, is a different perspective art created from 1952 to 1973 with photos, Bill of the Vietnam War—behind the camera Mauldin political cartoons, and reflections from in the midst of combat. FACES OF WAR: United States combat veterans to broaden the Documenting the Vietnam War from the Front collective understanding of who the U.S. enemy Lines runs in conjunction with Hunting Charlie, was during the Vietnam War. but focuses instead on photos taken by soldiers in the Department of the Army Special Armed with weapons from the Soviet Union Photographic Office (DASPO)—an unheralded and the People’s Republic of China, they were group of photographers and motion picture a formidable force. Using propaganda and cameramen who risked their lives to capture violence they attempted to control the people some of the most iconic and important images of Vietnam. They were trained as conventional “Butchers!” Mauldin, William (1921-2003), 1967 from the war. (Cont. on page 2) (Cont. from front page) tour with commentary by DASPO veterans on A former captain in the U.S. Army, Bill San their experiences and the legacy of their work. Hamel was Pictorial Unit Commander and FACES OF WAR was covered in national news Motion Picture Director for DASPO in Vietnam, on CBS This Morning in March 2016. and has served since 2013 as president of the DASPO Combat Photographers Association. Activated by President Kennedy in 1962, Along with U.S. Army veteran and DASPO DASPO had a permanent unit stationed in motion picture cameraman Ted Acheson, Bill Saigon by 1968. Its assignment was to capture has led the charge in recent years to raise combat action and to document military public awareness about DASPO, approaching movements and how military equipment PMML in 2013 with the beginnings of an idea worked in the field throughout the Vietnam that would ultimately become FACES of WAR. War. Deploying to the front lines aboard Hueys and Air Force C-130s, these special operations Working closely with Museum & Library staff, teams operated much like civilian journalists Bill and Ted were instrumental in helping to covering the war, but with nearly unlimited plan an exhibit that would educate and inspire, access. You can access the entire FACES OF rallying their fellow veterans to raise more than WAR exhibition by visiting $30,000 toward its cost, including a successful Pritzkermilitary.org/DASPO. Kickstarter campaign. FACES OF WAR and Hunting Charlie provide The exhibit includes dozens of rarely seen the Museum & Library the opportunity to focus DASPO “shooters” photos and motion pictures from Vietnam; its museum space on the Vietnam War in a collection of artifacts, including original recognition of the its 50th anniversary. cameras, gear, and equipment; and an audio Share your experience of Both exhibitions are fully available online, the Vietnam War featuring artwork, audio tours, and detailed We would like to know not only what you scans of photography allowing both of the thought of the Hunting Charlie exhibit, — exhibitions to be highly accessible to those whether in person or online — but also what who are unable to see them in person. The your perspective of the enemy was. As the online Hunting Charlie exhibit also features a available information on the enemy in the survey for veterans of the war to submit their Vietnam War is lacking, we’d like to collect own memories and perspectives. perspectives from those who were there. The quotes that you provide might be added to the The Museum & Library is open 7 days a week, online exhibit as a repository for others to learn and both exhibitions will be on view through from your experiences. Take the survey at fall 2017. Don’t miss your chance to view these pritzkermilitary.org/HuntingCharlie. “Connecting” by Specialist 5 Robert C. informative displays of Vietnam War history. Lafoon, U.S. Army 1967 PRITZKER MILITARY PRESENTS MOVES TO WTTW UPCOMING PROGRAM SCHEDULE For ten years the Pritzker Military In addition to reaching a wider audience, Saturdays at 9 AM on WTTW Prime Museum & Library has aired its long- this change allows greater programming MAR 25 Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, format television series Pritzker Military options. Listings will include episode Harbingers of Future War Presents on public television WYCC, descriptions so you’ll know what topics APR 1 Nimrod Frazer, Send the Alabamians: World War I Fighters in the Rainbow Division channel 20, bringing the important or authors are featured in each episode. APR 8 Matthew Davenport, First Over There: The conversations about military history and Attack on Cantigny, America’s First Battle of You can watch WTTW on channel 11, affairs into homes in Illinois. World War I and WTTW Prime on channel 11.2 on APR 15 Joseph Gustaitis, Chicago Transformed: World In 2017, the Museum & Library will your television, channel 370 on Comcast War I and the Windy City expand its public television reach even and channel 37 on RCN. Check your APR 22 Century of Service: 82nd Airborne Division APR 29 Colonel Doug Mastriano, Alvin York: A New further. All new episodes of Pritzker local provider for exact listings. Biography of the Hero of the Argonne Military Presents will appear on WTTW To see the upcoming schedule visit MAY 6 Vice Admiral Richard P. Breckenridge, Deputy Prime on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command pritzkermilitary.org/whatson. MAY 13 Pamela Toler, The Heroines of Mercy Street: Once a month, an episode will be The Real Nurses of the Civil War featured on WTTW, channel 11. Check MAY 20 Neil Bascomb, The Winter Fortress your local listings at schedule.wttw. MAY 27 William Albracht, Abandoned in Hell com. JUNE 3 Vice Admiral Philip Hart Cullom, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics 2 Pritzker Military Museum & Library | pritzkermilitary.org LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Over the past three years, the about the Vietnam War and WWI. And the best part is users don’t staff has worked to create a Museum & Library exhibits are need to download a special app PMML digital portal at pritzkermilitary. completely available online, with or a piece of software to use the org that allows the Museum & complete audio tours, so that site. BY THE NUMBERS Library to share its resources on users can use their smartphones This paper and ink newsletter military history and affairs (nearly as a tour guide while at the is a reflection of the Museum & 100,000 cataloged items and Museum & Library, or even 2016 Library’s work online that I hope growing) with anyone who has experience the exhibits at the will encourage you to spend internet access. The goal is to airport, the dog park, or at home. time at pritzkermilitary.org or make the work of the Museum & WE ARE NOW OPEN in person at 104 S. Michigan. I Library as accessible as possible hope it will inspire you to help to as many people as possible. DAYS the Museum & Library’s cause to Pritzkermilitary.org is hyper provide information about military A responsive and users can use history and affairs to citizens WEEK practically any device to view and soldiers alike toward the 7 content, stream video, listen to preservation of our democracy. audio podcasts, or search the We are not going to do this work book, artifact, and audio and alone— you are essential to the PMML Founder Jennifer N.