New York State Military Museum

On this V-E day, the day World War II ended in Europe, May 8, 1945, 76 years ago today, we honor another veteran, Captain Michael J. Daly, born in New York City, the recipient of the Medal of Honor: Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, Company A, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Nuremberg, Germany, 18 April 1945. Entered service at: Southport, Conn. Born: 15 September 1924, New York, N.Y. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation...: Early in the morning of 18 April 1945, he led his company through the shell-battered, sniper-infested wreckage of Nuremberg, Germany. When blistering machinegun fire caught his unit in an exposed position, he ordered his men to take cover, dashed forward alone, and, as bullets whined about him, shot the 3-man gun crew with his carbine. Continuing the advance at the head of his company, he located an enemy patrol armed with rocket launchers which threatened friendly armor. He again went forward alone, secured a vantage point and opened fire on the Germans. Immediately he became the target for concentrated machine pistol and rocket fire, which blasted the rubble about him. Calmly, he continued to shoot at the patrol until he had killed all 6 enemy infantrymen. Continuing boldly far in front of his company, he entered a park, where as his men advanced, a German machine gun opened up on them without warning. With his carbine, he killed the gunner; and then, from a completely exposed position, he directed machine gun fire on the remainder of the crew until all were dead. In a final duel, he wiped out a third machine gun emplacement with rifle fire at a range of 10 yards. By fearlessly engaging in 4 single-handed fire fights with a desperate, powerfully armed enemy, Lt. Daly, voluntarily taking all major risks himself and protecting his men at every opportunity, killed 15 Germans, silenced 3 enemy machine guns and wiped out an entire enemy patrol. His heroism during the lone bitter struggle with fanatical enemy forces was an inspiration to the valiant Americans who took Nuremberg. See more

Honoring New York recipients of the Medal of Honor, our first in a series: William Joseph Donovan Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date: Near Landres-et-St. Georges, France, 14-15 October 1918.... Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: 1 January 1883, Buffalo, N.Y. G.O., No.: 56, W.D., 1922. Citation: Lt. Col. Donovan personally led the assaulting wave in an attack upon a very strongly organized position, and when our troops were suffering heavy casualties he encouraged all near him by his example, moving among his men in exposed positions, reorganizing decimated platoons, and accompanying them forward in attacks. When he was wounded in the leg by machine-gun bullets, he refused to be evacuated and continued with his unit until it withdrew to a less exposed position. See more

Our Korean/Vietnam war exhibit at the military museum includes this Korean Chige, circa 1950. This traditional Korean A-frame backpack, made from naturally curved branches, includes a back pad of knotted straw for comfort and two ropes for placement around the shoulders. American soldiers learned to use the native backpack to move supplies and equipment over rough terrain and up steep hillsides.

Today, April 29, 1918, we honor Private First Class, Louis E. Willcox, of the 1st Mechanized Motor Regiment from Oxford, NY who made the ultimate sacrifice this day during World War I.

From our conserved flag collection at the Military Museum: Excelsior Brigade | National Color | Civil War. The national color seen here, carried by the Excelsior Brigade during the 1862 Virginia campaigns and reportedly made by Evans & Hassall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, includes 34 gold-painted stars arranged in concentric ovals, a pattern typically found on national colors from Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Arsenal. Brigadier General Joseph Revere, a former Navy midshipman, Mexican War veteran, and grandson of Paul Revere, first took command of the Excelsior Brigade in December 1862 and supposedly inherited the flag from the previous commander, Colonel George Hall. Augustus L. Revere, General Revere’s son, presented the flag to state authorities after the war.

As you make plans for your Giving Tuesday donations, Tuesday, Dec.1, please consider supporting the history mission of the Friends of the New York State Museum. Though 2020 has been a challenge for our nation and the Museum, we have accomplished so much because of supporters like you... and we hope you can help us to do even more in 2021. You can click on our secure website address to make a donation: https://www.friendsofthenysmilitarymuseum.com/store/ Without your suppo...rt, we would not have been able to put together our Civil War Exhibit, "Empire for Union", and our newest Korean/Vietnam War exhibit, "Hot Spots in the Cold War". Your support made these two exhibits possible. Please consider a donation to our museum, so we can continue our work in developing more new exhibits at the museum for the public to enjoy and learn from and at the same time honoring the contributions of our military to the defense of our country.

A captured British cannon as shown in our Revolutionary War exhibit at the Military Museum. American troops under the command of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery captured this British Smoothbore 6 pdr. at the surrender at St. John's, Canada. in 1775. The inscription reads: SURRENDERED BY THE CAPITULATION OF ST. JOHN'S... NOV. 25, 1775 See more

The staff and volunteers at the New York State Military Museum wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Day.The staff and volunteers at the New York State Military Museum wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Day.

Our "Hot Spots in the Cold War" Korean and Vietnam war exhibit includes this forerunner of the AK-47, this Soviet PPSh-41 "Burp Gun", Submachine Gun. It used a 71-round drum magazine or 35-round box fed magazine, and had an effective rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute with a range of 220 yards. The Soviet Union produced approximately five million PPSh-41's by the end of World War II and after the war supplied them to satellite and pro-communist countries such as North Korea.

A significant part of the NYS Military Museum‘s permanent collection is a group of nearly 2,000 flags dating from the War of 1812 to the present. Included in this nationally significant collection is the largest collection of state Civil War battle flags in the country. Explore the military battle flag collection in this video:

Our "Empire for Union" exhibit includes this 71st New York Volunteers flag with this striking "Great Luminary" pattern. The 71st New York Volunteers organized at Camp Scott, Staten Island with recruits primarily from New York City, with additional men from Cattaraugus, Delaware and Ulster Counties as well from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The unit mustered in for service in June-July 1861. This silk national color includes part of the regiments original moniker, "Jackson ...Light Infantry" painted on the center red stripe. The regiment carried this flag throughout 1862 including the deadly Seven Days Campaign in Virginia, June 25-July 2, 1862, where the regiment suffered nearly 120 casualties. The flag includes 34 white silk stars, appliqued in the canton, with 13 stars formed into a larger, slightly angular, singular star. This particular star pattern, stars arranged to form a larger star known as the "Great Luminary " pattern, dates to 1818 and became especially popular during the Civil War.

Outside the Military Museum on Lake Avenue is our M4A3 Sherman Medium Tank. Over 50,000 Sherman Tanks were manufactured during World War II including this M4A3 built by the Ford Motor Company between June 1942 and September 1943. This tank has graced the front of our museum since 2015, thanks to Army National Guard soldiers from Fort Drum who restored it.

From our Conserved flag collection at the Military Museum: 5th Regiment NY Volunteer Infantry National Color 86 hoist x 83 1/2 fly Civil War. The 5th Regiment, through Company H, received this National color from some admiring ladies of New York on 16 July 1861 at Clinton Hall in New York. The stars in the canton are arranged in a star pattern with the motto (partially lost) ABOVE US, OR AROUND US painted on a red ribbon on both sides. The flag is hand sewn and the stars are inserted into the canton rather than appliquéd. Approximately 25% of the flag is lost; at no single point is the flag complete from hoist to fly so the fly (width) measurement is an approximate.

Our 27th Division in World War II exhibit has this interesting M1928AC Thompson Submachine Gun. Nicknamed the Tommy Gun, the Thompson Submachine Gun was adopted for us by the US Military in 1938. Used in both European and Pacific Theaters by US and Allied troops, the Thompson Submachine gun was applauded for its firepower but criticized for the its excessive weight and poor reliability. Also in this exhibit, check out the story of SSgt. Clark being awarded the silver star while using a Thompson submachine gun.

Our "Empire for Union" Civil War exhibit has this 10-pounder Parrott exhibit piece. Easily recognizable by the reinforcing band of wrought iron covering the breech, the 2.9 Parrott rifle was one of the most used artillery pieces during the Civil War. Named for it's inventor, Robert Parrott, superintendent of the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, New York. the 10 pounder Parrott rifle is made of cast iron, weighs 890 pounds, and has a range of 2,000 yards. In 1863, the muzzle swell was eliminated and the 2.9 inch Parrott was slightly modified, the bore was increased to three inches, to make it's ammunition consistent with that of the new 3-inch ordnance rifle. The 10-pounder designation relates to the weight of the projectile fired from the cannon.

From our conserved flag collection at the Military Museum: 26th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops National Color 72 1/2" hoist x 76 1/2" fly, Civil War. After a severe rainstorm prevented a grand flag presentation scheduled for March 26, 1864, the 26th U.S. Colored Troops received its colors, including the national color displayed here, from John Jay, representing the ladies of New York. In a less formal ceremony the following day, Easter Sunday. Colonel William Silliman accep...ted the color and announced, Fair Ladies, I cannot tell you how dear to us will be this banner, the gift of loyal women of the North. We love it, not chiefly for its rare and costly beauty, but for what is beyond all price and more glorious than beauty. The silk, national color carried by the 26th U.S. Colored Troops includes 35 embroidered stars and an embroidered designation, 26th Regt. U.S. Colored Troops, along its center red stripe.

Another unusual artifact in our "Call Not Unheeded" exhibit at the military museum is this Dragoon Helmet from the 8th Regiment. This regiment formed in 1809 served as the honor guard at George Washington's inauguration in New York City in 1789. Our 8th Regiment was also known as the "Washington Grey". This mid- nineteenth century dragoon helmet features a bust of George Washington. Also in this exhibit case are the 8th regiment by-laws and a ballot box used for membership to this regiment.

Our "Empire for Union" Civil War exhibit has some unusual artifacts from that period. Shown below is an armor plate worn by a Confederate soldier at the Battle of Gettysburg. Many inexperienced and worrisome soldiers wanted extra protection from enemy fire and purchased body armor from private dealers. Union and Confederate military officials did not issue body armor to their soldiers.

From our conserved flag collection at the Military Museum: United States National Flag, Civil War. According to the April 20, 1861 edition of the New York Times, the departure of the 7th Regiment, New York State Militia for Washington, D.C. on April 19, 1861, "... was one of the most exciting ever known, and cannot fail to be remembered during the lifetime of all who witnessed it." Citizens lined Broadway to support the regiment and reportedly this 33-star, silk United States flag was waved by a patriotic citizen during the occasion. Flag dimensions are: 13 1/2" hoist x 16 3/4" fly. (2009.0055)

20 AUGUST 1865 - CIVIL WAR OFFICIALLY ENDS - #CivilWar #Armyhistory #USArmy Contrary to popular belief, the American Civil War did not officially end when rebe...l General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate States (C.S.) Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse on 9 April 1865. General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered the C.S. Army of Tennessee on 26 April 1865 near Greensboro, North Carolina, and General Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered the C.S. Army of Trans-Mississippi on 2 June 1865 at Galveston, Texas. Other sizable rebel army units and installations and naval vessels surrendered over the course of several weeks. On 20 August 1865, President Andrew Johnson formally declared the War of the Rebellion over - and the American Civil War came to its official end. DID YOU KNOW President of the United States Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on 15 April 1865. President of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis was captured by U.S. Army soldiers on 10 May 1865 near Irwinville, Georgia. The rebel commerce raider, CSS SHENADOAH, surrendered to the British Royal Navy in Liverpool harbor, England in November 1865.

Today is VJ day - 75 years ago, 15 August 1945.