MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – South Lake County veterans and families of veterans are being urged to loan mementos of their service for Gibson Museum’s November displays centered on Veterans Day.
Veterans of all American conflicts will be honored, from the Revolutionary War through the recent conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.
The display will open at the museum in Middletown on the first Wednesday of November, Nov. 5, and be in place through Dec. 3.
Photographs, medals, letters, uniforms, dog tags and any other items of veteran interest are solicited.
All will be carefully recorded by museum volunteers and returned promptly once the veterans display is replaced by Christmas displays in early December.
Items are already coming in, the most unique thus far being the Life Magazine 11-page story of the rescue of a marooned B-17 and its crew during World War II.
The plane, nicknamed “My Gal Sal,” was piloted by Ralf Stinson, known locally as owner of the Hell’s Half Acre property at the end of Hartmann Road.
A listing of all the recorded burial places of veterans in Lake County will be available at Gibson Museum.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2015 of Lakeport, has embarked upon a project to identify and record the burial place of all military veterans in Lake County.
Post Historian Darrel Bittle, a Vietnam veteran, has categorized 2,790 veterans of American wars ranging from the War of 1812 to present day conflicts, which include 203 veterans buried at the Middletown Cemetery.
Middletown Cemetery is the resting place of 19 Civil War veterans and one Spanish American War veteran, as well as later veterans. Bittle will appreciate any additions or corrections toward this effort.
Interested persons should contact Judy Kauffman, who will serve as point person for the displays. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-987-2433, or write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
The Gibson Museum – located in the former Middletown Library building, opposite the new community center at 21267 Calistoga St. – is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons from 1 to 5 p.m.
Gibson Museum’s November displays to honor veterans
- Lake County News reports
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