By Karen Olson House
- Introduction
- Phil Woodall, Vietnam, 1968
- Robert Bush, World War II, 1943
- Penelope Little Blount, War of 1812
- K.D.S. Pogue, World War II, 1943
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An exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History is touching the hearts of those of us with war on our mind. “Soldiers’ Stories: War in the First Person” explores the deep and turbulent emotions evoked by battle. Visitors touring the multimedia exhibit listen to intimate letters written by or to North Carolina soldiers, hear taut radio broadcasts, and watch historic newsreels. “Soldiers’ Stories” is on display through September 2004.
To give people a safe place to express their feelings without being judged, museum staff included a “magnetic word wall” that encourages visitors to post their thoughts about war. A map of the Middle East shows major sites for U.S. military personnel serving there, along with firsthand accounts from recently deployed soldiers. The self-guided exhibit is presented in Spanish and English.
The passionate letters, read in dramatic interpretation, reveal young and old from North Carolina caught in the perils of war, alternately gripped by despair and buoyed by hope.
The emotional notes left in a comment book reveal a moved public. Some visitors’ notations seem to be written directly to loved ones. For example, “D.H.J.” writes: “My grandfather ... was a World War I veteran. Thanks Grandpa for the sacrifices you and all soldiers made!”
The Charlotte Museum of History is located at 3500 Shamrock Dr. in Charlotte. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, 1–5 p.m.; Mondays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, call ahead for hours. Admission: $6 for adults; $4 for seniors and students; $2 for children ages 6–12. Sundays are free for everyone. Call (704) 568-1774 or visit www.charlottemuseum.org.
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