Civilian Conservation Corps/POW Rec Hall Museum

11/01/2022

Please come hear Dr, Jeff Stein. A famous author of Iowa's Alamanac heard on many radio stations in Iowa.

10/18/2022

Mark your calendars for two upcoming events.

09/23/2022

A cold day in Hell.
Knee deep in the snow in a total isolated world, this soldier of the 1st Infantry Division is on patrol near Bullingen, January 1945.

09/23/2022

Volunteers of the CCC/POW Rec Hall & Military Museum would like to thank Hardin County Community Endowment Foundation, Barlow Family Foundation, and the Church Women United of Iowa Falls, and you members of the museum for allowing us to raise $5,000 ($2,500 HCCEF, $500 Barlow, $1,000 Church Women, & fundraiser supporters & members grant match $1,641). It's been a busy year and thanks to you we have purchased the following items to help us display, educate, and enhance the displays. THANK YOU one and all we appreciate your support.

09/21/2022

A funny and true story about the Queen:

Around 2005, the Queen and her Personal Protection Officer, Dick Griffin, were walking alone one afternoon in the hills near the Scottish royal castle, Balmoral.
Two tourists approached them, and engaged in conversation. Griffin recalls:
"There were two hikers coming towards us, and the Queen would always stop and say hello.
Follow 👉 Royal Family Page
"They were two Americans on a walking holiday.
"It was clear from the moment we stopped that they hadn't recognized the Queen, which was fine.
"The American gentleman was telling the Queen where they came from, where they were going next, and where they'd been in Britain.
"I could see it coming, and sure enough, he said to Her Majesty: 'And where do you live?'
"She replied: 'Well I live in London, but I've got a holiday home just the other side of the hills.'
"He said: 'How long have you been coming up here?'
"She replied: 'I've been coming up here ever since I was a little girl, so over 80 years.'
"You could see the cogs whirring, so he said: 'Well, if you've been coming up here for over 80 years, you must have met the Queen.'
"Quick as a flash, she said: 'I haven't, but Dick here meets her regularly.'
The hiker then asked Griffin what the monarch was like in person.
"Because I was with her a long time, and I knew I could pull her leg, I said: 'Oh, she can be very cantankerous at times, but she's got a lovely sense of humour.'
The next thing I knew, this guy comes round, puts his arm around my shoulder, and before I could see what was happening, he gets his camera, GIVES IT TO THE QUEEN, and says: 'Can you take a picture of the two of us?'
"Then we swapped places, and I TOOK A PICTURE OF THEM WITH THE QUEEN.
"And we never let on, and we waved goodbye.
"Afterwards, Her Majesty said to me: 'I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to his friends in America, and hopefully someone tells him who I am'."
Rest in Peace Your Majesty ❤️👑🇬🇧

09/17/2022

The CCC/POW Volunteers will be serving bars, cookies, and water at the Constitution Day Program. FREE WILL DONATION for the scholarship fund for 2023.

09/15/2022

There is a fabulous CCC Museum in South Dakota (Indian University). There were CCC camps in the lower 48, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto RIco, and the Virgin Island. There were also four different types of camps - Veteran Camps (employing WW I veterans), African American Camps, Native American Camps, and She-She-She Camps. Many states have CCC museums check it out. The one in Eldora, Iowa is open Tuesdays & Thursdays 9-4; Saturdays 9-3. Special arrangements can be made for field trips and tour groups.

09/13/2022

09/11/2022

🇺🇲WWII uncovered: The Battle of Iwo Jima: Lance Corporal Thomas Begay

Since enlisting in the military at age 16 during World War II, Thomas H. Begay, of New Mexico, has dedicated his life to service and sacrifice for the United States. Lance Corporal Begay, 96, was among the 400 Navajo Code Talkers who served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

According an interview at the Kirtland Air Force Base in August of 2020 in Albuquerque New Mexico: "He was selected as one of 33 Navajo Code Talkers assigned to the Fifth Marine Division Signal Company. The Navajo Code Talkers developed and used a secret coded language for field radio and telephone communication, using words from their native tongue that were known to few non-Navajos. For operational security, there were no written codebooks, so before the young Marine was deployed for the Pacific campaign, he had to memorize 400 codes within 30 days. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, from February 19 to March 27, 1945, then Private First Class Begay transmitted hundreds of secret messages over the radio network."

"Thomas Begay was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in July 1946. Following a year of civilian life, he then served as a parachutist and glider-man with the U.S. Army, starting in July 1947, including combat service with the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean War. Begay survived the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, from November 27 through December 13, 1950, fighting North Korean and Chinese forces and enduring subfreezing temperatures that reached 36 degrees below zero. Lance Corporal Begay was honorably discharged, for the second and final time, in August 1953."

"Among Begay’s military awards and decorations are the Presidential Unit Citation with three Bronze Stars and the Meritorious Unit Citation with the Korean Service Medal, with five Bronze Stars. In 2001, he received the Congressional Silver Medal from President George W. Bush."

"As a civilian, Begay completed a two-year correspondence course from Utah State University, then began a career with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. There, he rose from a GS-2 to a GS-14, culminating 40 years of federal service as Superintendent of the Chinle Agency in Arizona, where he was responsible for Navajo Nation tribal trust programs, before his retirement in 1984. Begay continues to travel, participating in traditional ceremonies and speaking engagements." (Kirtland Air Force Base website)





©️WWII uncovered original description. Photo sourced by Richard Ricciardi (photographer) Description sourced by Kirtland Air Force Base website and AARP (Fair Use Photos)

09/11/2022

It's amazing to find out the military service of some of the actors.

🇺🇲WWII uncovered: Battle of the Bulge: Staff Sergeant Neville Brand: 83rd Infantry Division Honored with the Silver Star

According to military records obtained from The US National Archive, Neville Brand entered the Illinois Army National Guard on October 23, 1939 as a Private in Company F, 129th Infantry Regiment. On March 5, 1941, Brand was inducted into the US Army. In December, after infantry training at Fort Carson, Brand departed for the European Theater of Operations on December 9th, 1944. Serving with the 331st Infantry Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division (Thunderbolt Division) in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central European Campaigns.

Staff Sergeant Brand was honored with the Silver Star while serving in Germany with the 331st Infantry Regiment, 83d Infantry Division, for his actions on March 1, 1945. When his unit came under intense fire from German machine guns located within a hunting lodge, Staff Sergeant Brand disregarding his own safety, worked his way around to the rear of the lodge and single-handedly dispatched the enemy within.

In addition to the Silver Star Medal, Brand was also decorated with the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Battle Stars, one Overseas Service Bar, one Service Stripe and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

On April 7, 1945 Sergeant Brand was seriously wounded during engagement near the Weser River. Pinned down by enemy fire - Neville nearly lost his life. After a long recovery Sergeant Brand was transferred back to the United States on September 17, 1945. He was honorably discharged from Fort Sheridan.

Neville relocated to Los Angeles and attended the Geller Drama School on the GI Bill. His first big break was in the 1950 thriller “D.O.A.” Neville's acting resume included numerous productions on both screen and television. Some of his most memorable work included roles and such productions as "Stalag 17", "Birdman of Alcatraz", "Halls of Montezuma", "Laredo" and "Riot in Cell Block 11."

Lawrence Neville Brand passed away on April 16, 1992 at the age of 71. He lies in rest at East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento California. Lest We Forget.



WWII uncovered ©️ original description and photos sourced by The US National Archive, US Army, Ancestry Database and IMdb (Fair Use Photos)