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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Had a tour today and pulled out some Dept of the Navy notables. Left to right: David G. Farragut, Ernest J. King, Merritt Edson, and Charles Lockwood.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

"What ... the? Hey sarge, I asked for a fresh crew lunch but this is ridiculous!"

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Returning items to storage I pulled for a tour. Among them these flying goggles, formally owned/worn by Rear Admiral William A. Moffett (1869-1933).

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

And another belated post I need to share! WWII soldier’s bracelet lost in France returns to Houston family after 80 years www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

houstonchronicle.com

WWII soldier’s bracelet lost in France returns to Houston family after 80 years

An Armistice Day ceremony reunited a Houston woman with her father’s WWII bracelet.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

And in other good news, Air University restored my book's page which was taken offline earlier in the year because I happened to talk about women and African Americans in my manuscript. I know, the horror ... the horror. www.airuniversity.af.edu/AUPress/Disp...

airuniversity.af.edu

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

I am woefully behind on postings here (sorry!). But to make up for it, here are two gems from the official AEF art collection from 1918: "Argonne Forest" by Capt Wallace Morgan and "American-French Conference, wine cellar, Chateau Thierry" by Capt George M. Harding.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Two dog harnesses/collars. One for the famed Sergeant Stubby, and the one for a the dachshund of Kaiser Whilhelm II. Both still have their tax tags attached, fittingly enough.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Sorry for being so quiet of late. Tons going in.... meaning I owe a lot of posts.

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Reposted by Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr.

chuck 🐦💐 @chuckdrawsthings.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

share the money pigeon for 10,000 years good luck 💸🍀🤞

a drawing of a pigeon holding a $20 bill in its beak. the background is a bunch of dollars. purple text says "yeah can i get a uhhhhhhhhh crumb"

a photo of a pigeon holding a $20 bill in its beak

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Today is the 83rd anniversary of the surrender of American and Filipino forces on Bataan peninsula. Every time I see a dandelion in my yard, I think of Henry T. Chamberlain and all the Battling Bastards of Bataan. Lest we forget. americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stor...

americanhistory.si.edu

When the dandelion went to war: An American prisoner of war's story

During the Great Depression, Henry T. Chamberlain ate dandelions to survive. During his military service, he did it again.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

This is the Butler Medal, 1 of 197 examples privately funded by Maj Gen Benjamin Butler to recognize distinguished courage by the U.S. Colored Troops. The engraver of this medal, Anthony Paquet, also engraved the Medal of Honor. The motto translates to “Freedom will come to them by the sword."

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

For National Medal of Honor Day, I offer some amazing items. On the left is a silver prototype of the the Navy MOH delivered to the Navy Department on 1 Oct 1862. This is the oldest extant example of the medal which exists today. (Pt 1)

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

I let the conservators borrow the hero pigeons for condition assessment and the next thing I know the birds are out getting their photos taken. Yeesh!

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Articles I wrote for the US Navy on Black Seabees in WWII over ten years ago have been "404ed". How mighty white of "leadership." Perhaps they can show me on the doll where history hurt them....

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

A fun comparison of Cher Ami's breastbone with the 3D printed replica. Rather remarkable to see the technology at work & the finished project.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Got to work with a super rare Medal of Honor (Tiffany Cross) then saw something else which has me flabbergasted. These are Civil War type 1 Navy Medals of Honor. Note the actual medal... one of these is silver & most likely a prototype of what became the bronze medal.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

I find I suddenly have a wealth of new followers but I've been remiss in posting up history content. I'll try to rectify this in the coming weeks.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Behold, the 3D printed Cher Ami breastbone, in original and enlarged size!

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Nothing like sitting in my office working on paperwork and seeing a mouse run across my carpet in broad daylight. Eh, guess he got the memo about being back at work five days a week.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

Now cataloged, I recently collected the uniform shirt, Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal, & other insignia from the late USAF TSgt Leonard P. Matlovich. In 1975, he became the first service member to come out as homosexual, launching the effort to allow all homosexuals to serve openly.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

I have the full 3D rendering files of Cher Ami's breastbone should anyone wish to print one at home. Just ask and I can send you a link to them.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Since Cher Ami's actual breastbone is FAR too fragile to display, the museum had it 3D scanned & these are some of the first renderings. You can clearly see where a bullet or shell fragment hit the pigeon and then began to slowly heal up. The hole is approximately the size of a dime.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Tesla: on the road of life, take the Third Reich.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Artifact of the day is this set of custom shoulder straps worn by General William Tecumseh Sherman during his tenure as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1869-1883. The design is distinctive to Sherman and I am not aware of another pair of these in a museum (speak up if otherwise!).

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

My building is surrounded by fencing on the National Mall. Let freedom ring... indeed.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Artifacts of the day is a picture of a just a few Congressional Gold Medals. Each box is an individual actual solid gold medal. Nine so far and more to come.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

My cards have arrived. Care to promote tolerance and care for the less fortunate in this chaotic world? Read more about the order and consider applying: stjoachimorder.org

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

I have a curious question I am crowdsourcing. When one is an editor, translator, and author/contributor to a book (I wrote two new chapters), how should one's name appear on the cover? "Editor/Translator/Contributor" seems a bit much.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Four mile run in snow and ice with @heatherhaleyphd.bsky.social complete. We slipped a bit, but we powered through!

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Artifact of the Day is this letter to Medal of Honor recipient George G. Moore inviting him to attend the internment of the World War I American Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Artifact of the day is this original document announcing the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Otherwise known as cool things I find in storage while looking for OTHER cool things!

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Artifact of the day are these images from four years ago. The actual item was smashed by a forklift and junked an hour or so after I took these images. No amount of spin can remove the sordid nature of this writing.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Artifacts of the day speak for themselves. I picked this material up on 7 January 2021.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

Now he belongs to the ages. Fair winds and following seas, Mr. President.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 28/12/2024

Artifact of the Day is this unique medal presented by MD Gov Lloyd Lowndes to Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley on 28 Feb 1899. Made in 2 months by Samuel Kirk & Sons jewelers of Baltimore, the medal is gold, the swords platinum, and there were originally 320 diamonds in the medal.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

Artifacts of the Day are these documents and photographs of Donald Ley Hein. To better understand his story, please click this link: americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stor... Remember him. Remember all of them.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Artifact of the day is this is incredible inkwell I received for Christmas honoring Le Valliant, the last pigeon to leave Fort Vaux prior to its surrender to the Germans during the Battle of Verdun.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Belated Artifact of the Day is this American flag given by the residents of the province of Dauphine, France to the US Consul in December 1917 as a gift to the U.S. Army and General John J. Pershing.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 22/12/2024

Artifacts of the Day are the insignia from the uniform of General Matthew B. Ridgway, as worn on his dress uniform during his time as Chief of Staff of the US Army (1953-55). The insignia, if removable, is stored separately from the textile to avoid possible corrosion transfer damage.

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Artifact of the Day is the two-war homing pigeon, Kaiser. Suffice to say his story is too much for the character limit, but you can read it all here: americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stor...

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Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. @milhistcurator.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Artifact of the day is this conserved pencil sketch of US Army Private John Haste, drawn by the famed artist James Montgomery Flagg in a hospital in New York City, ca. 1944.

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