The current exhibit at the museum (which will be open most Sundays until Thanksgiving) has a variety of items, including a section on military history. The focus on those who served in the military was inspired in part by scrapbooks in the museum collection but also by Norene Hartley’s donation of her father’s war memorabilia. Herbert E. Hartley was inducted into the United States Army on September 15, 1942. He began his active service on September 28, 1942, and was honorably discharged on November 11, 1945 with the rank of Corporal.
Herb was in two major campaigns in Central Europe and fought his way through France, Belgium, Norway, and Germany. At different times, he served 25 months as a heavy truck driver and eight months as an infantry rifleman. From September 11, 1944 to October 15,1945, he was assigned to the 94th Division of the 474th Infantry Regiment.
His duties as a truck driver included both repairing vehicles and, of course, driving them. He would drive a heavy wrecker through the fighting to the rear of the battlefield and then tow damaged vehicles back through the battle. As the course of the war changed and the end drew nearer, his duties switched to those of a rifleman. One of the pins he earned was for being a sharpshooter.
One of the items displayed is a proclamation from Norway thanking him for his participation in liberating Norway. It reads:
“Liberation of Norway, 8th May 1945, To Herbert E. Hartley of United States Armed Forces, For your valuable services in helping to restore freedom to our land Oslo, October, 1945.”
While in Norway, he became friends with a family there and would often go for dinner. The friendship continued through letters after he left the country.
The picture here is of Herb and his wife, Winifred. In the display there are other pictures as well as his many badges, awards, and souvenirs. This is only some of what was donated, and in the future, we hope to catalogue the rest and put it in our permanent collection.
By Connie Eshbach