The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is honoring veterans all month, including a display telling the story of the “Fighting Powells” of Greene County.
Admission to the to the museum on Veterans Day is free for military veterans and active duty personnel with proper identification.
Those attending the museum will be able to view the special WWII exhibit, “In This Great Struggle: The Greatest Generation Remembers World War II”.
The exhibit features audio and video of people telling their own stories from the war. Including, landing at Normandy, surviving Pearl Harbor, working at an aircraft factory, or discovering Nazi death camps. It also includes amazing artifacts, like Eisenhower’s helmet, a WWII motorcycle, and forged papers given to a downed pilot by the French Resistance, accordiing to the A.L.P.L.M. website.
A special feature on display honors the Fighting Powell Brothers showcasing a service flag that belonged to the Greene County family who sent seven sons off to fight in World War II.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum spokesperson Chris Willis explained why the flag that hung in the Powell family front window during the war, is so unique.
“ This is, I guess, the only known one with seven stars, because an Illinois family sent seven of their sons off to war. So we have that flag on display in our Treasures Gallery along with information about what happened to the family.
The government didn’t make seven star flags, six was the most that was available. So the Powell family had to hand stitch a seventh start on there for their seven sons.”
The “Fighting Powells” exhibit and flag will be on display through the end of the year.
Also on display for a limited time is one of the five known remaining copies of the Gettysburg Address, handwritten by President Lincoln.
The museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with the last ticket being sold at 4:00 pm.