Time Traveling

The day after our journey across the Show Me State (looking at the signs), we visited the World War One Museum in downtown Kansas City.  Quite the remarkable structure, it was originally opened in 1921, a mere seven years after cessation of hostilities.  It was eventually closed in 1994 for repairs and upgrades, and reopened in 2006, giving them time to refresh and expand the collection.  It received the designation as a National Historic Landmark, and has since become the “official” National World War I Museum and Memorial.  I thought, oh, just another museum.  By the end of the visit I had changed my tune.

We wended our way toward the down town

And eventually found the museum.  It is a very impressive facility situated high on a hill overlooking the city

Dominated by the tower, which rises some 260 feet over the surrounding grounds.  One can get to the top via elevator and steps, which we elected to avoid. 

In the lower right of the image above you can see a “patio” which was composed of bricks and tiles donated in support of funding the museum.  One of which of course caught the feeder’s eye

I didn’t get a plaque for bringing donuts to the front lines of flight testing every Friday at Pax River..  oh well

Inside the museum you are kind of ushered into the theater to see a short film on the political climate leading up to the conflict.  Very nicely done, at a level of detail that helps you understand the reasons for the hostilities.  They leave off with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand on June 28^th of 1914 and within a month, the world is at war (without the United States until April of 1917).  Yes, the Feeder was not a very alert history student.  MFO, on the other hand could fill in quite a few details. 

After that, you are free to wander the museum and see some of the exhibits and artifacts.  I learned a lot… like I learned that one of the causes in the rise of ardent nationalism was good old Charley Darwin and his “Origin of Species” espousing the “Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life” or, as we often term it, Survival of the Fittest.  Obviously the Germans thought they were “fittest”.  There is a copy of the 6^th edition of his book from 1872

One of the things I enjoyed was the display of recruitment posters, especially those from France

Beautiful stuff...

when our country finally got involved we had some also, one of which was

Created by

Haskell Coffin was a rather famous painter and commercial artist of the early 20^th century.  Originals of this print go for over 1000 dollars.

There was also a nice display of photos of soldiers from various countries such as this gentleman, whose nationality I don’t remember

Of course there were hundreds of displays of war weapons and armory

And not

There were interactive stations allowing you to follow troop movements, etc.  Very nice displays.  There was one particular scenario that contained actual footage taken at the front with a narrative showing and describing the unbelievable conditions these soldiers faced.  Waste deep mud, a landscape that was unworldly with random crude crosses stuck in the mud, sometimes with a helmet, sometimes not.  I just cannot believe the courage of those men who continued the fight in the name of their country and freedom.  Very moving.

My father, Morris (known as “Mose”), was a veteran of that war.  Very little is known about his service other than he was wounded, and presumably sent home.  We do know that he lied about his age to get into the Army, and was in the field artillery.  We also know he fought in the battle(s) of Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood, where he received his wound.   I remember that he had a deep “cavity” in his upper arm from the incident, but he never talked about it much, so we have no knowledge of his experience.  I wish now we would have found out more.  I have begun a little search to see what I can find, but since he wasn’t drafted, draft card records (easily come by) are of no help.  All of the “Moody” clan has passed, so I may be unsuccessful.  There was a family belief that he received a purple heart, but there is no records in what little documentation MFO has kept, and a search of a website does not turn up his name, so maybe that was not true.   It kind of brought it home to me to actually read about the battle

And see some of the images of the awful battle that was carried on there.    I left with a even greater respect for my Dad, but I am sure I am no different from thousands of others whose family endured any war.

Upon leaving I talked to one of the docents for a bit, and as usual, they do this job out of respect and love for the veterans and victims.  The gentleman I talked to said they received about two months of training, before being turned loose.  He also said that what was on display in the museum was about twenty percent of what’s being stored.  Another renovation and addition is being planned.

All in all it was a sobering experience and very enjoyable.  It’s a well done museum if you’re ever in Kansas City.

After that we needed a “pick me up” and FOJTY gave us a tour of his workplace, the University of Kansas medical center and facility.  It is a huge campus with many, many buildings.  He has to cover a lot of ground, sometimes on foot.   He sometimes deals with obstreperous people in the emergency department, unruly patients, confused people who somehow get loose, all in a day’s work for a police officer.

After the tour he took us to another of his favorite places, kind of reminding us of St. Mary’s City, a “Public House”, which we might call an Ordinary.

For lunch, (and beers)

Not surprisingly, the main feature (in Kansas City, you know) is red meat, especially in the form of burgers.

I was pleased to see in the “customize it” panel you could get Maytag Blue Cheese (which isn’t always available in stores),  also some options for those wanting lighter or at least non beef options.

They had a nice selection of beers on tap and we both chose a darker brew (Farmhouse and Oatmeal Stout)

Which were very smooth, with caramel and brown sugar notes..  

The burger arrived with fries (and Maytag Blue)

I’ll have to ask FOJTY about it, but every “pickle” I saw on a sandwich there was the slab variety.   The meat was good, nicely cooked and a good way to cap off the day.

When we got home, we were greeted at the door by a happy canine…  not.

Where he soon had company.

That night we had local Pizza, and not quite

DFD