This week is International Assistance Dog Week (August 6-12) which was established to raise awareness and honor the incredible work that assistance dogs do to help individuals with disability related limitations. It was also created to recognize the trainers, puppy raisers, and handlers that have devoted their time and expertise to these dogs to ensure … Continue reading These Dogs Deserve a Round Of A-Paws!
…but someone has to do it! The hard working Coast Guard mascot dogs worked across seaman’s duties during World War II. From assisting in sickbay to providing docking support, these dogs were an essential part of the crew! As the Still Picture Branch prepares the digitized images from the U.S. Coast Guard Series “Activities, Facilities … Continue reading It’s a Dog’s Job…
They are our sidekicks, our friends, our trusted companions. Protecting us from harm when alerting us to that ferocious looking Girl Scout coming up the front walk. Protecting us from true harm while on sentry duty, alert for movements of enemy forces in the night. Dogs are our guardians and our goofballs, and they loyally … Continue reading Spotlight: Hero Dogs
Airbrushing was an early method of retouching and coloring photographs which can be traced back as far as the late 1800s. It is a unique process which creates a beautiful matte effect, causing images to look as though they are caught somewhere between photograph and painting. While the technology is still employed today, in the … Continue reading Spotlight: Dogs in Airbrush
Dogs have a long history serving alongside humans in military campaigns. The earliest recorded use of war dogs is from around 600 BC, and dogs have acted as scouts, sentries, and fighters in conflicts around the globe. Some dogs, such as Sergeant Stubby in World War I and Chips in World War II, have even … Continue reading From War Dogs to Remote Controlled Monkeys: Animals in the Military
In celebration of this year’s Valentine’s Day, we would like to share a handful of Valentine-related photographs held in the Still Picture Branch at the National Archives.Make sure to also check out our previous blog posts from The Unwritten Record for more records related to Valentine’s Day: Interested in seeing more? Check out the National … Continue reading Happy Valentine’s Day From the Still Picture Branch
Matthew Henson was an African American explorer most known for accompanying Robert Peary on multiple expeditions to the Arctic, and in 1909 they claimed to be the first team to reach the North Pole. It has been long debated whether or not Peary and Henson actually reached the North Pole – there was even a … Continue reading Spotlight: Matthew Henson, Explorer
342-C is a series of photographs comprised of color transparencies, slides, and negatives that document the activities of the U.S. Air Force and predecessor agencies, including the Army Air Forces (AAF). The images in 342-C heavily cover periods of war from World War II, through Korea, to the Vietnam war. However, there is also documentation of … Continue reading Spotlight on 342-C: Color Photographs of U.S. Air Force Activities, Facilities, and Personnel, Domestic and Foreign, ca. 1940–ca. 1980
World War II set the stage for the union of American and Canadian commandos into an elite military unit – the First Special Service Force. “The Devil’s Brigade,” as they soon came to be called, was created by Major Robert T. Frederick and activated on July 9, 1942. The unit’s supplies – including uniforms, food, … Continue reading The Devil’s Brigade: The First Special Service Force
Every year, around this time, many people’s minds turn towards New Year’s Resolutions. Things like saving more money, learning a new skill, and better self-care are timeless classics when it comes to resolutions. So, we here in the Cartographic Branch would like to offer up some patents related to resolution keeping, just in case you … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions 101: Examples and Suggestions from Old Patents
