N. Trent Chamberlain 2025 Spring Internship

Hello readers! I have been working at the museum for about one month now and am starting to get into a good pattern. This week I continued to accession the Vacanti Collection. I am making sure that everything is being cataloged correctly so that we can access it in the future. I also began to make a digital timeline so that I can show Salvatore Vacanti’s life by combining the research I have done and the artifacts in his collection. It is very much still a work in progress but I have linked it below.  Accessioning the artifacts allows me to see what will be useful for a future exhibit. In the same vain collecting the information I have into a timeline is helping me to piece together all of the aspects of Vacanti’s life. I have found some interesting Videos from NARA and an old newsreel of the ZW-1 being launched for the first time. I Have included these in the timeline linked below.. I think that by visualizing Vacanti’s life this way I can provide a bottom up view of history dur...

 Hello readers. This week, I continued my internship working on the Vacanti Collection. This collection comprises; personal artifacts, documents, photographs, etc. belonging to LCDR Vacanti. I spent the majority of this week accessioning the collection into our system. This process is crucial to ensure that nothing gets misplaced in storage and to get a detailed inventory of every item. Also, this week, I started to examine the various medals that LCDR Vacanti received during his military service. His medals illustrate the diverse areas where he served his country. He has two World War II occupation medals: one for Asia and one specifically for China. These medals were awarded to service members who served in those regions while the Allies occupied them following World War II. He also has service medals for both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. These were given to all service members who served "in country" in each of the respective wars. And, of course, he has a National Defense...

               Hello readers! The second week of my internship saw me continuing my work on the exhibit showcasing the military career of Lieutenant Commander Salvatore Vacanti. A veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Vacanti's legacy is preserved in a collection of memorabilia generously donated by his daughter. My task is to transform these items into an engaging and informative exhibit. I began by carefully examining the collection, hoping to uncover compelling artifacts that would capture visitors' attention. One of the earliest items I encountered was a World War II ration card. Issued to Salvatore when he was only eleven years old, the card still retains four stamps. Holding this tangible piece of history sparked a personal connection, as I am currently enrolled in a World War II history class where we recently discussed the global impact of the Great Depression. My research also led me to explore the Navy's use of blimps during ...

       Greetings, readers. I'm Trent Chamberlain, and this is my blog chronicling my Spring 2025 internship experience.  I'm thrilled to be working at the Military History Museum in Kissimmee. This week provided an initial immersion into the museum's operations and the scope of my internship project.   I had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Harrison Smith, the museum's Collections Manager. Mr. Smith generously took time off from his other job to provide me with a comprehensive orientation.  I was grateful that he took the time to make sure I was properly informed at the museum. We began with a tour of the museum, where Mr. Smith highlighted recent improvements he has spearheaded. Witnessing the transformation of the museum's public spaces firsthand was impressive.   The museum's collection is extensive, spanning various eras of military history. I was particularly intrigued by the exhibit dedicated to the Civil War, showcasing an array o...