The Franklin County Historical Association is inviting the community to step into the stories of Franklin County veterans through a new military exhibit opening on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at the Fire Station Museum in downtown Mount Vernon.
The grand opening ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting inside the museum at 107 Scott Street, followed by a public reception and guided walk-throughs of the exhibit. Organizers hope the display will become more than just a historical collection — they want it to serve as a place of reflection, education, and appreciation for the thousands of Franklin County residents who have served in the United States military.
Executive Director Alicia Daberkow recently sat down with exhibit curator Mike Millender to discuss the vision behind the project and what visitors can expect.
Millender explained that the idea for the exhibit grew after military artifacts donated over the years were organized into the association’s new archival facility.
“Seeing them all together made us realize they are historically significant,” Millender said. “We have displayed uniforms before, but not with this much detail.”
That detail is at the heart of the exhibit.
While only 22 uniforms are currently on display, each one tells a larger story about Franklin County’s role in America’s military history. During World War II alone, more than 900 local men and women served. The exhibit includes uniforms representing a wide range of military roles, including combat infantrymen, sailors, Naval officers, Airborne soldiers, nurses, a Red Cross volunteer, a Vietnam-era jet pilot, a World War II blimp pilot, and even a top-secret codebreaker stationed at Bletchley Park during the war.
According to Millender, the uniforms reveal stories that many veterans never spoke about openly.
“When veterans return from service, they try to pick up their lives where they left off,” he said. “They start families and careers and serve their communities. Many do not talk about their service. Their decorated uniforms tell their stories.”
Visitors will find Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses, campaign medals, combat badges, overseas bars, unit patches, and other military honors throughout the exhibit — each representing acts of courage, sacrifice, and service.
One display, Millender described as an especially significant feature, featured Captain Van Der Wal, who worked on the classified “Fish Problem” at Bletchley Park during World War II. His involvement in deciphering German military communications remained classified for decades before documents were declassified in the late 1990s.
Another notable exhibit highlights Virginia Birdsong McCarrey, a Franklin County native who served as a commissioned officer in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. Her carefully preserved uniform gives visitors a striking glimpse into the lives of women who served during wartime.
The exhibit also includes wartime relics, letters sent home by soldiers, battlefield artifacts, tactical gear, propaganda posters, and historical memorabilia designed to paint a fuller picture of wartime life both overseas and on the American home front.
A special gallery of wartime posters curated by longtime FCHA volunteers Mary Lou Russell and Jerald Mowery explores how art shaped patriotism, public opinion, and morale during World War II.
“We chose poster art that reflected the heart of the war effort,” Russell said during the interview. “Art is like literature. It reflects a period of time.”
Mowery, who handcrafted custom wooden frames for the gallery, said volunteering with the historical association has given him a sense of purpose.
“I have found purpose in giving back to my community by helping preserve our history,” he said.
Among the exhibit’s rarest discoveries is a nearly lost 32-page special edition of the Mount Vernon Optic-Herald dated October 15, 1943. Dedicated entirely to Franklin County servicemen during World War II, the newspaper features photographs, military service details, local wartime advertisements, and personal stories from the era.
Association leaders say the issue may be one of the few surviving copies. Even searches through microfilm archives and the University of North Texas “Portal to Texas History” project failed to uncover another copy.
For exhibit organizers, the newspaper represents more than a historical artifact — it captures how deeply global conflict touched a small rural Texas community.
“Visitors won’t just be reading history,” Daberkow said. “They’ll be encountering it.”
The military exhibit was assembled by a large volunteer team, with support from the association’s board, local donors, and community members. Millender also credited American Legion Post 243 for its generous contribution to the project.
The Franklin County Historical Association hopes the exhibit will continue to grow over time as additional families consider donating military relics and uniforms related to Franklin County history.
The exhibit officially opens Memorial Day, May 25, at the Fire Station Museum and will remain available to the public afterward during museum hours.
“This community space is a place of honor and reflection,” Daberkow said. “We are here for you.”
For those interested in reading the complete conversation between Alicia Daberkow and Mike Millender, along with other stories featured in the ECHOES newsletter, visit the Franklin County Historical Association website at https://www.fchatx.com/media/echoes
