Saturday, May 25, 2013

World War Two Memorial, Natrona County High School, Casper Wyoming.


We've been wanting to get this, and the Vietnam War memorial, from NCHS up for sometime, but, as can be seen, we've been frustrated by the glare present in the NCHS lobby.  My son recently took this photo with his cell phone camera, and it'll have to do until we can somehow get a photo without glare.  These types of monuments are hard to photograph in general, as the lighting conditions are always poor in one way or another.

This plaque lists NCHS's dead from World War Two, quite a number if you consider that the overall number of students in the 1940-45 time frame would have been considerably smaller than now.  Of course, it was also the only high school in the county at the time, so everyone of the bottom end of military age was attending the school.  

Also notable is that this is one of several monuments in Casper Wyoming commemorating the dead of World War Two, which says something both as to the impact of the war upon the town, and the number of people who were in the service.

The Fort McPherson National Cemetery | Nebraska History Blog

The Fort McPherson National Cemetery | Nebraska History Blog

Monday, May 20, 2013

Friday, May 10, 2013

Ships Wheel, USS Natrona




The USS Natrona (APA-214) was a Haskell class attack transport that served in World War Two.  Named after Natrona County Wyoming, the ship's wheel and some memorabilia from the ship is displayed in the old Natrona County Courthouse in Casper Wyoming.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Salt Creek/Teapot Dome Historical Marker


These two markers, near Teapot Dome and the Naval Petroleum Oil Reserve, clearly fall outside the scope of the blog.  However, as I recently stopped and took photos of these markers, put up by the State of Wyoming, I thought I'd at least post them.


Teapot Dome is, of course, not associated with any sort of personal sacrifice, but unfortunately with scandal.  The scandal was real, but perhaps a more fitting consideration is that this Natrona County Wyoming oilfield was a long serving Naval Petroleum Reserve, and only recently has that status been altered.


Part of these memorials also commemorates the Salt Creek Oil Field. An incredibly long-lasting Wyoming oil field.