SEWARD, Neb. (KMTV) — December 7 marks Pearl Habor Remembrance Day, when we remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice that day, 81 years ago, along with all of those who fought for our country during World War II.
In Seward, the impact the Nebraska National Guard made in that war, and other major conflicts, is remembered every day.
“We have great stories and great ties to historical periods that people should know about,” Nebraska National Guard Historian Gerald (Jerry) Meyer said. “So, I love telling those stories.”
Meyer has no shortage of stories to share at the Nebraska National Guard Museum.
“The Nebraska National Guard is actually older than the state,” he said. “We were founded in 1854, while the state came around in 1867, so a lot of cool history to talk about.”
Meyer has quite the history with the Nebraska National Guard himself.
“I served 32 years in the military and 13 of them were on active duty in the army. So I did three deployments to Afghanistan,” he said. “I got dinged up a little bit, so I came back and put in for this job here for the Nebraska National Guard Historian and got it in 2014.”
The museum has come a long way since it first opened in Seward in 2015.
To say it is impressive would be a massive understatement. It is covered with stories and artifacts telling the history of the Nebraska National Guard, while providing an immersive experience.
“We don’t get nice things like this unless we have great donors, and we do. The state of Nebraska should be very proud of the fact that you have the museum here, but you should also be proud of the people who stepped up to the plate and donated.”
Before the state was even founded, 900 settlers made up the First Nebraska Regiment.
They were pulled out to fight with the Union at the battle of Fort Donelson alongside General Ulysses S. Grant. Forcing the confederates to surrender the fort.
“We always say that the First Nebraska played a huge role in General Grant’s career because had Grant not succeeded at Donelson, he would have been fired.”
Fast forward to World War II.
Nebraska’s 134th Infantry Regiment made incredible sacrifices in its ten-month journey that started with liberating St. Lo, France.
“When we got into the line at St. Lo, our first day, Company C from Beatrice — 65% of their men were killed or wounded in the first couple hours,” Meyer said.
Every member of the regiment who made the sacrifice is honored at the museum.
“There are 118 names on this wall here. Half of them are buried in France still or Luxembourg, or places like that in Europe that are still a part of the American cemetery system,” Meyer said. “But we go over there and visit them every year.”
Meyer travels with a group to visit St. Lo every July to honor those heroes with the city and celebrate St. Lo’s Liberation Day on July 18.
“They’re very, very tuned in to the history of American heroes,” Meyer said. “We took a WWII veteran in 2019 for the 75th anniversary — he was treated like a rock star.”
The boats the regiment arrived on at Omaha Beach were designed by Andrew Jackson Higgins, a Columbus, Nebraska native.
“(President) Eisenhower said Andrew Higgins is the man who won the war for us. If he had not designed and built these boats here, we couldn’t have gone over an open beach and the whole strategy of the war would’ve been different.”
More than 20,000 of his landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) boats were used. One of his boat designs was recently found in a lake in California and will soon call the museum its new home.
Another addition to educate and remind people of the impact the Nebraska National Guard has had on our country in its 168 years of existence.
“Nebraskans played a huge role in these conflicts, and you need to know about sacrifice. When we talk about sacrifice you can see all the gold stars in the museum all the way up to today,” Meyer said. “Freedom isn’t free. We always say that: freedom isn’t free. There is a cost, there is a payment to it, and Nebraskans have paid that price.”
Meyer also taught at Columbus High School. While there, he led the creation of the Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial. The $1.5 million memorial was part of a school project that some of Meyer’s students helped him bring to Columbus.
The Nebraska National Guard Museum is free to the public. To learn more about the museum, click here.
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