Dad (Harold D. Burk, 1909-1978) served in the US Army from March, 1942 to October, 1945. Because he could type, he was assigned as a personnel clerk with the 3163d Signal Service Company, which supported combat troops in Europe by maintaining communication lines. When Dad came home after World War II ended, he put away his military stuff, concentrating on family life and starting a small business.
Preserving items from Dad's military days
Recently, I brought his wartime memorabilia, plus a 5x7 black/white photo of Dad in uniform, to a terrific custom frame shop for mounting in a specially-designed shadow box. I was willing to invest a few hundred dollars to professionally preserve items from Dad's military days and make them look important and worth saving, for the sake of future generations.
My Sis and I are incredibly thrilled with the results! The framers suggested the creative arrangement shown at top. The background is cream linen, with the photo inset by carefully cutting through the backing, to add a dimensional look.
All items were mounted using archival methods and materials, and the museum glass protects the contents from fading. The wooden frame is a deep, rich black.
We had a nameplate engraved with Dad's name and dates, and it was tacked to the frame for a finishing touch.
Sharing the story
On the back will be a clear archival envelope where I can store other WWII photos of Dad and a written story about his military service.
Inside the envelope, I'm including a detailed description of the items in the shadow box (clockwise from top right):
- US Army rifle marksmanship badge
- European Theater campaign service ribbon
- Pair of dice (used during Dad's time off)
- Dog tag
- Brass insignia and buttons of US Army and Signal Corps
- Dog tag
- Shoulder patch for his Signal Corps unit
Two years ago, when I created a bite-sized photo book about military ancestors in my family tree, I explained the symbolism of that colorful patch.
The framer is currently fashioning a custom shadow box for my Mom's and my Aunt's childhood jewelry. More about this very soon.
Professional framing is not in everybody's budget, and readymade shadow boxes are readily available in stores like Michael's as well as online. My goal is archival preservation, not just display, so I decided to move up to the more costly professional solution for Dad's and Mom's special items.
That custom frame is perfect to display & preserve. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteCame out fantastic! A few hundred is a bit pricey, but I understand why it was worth it to you. I love that you included the dice! :)
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