2. Who Actually Supports the Troops?
This was the guiding question of Preserve and
Protect, an event providing perspective on the
experiences and support structures offered to
veterans throughout American history.
The purpose of the event was to encourage a
sense of community among Camden County's
veterans and connect them with services
available to them.
3. Exhibit
Uniforms from Camden County Historical Society’s
existing collection were displayed. Additionally, new
donations were gathered as part of a community
outreach initiative. A total of eleven uniforms were
displayed in two ranks.
The exhibit highlighted the experiences of the veterans
who wore the uniforms on display. An image and text
panel representative of that individual accompanied each
uniform. The combination provided the audience with a
visceral and emotional connection to their own
experiences.
4. Forum
Meanwhile, a forum of representatives from social
service agencies that work with veterans spoke of
their contemporary work. These speakers were
encouraged to speak of their own experiences
and what motivates them to give back to
veterans. The agencies represented were:
Veterans Upward Bound
Veterans Haven
The American Legion
Home for the Brave
Veterans Affairs
5. Audience
Audience for the event consisted of Camden
County veterans, American Legion members,
Camden High School’s JROTC, and
neighbors.
While attendance was adequate, I would like
to see the event grow moving forward. For
this reason I have written a grant that
includes funding for an expanded community
outreach initiative targeting at risk veterans.
6. Public Response
Preserve and Protect was recognized with a Proclamation from Camden’s Mayor and a
Commendation from Camden’s City Council.
7. Exhibit
Below are seven examples of the images and
text panels I wrote, which accompanied the
exhibit.
8. The Newburgh Conspiracy
Veteran pensions have existed in America since
1636. Despite this, the nation’s financially
desperate situation at the end of the
Revolutionary War caused late pay and
threatened promised pensions. An anonymous
letter suggesting soldiers take action against
Congress circulated a Continental Army camp at
Newburgh, New York. The agitators were
dissuaded from action when George Washington
appealed to them. This conspiracy was an early
instance of veterans advocating for entitlements
prior the existence of supporting organizations.
9. Paymaster John Clement Sr.
John Clement Sr. served during the War of 1812 as
Paymaster in Brigadier General Ebenezer Elmer’s
Brigade of the New Jersey Militia. Clement descended
from a founding family of Gloucester County. His great-
great-great grandfather Gregory Clement, a Member of
Parliament, was executed for signing Charles I’s death
warrant during the English Civil War. John’s son John
Jr., a historian, contributed to what we know about
Camden’s history with his book History of the First
Settlers.
10. Private John W. Ayers
A jacket like this (pictured right) was worn by John
Ayers of the 2nd
New Jersey Cavalry. Ayers served
from August of 1864 until June of 1865 with the 2nd
New Jersey throughout the Confederacy. After the
war, Ayers was involved with the Thomas M. K. Lee
Post #5 of the Grand Army of the Republic right here
in Camden. Of the 8 posts organized in Camden
County, Post #5 was active the latest until 1931.
11. Grand Army of the Republic
Established in 1866 by Civil War veterans
the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was
one of the first organized veteran advocacy
groups in America. The GAR lobbied for
the right of black veterans to vote, the
establishment of veterans’ pensions, and
Republican presidential candidates. The
GAR advocated for veterans for 90 years
until its last member died in 1956. The GAR
model was adopted by later organizations
like the American Legion and the Veterans
of Foreign Wars.
12. Private Arthur Parvin
Arthur Parvin of the 78th
Infantry Division served as a
Horse Shoer in WWI. The 78th
Infantry Division
mustered at Camp Dix in August 1917 and transported
to France by June 1918 where it was involved in three
campaigns. Parvin returned home at a time when
support for veterans was minimal. This climaxed in the
summer of 1932 when the Bonus Army of veterans
marched on Washington, DC.
13. Bonus Army
In 1924 the World War Adjustment Compensation
Act passed providing veterans a bonus. Many
bonuses were issued as certificates not payable
until 1944. By 1932 the Great Depression caused
veterans to march on Washington, DC demanding
payment. The situation deteriorated, culminating
in the use of federal troops under General
Douglas MacArthur to remove marchers. Although
the Bonus Army saw no immediate results, it was
an important factor in the passing of the GI Bill of
Rights in 1944.
14. Staff Sergeant Gilbert Lackman
World War II veteran and lifelong Camden County
resident, Gilbert Lackman served in the 225th
Searchlight Battalion throughout Europe. After the war
Lackman settled in Westmont and continued to serve his
community by entertaining children at the Shriners
Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Gilbert Lackman
passed away in 1986. His daughter Donna follow in his
footsteps and served in the military in Europe and was
kind enough to donate her father’s uniforms.
