Early Closing time: 3:00 pm

Collections

Collections

The Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center is home to over 6,000 items that commemorate the lives of the heroes we honor. These pieces tell the story of Medal of Honor recipients and their fellow soldiers from the Civil War to the present day. These items are touchstones to heroes and history: they serve as illustrations to the real-life stories we tell everyday.

Our collections are varied and include everything from firearms, uniforms, personal scrapbooks, flags, and dioramas to a vast array of other items. Our ability to obtain, store and display these valuable mementos is made possible through the combined efforts of countless donors who have contributed their memories – objects that speak to their lives and those of their family members and friends – and committed them to our care. Our collections represent every branch of service, and we continue to expand them to help us tell more stories and put the service of our Medal of Honor recipients into greater perspective.

We rotate these valuable items through our ever-changing exhibits and galleries, keeping them safely in collection storage when they are not on display. Please enjoy a selection of highlighted objects from our collection below:

moh canteen 225x300 1

Item Number: 2019.4.25

Item Name: Canteen

Era: Spanish American War, 1899

Item Description: Cloth-covered canteen with stitched border and “U.S.” printed on the front. On the reverse, elaborately written in pen ink is “Charles F. Stutz.” The piece features the original cork stopper with chain. The leather carrying strap includes holes for adjusting the strap length.

Item Location: On Display


moh helmet 300x225 1

Item Number: 2006.1.3144

Item Name: M-17 Helmet

Era: WWI, 1917-1919.

Item Description: Olive-drab M-1917 helmet, U.S. Army. This piece features the markings of the 6th Marine Corps, which was attached to the 2nd infantry

Item Location: Off-site Storage


moh dogtags 225x300 1

Item: 2005.1.1

Item Name: Dog Tags

Era: WWI, 1917-1919 

Item Description: Three round metal dog tags with the soldier’s name and company information stamped on them are held together with a cord. The three tags have the following information: “AAGE THOMASSEN CO. B   56 ENG U.S.A. 652409”

Item Location: Off-site Storage


moh backpack 217x300 1

Item Number: 1990.1.1-2

Item Name: Backpack and entrenching tool belonging to Medal of Honor Recipient Desmond T. Doss.

Era: WWII, 1941-1945

Item Description: U.S. Army-issued backpack with folded canvas inside and attached entrenching tool was worn and used by Pfc. Desmond Doss.

Item Location: On Display


moh moh 300x300 1

Item Number: xxx

Item Name: Medal of Honor

Era: WWII, 1941-1945

Description: Medal of Honor presented to Private First Class Desmond T. Doss

Item Location: On Display


moh charms 300x251 2

Item Number: 1990.1.13

Item Name: Charm Bracelet

 Era: 1959

Item Description: This charm bracelet was presented to Mrs. Dorothy Doss by Ralph Edwards when the Doss couple was on the TV show This is Your Life in 1959. The charms each represent important aspects of their life together.

Item Location: Off-site Storage


moh moh2 222x300 1

Item Number: 1998.1.1

Item Name: Medal of Honor

Era: Korean War, 1951

Item Description: This Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to Master Sergeant Ray E. Duke.

Item Location: Out for conservation


moh merit 220x300 1

Item Number: 1998.1.1

Item Name: Medal of Honor

Era: Korean War, 1951

Item Description: This Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to Master Sergeant Ray E. Duke.

Item Location: On Display


moh jacket 195x300 1

Item Number: 1994.1.1

Item Name: Uniform Jacket

Era: Vietnam War

Item Description: This item is a dress Marine Corps uniform worn by Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Rodney Davis.

Item Location: Off-site Storage


moh moh3 300x267 1

Item Number: 1995.2.1

Item Name: Medal of Honor

Era: Vietnam War, 1970.

Item Description: This Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to Sergeant Mitchell W. Stout.

Item Location: On Display

For further inquiries about either donating to our collections or doing research on any of our individual items, please contact us at Info@MOHHC.org.