Starting here in the World War One section, we view two Great War uniforms, each with their own personal story. The uniform seen here of the soldier standing, belonged to a man named, Duilio Piazzai. This uniform was purchased directly from his granddaughter. In the pocket of the uniform were his dog tags, which he wore during the war. They can now be seen here, hanging from his neck. In his left breast pocket, the money that he carried during the war can be found. It remains there today.
There was also a sewing kit that was found in one of his other pockets. The sewing kit can be seen in the bottom of the glass case to his right. In the same case, you can also find detailed information about the important notes on his life, as well as a picture of Duilio and his wife, Grace.
As you’ll notice, his right hand is bandaged. A cook in France, he cut off the tip of his finger while preparing food in the field. It was sewn back together, but he chose to not wear the bandage in pictures. Once learning of the bandage from his granddaughter, it was decided to depict his image as accurately as possible. The bandage was added back for authenticity.
The soldier that is sitting in the replica of a World War One trench is a man named, Maurice Goldberg. His uniform was provided by his grandson. A photo of Maurice Goldberg can be viewed in the glass case, along with his war record. An obtained letter from General Pershing thanks Maurice Goldberg for his service in World War One. Further documentation shows that he was wounded by shrapnel, as well as exposed to one of the most feared weapons of the battlefield, mustard gas.
