The motto of Company “A” 49th Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Sister Joan Baker's Brother Has
Gone Home...

Sister Joan Hanna's, member of the Dodge Camp Auxiliary #8 and wife to Brother Frank Hanna of Dodge Camp #75 and the Governor's Own, brother, Jerry Baker, has passed away.

Trooper Baker's Obituary


The 49th Iowa offers our heart-felt condolences.

Iowa in the American Civil War

Over the past several days, workmen from the Department of Administrative Services have descended upon one of the Iowa State Historical Museum’s main galleries (1st floor, NW) to transform the display space into the setting for the opening of the exhibit showcasing Iowa’s involvement in the Civil War, 1861-1865.





Slated to open on April 14th, 2012, the exhibit of Iowa related artifacts of the war will feature not only life on the battlefields endured by the common Iowa citizen/soldier; but, will also cover the effects of the conflict on those left behind here in Iowa to “keep the home fires burning”.

As currently planned, the Iowa Battle Flags Project is to have its own display space where the work being done to preserve these priceless artifacts of Iowa’s military history can be shown to the public, and flags seldom displayed to the public can be shown during the year-long run of the exhibit.

Though committed to providing the Honor Guard to Commander-in-Chief Palmer at the Lincoln’s Tomb Ceremonies in Springfield, Illinois, on the opening weekend of this exhibit, The Governor’s Own will play a significant role in helping to bring this exhibit to life over the course of its run at the museum.

Additionally, a proposal will soon be presented to the museum Board of Directors and Administrative personnel soon asking that this exhibit be followed on by another that showcases the role of the Grand Army of the Republic in American life and politics that would coincide with the bi-centennial of the founding of the Order in 2016. The Iowa Historical Society’s Museum in Des Moines houses over 70,000 Grand Army artifacts in its collections, and the approaching bi-centennial would seem an excellent time for some of these to be put forth onto public display.





Respectfully submitted,

1/Lt. David M. Lamb
Commanding

Field Note 22.5

An Item of potential interest to members of The Governor’s Own 49th Iowa

If you are struggling with deciding what to do with that small mountain of “Christmas Cash” that Santa left to you….fear not, for I have found a way for you to spend it.

I just received notice that Carol Watson’s Orange Coast Auctions of Irvine, California will be auctioning off an exceptionally nice variety of firearms at their upcoming (January 25, 2012) auction event in Irvine. On offer is a Berdan’s Contract Sharp’s carbine (2,000 of these were manufactured AND issued in 1862 to Federal troops); a VERY rare Confederate Kerr revolver; and, several other nice shoulder and hand-held rifles, muskets and pistols of the Civil War and pre-war periods. For those with that mountain of cash (mostly retired fire-fighters, I would imagine) the bidding begins at 10:00am. For the rest of us, you can at least look at the offerings and drool by visiting their website at Carol Watson’s Orange Coast Auctions

Respectfully submitted,

1/Lt. David M. Lamb
Commanding

19th Iowa Infantry Regiment, National

Sheila Hanke works on removing the 1894 and 1904 conservation treatments from the surface of the flag. Each machine stitch is carefully lifted and snipped individually. Along both the top and bottom edges of the reverse black silk mourning ribbons have been attached to the flag in recognition of President Abraham Lincoln’s death.



The stars are fragmented due to a combination of machine sewing through the surface of the pigment and the contrasting contraction and expansion rates of the pigment verses the silk fabric of the canton. Each star will need to be pieced together and secured with Beva band-aides.



The flag is being prepared for the Iowa in the Civil War exhibit.

Hours: 47

Submitted by:

1/Lt David M. Lamb
Commanding

Items of potential interest to members of The Governor’s Own Iowa Rifles
December, 2011

Parking Police Duty for the Forty-Ninth

For those of us who live in the “downtown” section of Iowa’s Capital City, parking is always at something of a premium. One of the best (and most economical) solutions if that months purchase of a Residential Parking Permit that allows us to park our vehicles at any metered parking place within two blocks of our residence 24/7 for a single monthly fee. You must display a current permit on your inside mirror, or be ticketed and towed.

Having just received by January and February permits in the mail last Friday, imaging my surprise when I saw that a 2010 photo of “The Governor’s Own” in the Company of President Lincoln (Stan De Haan) was chosen by the city to grace the February permit in honor of the anniversary of the birth date of our beloved 16th President.



Respectfully submitted,

1/Lt. David M. Lamb
Commanding

As the war in Iraq has officially come to an end, we reflect on the losses during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

I am taken back to the first killed from Fayette County, my home county.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Jeffrey E. Bohr, 39, was killed in northern Baghdad on April 10, 2003.
Gunny’s photo was enlarged and placed on the county courthouse grounds for everyone to understand the personal cost of war…time has erased Jeff’s memory from most except his family, who will forever dearly miss him.

We, the 49th do not forget, we carry their memory close, their sacrifice is not forgotten.

Gunnery Sergeant Bohr has been joined by 40 other Iowans who gave their Last Full Measure of Devotion and 11 others who perished in non-combat related circumstances.

Now, we remember the last American to be killed in Iraq.




Photo from: The Grio

On November 14, 2011, twenty-three year old, Spc. David Hickman, 82nd Airborne, was killed by a roadside I.E.D., eight years, seven months, and twenty-five days after the invasion of Iraq began.

With his death this North Carolina paratrooper became the 4,474 service member to perish and the last to die in Iraq.

Family and friends will forever mourn, and we will remember with every flag and every wreath we place at a grave, and whenever we march in perfect cadence with our heads erect, backs straight without wandering eyes, we, the 49th, remember and pay just due tribute to all of them.

In Memoriam,
Cpl. Court Stahr

Upon receipt of the news of his passing, the Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of Company “A” 49th Regiment, Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry/SVR, The Governor’s Own Iowa Rifles wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of

1/Lt. Charles E. Funck, III
Commanding, 34th Illinois Vol. Infantry/SVR

May God give you the consolation which is beyond all Earthly power.
-A. Lincoln-

On behalf of the Regiment,

1/Lt. David M. Lamb
Commanding

As the nation slipped deeper into the recession the budget for 2010-2011 was reflective of that. Of the recommended $100,000 the Project received $60,000. The funding enabled the Project to carry on in its mission of researching, documenting, interpreting and conserving Iowa’s military flags. Unfortunately, this also resulted in the loss of the 780-contract assistant conservator position. No support positions remain for the Project.

I accepted the challenges this presented and creatively figured out how to meet the Project’s goals and objectives. A 2011/2012 work plan with rotation schedule was created, new volunteers recruited (lab work, rotations, photography and frame construction). Long-term volunteers, Dave Thompson, David Lamb and Ken Lindblom, were utilized extensively in research and conservation efforts.

In accordance with administrative directives, the interactive video conferencing, podcast and blog outreach were placed on hold. The newsletter was cancelled. Flag Day was created and received moderate success due to limited marketing of the event due to the opening of the Trolley exhibition. This event was cancelled for 2012 and will be taken on by the SUV. On the brighter side, the public lab continues to be an outstanding success. The public has enjoyed seeing behind the scenes and talking with “experts in the field”.

The preventative conservation program continues ensuring monitoring of light, temperature, relative humidity and pest for all flag areas. All areas are deep cleaned once a week. The project objectives were reviewed. Our purpose statement was added to all volunteer and project staff desks.

I have participated in 4 workshops and 1 conference to improve my skills utilizing my own time and funds. What was learned in these workshops has enabled Project staff to improve both the care of the collection and public outreach.

Guardsmen and Families Tour Iowa Capitol Building
17th December, 2011

As a “thank you” gift to the members of “The Governor’s Own” for our assistance in the conservation and movement of the Iowa Battle Flags, Project Conservator Sheila Hanke made arrangements for a private tour of the Iowa State Capitol Building that was held this Saturday for members of this Regiment and their families.

Fifteen members of the Forty-Ninth Iowa and their families availed themselves of the opportunity to explore the not-often seen recesses of the seat of Iowa government and learned a bit of the “behind-the-scenes” history of the building and its long history since its dedication in 1886 from our guide, “Dana”.

The Capitol building houses the Executive Offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the Supreme Court, Secretary and Treasurer of State, as well as both the Iowa Senate and House of representatives inside its 330,000 square feet. Twenty-nine different types of marble and thirteen different types of wood, as well as priceless paintings and murals grace the interior of this magnificent building of High-Victorian design. In constructing the building over fifteen years (1871 to 1886) over 87,462 pounds of nails were used in construction and it is estimated that the building itself weighs in at just over 174 pounds per square foot.







Five domes grace the exterior of the building with the largest central dome being covered in Italian gold leaf, a process that must be repeated ever few years. Suspended high above the ground floor and visible to visitors in eternal remembrance of our own parent Order is an enormous reproduction of the membership medal of the Grand Army of the Republic. The G.A.R. was the only veterans’ organization in our nation’s history to have actually had office space allocated within this capitol building until 1952 after the last surviving members of the “Grand Army” died.





Of special interest to our group is the fact that the obvious connection to our Order lives on in the fact that current Governor Terry E. Branstad (who is also the titular Colonel-in-Chief or our Regiment; as was Governor Culver before him) has on public display within the Capitol Building his Award of Commission from the Forty-Ninth Iowa along with his other various and sundry honors.

Our eternal “thanks” go out to Mrs. Hanke for arranging this magnificent Christmas gift to her “family” from the Forty-Ninth Iowa May she rest assured that for so long as she has need of our support in her efforts to preserve Iowa’s military history, it shall hers without so much as a moment’s hesitation.

A Merry Christmas to All!




Respectfully submitted,

1/Lt. David M. Lamb
Commanding