Great Bend Public Library has a display of art and artifacts to honor U.S. military veterans. There are historic photos and headlines, as well as uniforms and gear from several eras.

The display includes a 1944 Model 53 Cushman Airborne motorcycle, used during World War II. Weighing 255  pounds, these one-cylinder, 4.6 horsepower cycles were airdropped by parachute or carried by glider. According to information on the display, 4734 were made for the military.

A photo from the Smithsonian Institution pays tribute to WASPs – Women’s Air Force Service Pilots – who were employees of the U.S. Dept. of War.

They were not military personnel, although they received the same primary, basic and advanced flight training as their U.S. Army Air Force male counterparts. Following graduation from their flight training, some pilots went on to specialized training in heavy bomber fighters. The photo on display shows the plane “Pistol Packin Mama” and pilots Francis Green, Margaret “Peg” Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborn.

Karen Shaner from Great Bend has coordinated the exhibit, pulling from her own family history and finding several other area residents to share family keepsakes and photos.