Photograph: National Watch and Clock Museum
"The National Watch and Clock Museum recognizes the
significant sacrifice of our soldiers who have given their time, their courage,
and in some cases the ultimate gift – their lives. To honor their service, the Museum’s newest exhibit, Enlisting
Time, explores the relationship between armed service personnel and time and
timekeeping through the exhibition of the personal timepieces of military men
and women through history.
Timekeeping on the battlefield has changed dramatically in
the last 250 years. What hasn’t
changed is the reliance that men and women in the military have on their
timepieces. Enlisting Time presents the personal timepieces, mementos, and
personal stories of service of those who have served their countries throughout
these years. Museum visitors can see the technological development of these
timepieces and the significance they had for the wearer.
While watches of well-known individuals, including the pocket
watch of George Washington and the wristwatch of spy and author Ian Fleming are
part of the exhibit, timepieces belonging to “everyday” veterans also are
highlighted.
Among those timepieces is the watch of Mt. Joy, PA, navy
veteran, Warren Greenawalt, who served in World War II after attending the Navy
Mechanics School in California.
He chose to serve in the navy to follow the family tradition that his
father started when he served in the navy in World War I. Greenawalt was located on the small
island of Tinian, which grew to be the largest and busiest airbase in the
world. The watch he wore, after
serving for some time in the navy, was actually one that was given to him after
delivering a crate of tomatoes to the island of Guam! The carrier officers there were so appreciative of his
delivery that he and his copilot each were given a watch. Greenawalt wore that
watch for the remainder of his service.
“We believe this Enlisting Time is a great chance to tell two
important stories,” says Museum Director Noel Poirier. “One is the development
of the timekeeping device as used by military personnel and the second are the
stories of those service personnel themselves. By combining the two, and especially with the loans we’ve
received from the community, the
Museum presents a compelling
exhibit on both fronts.”
Enlisting Time will be on display at the Museum through
August 2013."
Louis Zitzmann - WW I soldier
Louis Zitzmann Watch
Israel Gockley - WWII Soldier
Some of the soldiers and their watches that will be exhibited.
The National Watch and Clock Museum is located at 514 Poplar Street, Columbia, PA 17512.
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