A traveling exhibit entitled “The Beginning of the End: The Battle of the Bulge” will be on display at Arkansas Tech University’s Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center from Monday, Sept. 15, through Friday, Oct. 17.
The exhibit will be installed on the first floor of Pendergraft Library and Technology Center, which is located at 305 West Q Street in Russellville. Admission will be free and open to the public.
Created by the Consulate General of Belgium in Atlanta in partnership with the Bastogne War Museum in Belgium, “The Beginning of the End” commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Officially called the Ardennes Counteroffensive by the Allies, the battle was a turning point in World War II. It took place from Dec. 16, 1944, to Jan. 25, 1945, at the crossroads of France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The exhibit features 12 large panels with photos and contextual information.
One of the United States service personnel wounded at the Battle of the Bulge was Arkansas Tech alumnus Carl Franklin “Red” Baswell. He survived, received the Purple Heart and went on to a military career that culminated in his promotion to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army.
Following his retirement from active duty, Baswell enjoyed a successful engineering career and became a generous benefactor for his alma mater. Three facilities at Arkansas Tech — Baswell Techionery, Baswell Residence Hall and Carl Baswell Field, the home of ATU baseball — are named in his honor. Baswell passed away on Nov. 20, 2016. He was 94.
View the hours that “The Beginning of the End: The Battle of the Bulge” will be available for viewing in Pendergraft Library and Technology Center by visiting https://libguides.atu.edu/about/hours.
Learn more about Pendergraft Library and Technology Center at https://library.atu.edu.
