This trench shovel, as well as the military cap and dog tags pictured next to it, belonged to Axel Christian Madson. Madson was born in Denmark in 1896 and immigrated to the United states in 1916. He settled near Dike, Iowa, and worked on local farms. In 1918, Madson was drafted into the United States Army and served with the 30th Infantry Division. Madson's service during World War I earned him his United States citizenship. Content can be used with the following standards: SS-WH 9-12.26 Iowans Influence World History in a lesson Iowans' experience as soldiers of WWI. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
2018.048.004 [Shovel, Trench]
Legal Status
Ownership of this resource is held by the Museum of Danish America and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney.