Dan Truckey
Talk on June 21
Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw
“U.P. Polar Bears in WWI”
Mr. Truckey’s talk discusses the nearly 100 U.P. men, known as the Polar Bears, who served in the Northern Russia Expeditionary Force during the winter of 1918-1919. “This little known and poorly understood part of WWI impacted several dozen soldiers from the U.P. In 1918, as a response to a cease fire between Germany and Russia, there was an alliance of British, French, Canadian and U.S. troops who were sent to Northern Russia and Siberia to fight against the newly formed Bolshevik government troops.” Some of the soldiers were highly decorated and some gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Image: Men from the 339th Regiment Infantry, from the National Archives and Records Administration (RG111-SC-161718)