HARTFORD, CONN. (Jan 21, 2026)–Spanning three generations of his family, Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Charles M. Pickett donated a century of American military equipment to the state history museum.
Pickett said that more than 141 individual items were donated to The Museum of Connecticut History–Connecticut’s state history museum that collects and shares the Constitution State’s political, military, and industrial history. It is located across the street from the State Capitol and is located within the Connecticut State Supreme Court Building and part of the Connecticut State Library (231 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06196).
Pickett said he learned from the museum website the museum had an extensive Vietnam collection and items from the Persian Gulf War, but none from the Global War on Terror (GWOT). That information sparked the idea of donating to the state collection. Additionally, Pickett had inherited uniforms from his grandfather John F. Pickett Sr. who served in the US Army in France in World War I and his father John F. Pickett Jr. who served in the US Navy during the Korean War.
Pickett said, “Over winter break from school, I was looking at three generations of Pickett uniforms and military gear mouldering in the back of my closet, including a WWI German Pickelhaube and an M1917 Helmet. I knew the items are part of Connecticut military history and the family collection had a story to tell. I am very grateful to the Museum of Connecticut History for accepting this unrestricted gift.”
Some of the items included a WWI olive drab wool tunic (coat) from P. Wilhelm & Fils Chaumont company with the blue horizontally striped round patch of General Headquarters, American Expedition Forces (AEF) on the left sleeve; a Korean-era double-breasted, Navy blue tunic (coat) made by Boston Uniform; and Pickett’s own Army Service Uniform from Bremen-Bowdon complete with an Army black beret with the 192nd Engineer Battalion’s Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the Connecticut Army National Guard (CTARNG).
Pickett said his family military history emulated the Irish experience in America and in Connecticut, where service to the country and community have long been valued.
His grandfather John F. Pickett Sr. was superintendent of schools in Derby when he was drafted for WWI. He served with the 111th machine gun battalion and later transferred to the Adjutant General’s Department, General Headquarters, Statistical Department as a second lieutenant. When he returned, he was an early organizer of the American Legion in Connecticut and was the third Department of Connecticut Commander (1920-1921).
His father, Attorney John F. Pickett Jr. was drafted during the Korean war and served in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps at the Pentagon. When he returned, he opened the law firm Dzialo, Pickett & Allen (now Arch Law Group), served as State Senator in District 33 (Middletown) from 1958-1964, and was very active in Democratic and state politics in the 1970’s.
Charles M. Pickett joined the U.S. Army Engineer Corps as a Bridge Crewmember at age 39 in 2007. He served two combat tours in Iraq (2007) and Afghanistan (2011) and is currently a high school English teacher at The Sound School in New Haven. He is also the first Iraq and Afghanistan veteran to lead the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars, chartered two veteran service organizations in New Haven, and for his continued service to his fellow veterans and society, was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
