Think ‘n Drink Programs
Our Thursday Think & Drink programs feature a range of historical and maritime experts. It is the first Thursday evening of every month, starting at 6:30 pm. Admission is free in person and online, and there is a limited cash bar that features a specialty cocktail and non-alcoholic alternative related to the theme of the talk. Doors and bar open at 6:00 pm.
2023 marks 80 years since USS Cobia‘s keel laying and launch. In celebration of the boat’s birthday, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is hosting a year of Thursday Think & Drinks focused on interesting and untold stories from World War II.
March 2 – “Underground Resistance – The Story of Mildred Fish-Harnack” featuring speaker Käri Knutson
April 6: Food Stories of WWII
Ever wondered what the food was like in WWII? During this talk, we will explore common meals for those on the Wisconsin home front as well as submariners at sea.
May 4: Japanese Internment, Racism, and Americanism
UW Madison’s Joy Block will speak on Japanese internment, the anti-Japanese sentiment during wartime that swept across the US, and what proving American allegiance meant for the Japanese, 2nd-generation Americans especially. She will also talk about how Wisconsin and UW Madison were refuges for Nisei.
June 1 – Racine Bells, Kenosha Comets, and Milwaukee Chicks
The inspiration for A League Of Their Own; The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women’s baseball league that existed from 1943 to 1954. Out of 10 teams, three were from Wisconsin, including the first league champions, The Racine Bells.
July 6 – History of Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Basketball originated with disabled WWII veterans as a way to rehabilitate and socialize. Since then, it has become a popular sport in the Paralympics and in Wisconsin, thanks in part to the UW Whitewater wheelchair basketball team.
August 3 – USO Drag Show
During WWII, the Special Armed Services sent out publications, known as Blueprint Specials, which contained everything you would need to put on an approved and pre-scripted soldier show, including dress-making patterns and suggestions for material procurement. These shows built morale for those watching and participating. Join us as we put a twist on this military tradition.
September 7 – How WWII Saved America’s Beer
Have a pint while listening to Professor Karl Brown from UW Whitewater discuss how anti-German sentiment from WWI helped lead to the passing of prohibition and how WWII helped reinvigorate the beer market when the government declared beer brewing an essential wartime industry.
October 5 – Ghost Army
The Ghost Army was a unique tactical deception unit during WWII, filled with artists, architects, actors, and set designers. Their job was to deceive Hitler’s forces and mislead them as to the size and location of Allied forces, giving the actual units elsewhere time to maneuver. Learn how inflatable tanks, fake radio transmissions, and sound trucks were key to D-Day.
November 2 – Oneida Nation and the World Wars
Learn about Oneida involvement in the World Wars and the stories of the men who served their nations.
December 7 – Pearl Harbor
Hear the story of Pearl Harbor and how it launched the US’s involvement in WWII.
Past Topics
- Disney & Dolphins – Insignia that Defined the Silent Service
- On Eternal Patrol – Finding the Wreck of USS Robalo
- Endurance22 – Finding Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance
- Fire On the Water – Revisiting the shipwrecks Niagara and Phoenix
- Sketching the Great Loop
Sponsorship Opportunities
Help us to continue offering these programs for free! Program Sponsorships are available! Visit our Sponsorship page for more information.