https://transcription.si.edu/view/17875/NASM-NASM-9A16128-201-202
1. What do you notice? What do you wonder?
From reading the Diary I noticed that a few days before this entree in the diary was made it talked about how Lt. Z R. Miller shot down a enemy balloon, but in this entree a few days later, it said that Lt. Miller did not returned from shooting it down. Makes me wonder what had happen to him after destroying the enemy balloon. Did he sustain any damages or injuries? Did he manage to land his plane or did he bail out and open up his parachute?
2. Source:
The Source is from a diary of the late Lt. Zenos R. Miller describing his war stories and his daily life during the war. It was created on 1 Jan 1918, the entree that I am looking at was made on 19 July 1918 and 20 July 1918.
3. Context:
During this ad the world was going through its first world war, the ad was made in the summer of 1918. The fighting was still going on and ace pilots were fighting other planes and strategic balloons that were sent up by the enemy. This ad talks about one of the pilots who was fighting in the war and had shot down a enemy war balloon during a battle, however he was shot down himself and was captured and brought prison.
4. Implications/Conclusions:
This source is important for understanding American history because it talks about what happened to Americans during the war no matter what they did. If they get shot down, they don't get rewarded for how well they did, they only get captured and brought to prison. This source was saved for people like us to know the reality of war and how it went down. This ad helps clarify how the war went down and the life of fighter pilots who were shot down and captured.
5. Discussion Question:
Do you think that the pilots of the war were treated any differently or were hated more for their application and their effects on the war?
I think Miller's experience as a POW is definitely a significant part of why this source was saved. I wish I knew the answers to your initial questions--this event must have been quite traumatic for Miller and I wish we had more of the story of how it happened and how he survived! I agree with @Garrett mills, investigating how POWs were treated by the enemy would be a fascinating subject to research further.