About the Book

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  • Coffee table-style, 12 inches by 12 inches

  • Hardcover with handsewn binding; lays flat on every page

  • 470 pages; full color throughout

  • 36 maps, many depicting events never before presented at this scale

  • 13 organizational charts

  • 43 sidebar topics that complement the main narrative

  • Historic photographs and artifact images, many previously unpublished

The culmination of a six-year research and design effort, Cowboy Soldiers presents the history of the Wyoming National Guard’s first 75 years in a way rarely seen: solid historical analysis alongside cutting-edge graphic design. This dual approach gives readers a deep understanding of the Wyoming Guard’s journey from a scattered territorial militia to a mobilized force of citizen-soldiers deploying overseas for the Spanish-American War and the two World Wars. Cowboy Soldiers also details the guard’s role in the development of the territory and state, from securing far-flung settlements to assisting in disaster relief efforts. Superbly researched and visually stunning, Cowboy Soldiers is the powerful story of the Wyoming residents who served during the National Guard’s formative era and beyond.

Praise for Cowboy Soldiers

An outstanding chronicle of Wyoming’s National Guard told in never-before-seen pictures and personal stories.

~Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming

The definitive history of the Wyoming National Guard is powerfully written and beautifully presented. Cowboy Soldiers captures the historical connection Wyoming’s communities have with their National Guard, and how the guard transformed throughout the years to meet the needs of our nation and Wyoming. We are reminded of the important role the National Guard plays in our nation’s defense, in response to our local communities in times of need, and why its motto remains “Always Ready, Always There.”

~General (Ret.) Daniel R. Hokanson, 29th Chief, National Guard Bureau

Mark W. Johnson’s Cowboy Soldiers is a superbly researched and illustrated history of the Wyoming National Guard. The book begins with the recounting of why such an organization was needed during territorial days to its first muster in 1888. From there, it covers the guard’s extensive history through World War II as the members assisted in recovery efforts after disasters, relief efforts, various missions, and war and peacetime efforts. To explore its history, the author makes extensive use of primary sources, often letting those who served or who had family who served speak for themselves. The illustrations include many photographs from the different eras along with maps, letters, and artwork. The history told through official actions and personal stories provides a fascinating insight into the guard’s important history and the many contributions by its members.

~Rick Ewig, Wyoming historian,
retired associate director,
American Heritage Center,
University of Wyoming

The Wyoming Military Department, Wyoming National Guard Association, and Wyoming National Guard Historical Society partnered to research and publish the history of the Wyoming National Guard.