Book Launch Media Release

April 23, 2026

 Larry Barttelbort, vice president for development, WYNGHS

(307) 631-0812; wyobartt@gmail.com

 For immediate release

 Wyoming National Guard to hold launch ceremony for history book

 The first comprehensive history of the Wyoming National Guard called “Cowboy Soldiers: The History of the Wyoming National Guard, Volume 1, 1870—1945” has been published.

A formal book launch ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 21, at the Blue Community Events Center, Blue World Headquarters, 2401 E. Pershing Blvd., Cheyenne.

Wyoming Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Greg Porter will host, and the honored guest will be Gov. Mark Gordon. All are welcome to attend to learn more about the book and to recognize supporters and donors.

The ceremony will feature various speakers and an overview of the book by author Dr. Mark W. Johnson. Book sales, signing, and refreshments will follow the ceremony.

The book is a joint project of the Wyoming National Guard Historical Society, Wyoming National Guard Association and the Wyoming Military Department. Historian Johnson gleaned the information for the guard’s first 75 years from sources across the state and in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

At nearly 500 pages, the 12-inch by 12-inch coffee table-style book is a graphical journey blending a compelling narrative with a large collection of original maps, previously unpublished historical photographs, and artifact images. The project coordinator, Larry D. Barttelbort, called the book “superbly researched and visually stunning.”

“From the guard’s beginnings in the late 19th century through its coming of age in the first half of the 20th, ‘Cowboy Soldiers’ tells the story of a territorial militia that evolved into a reliable component of state and federal defense establishments,” he said. “It is the powerful story of the Wyoming residents who served during the National Guard’s formative era and through World War II.”

The book is available for purchase and pickup at the Wyoming National Guard Museum, 624 E. Pershing Blvd., in Cheyenne. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (307) 432-0057 to ensure someone is available.

The book may be purchased online at https://www.wynghistory.org/. The cost is $50 plus applicable sales tax and a $15 flat rate shipping in the U.S. The website also includes a preview of the book.

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