Located about half-way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is the community of Latrun. This hilltop town has a unique position in the history of the country of Israel. When we arrived at the site, it was immediately clear that this was the “high ground” tactically sought after in traditional battle, and further discussion disclosed how important this site has been from the 13th century BC to modern times. Here was the site of the Biblical battles of Joshua Bin-Nun against the Amorite kings (Joshua 10:12). This area was also a battlefield in the time of the Maccabis, the site of Judah the Maccabee’s battle against the army of Antiochus and his commander Gorgias, in which he defeated them and drove them to the sea (Proverbs 24:6).

More relevant to modern times, this is where the Israeli 7th Division – the second armored division set up during the War of Independence – fought to open the way through to besieged Jerusalem. These battles decided the fate of the War of Independence by freeing the capital city. The “Burma Road” was made to bypass the Latrun hill under Jordanian control, and the area was recaptured from the Jordanian Army during the Six Day War in 1967.

The museum site is called Yad La’Shiryon Latrun. This is the Memorial Site and Armored Corps Museum in Latrun, Israel but it is much more than that. Please see the sidebar for further information on what is on-site. Like most museums, it is imbued with a strong sense of patriotism and tells the story of the country from the perspective of its own politics. That said, this was an extraordinary presentation of tanks and armored vehicles, as well as a tribute to the sacrifices of the brave men and women who fought in their cause. When we entered what is called “The Tower of Tears” the memorial reached out so strongly that it was an emotional tribute impossible to mistake. We had just passed the sculpture of IDF soldiers leaping off of their Merkava tank, 5.56mm Galil rifles in hand, and walked into a tower where the walls were made of tank armor – pierced from shaped charges in battle – with water dripping down the walls into a pool underneath our feet, and circulating once again. The memorials are quite moving, and any soldier or person who has lost a loved one to battle will intuitively understand.

It’s Not Just a Museum or Memorial:
(From museum description)

First and foremost there is a Memorial complex, with the Wall of Names on which are inscribed the names of all 4,965 fallen soldiers of the Armored Corps in all of Israel’s wars; the Gate of Courage on which photographs of the fallen are projected twenty-four hours a day throughout the year; the Armor’s Tower of Tears (created by artist Danny Karavan); the Daily Memorial stand where a memorial service is held for all those who fell on each particular day, according to the Hebrew date; the Statue of Biography giving information about each fallen soldier; and “The Bind of Life” Synagogue where memorial prayers are held.

• Merkava Auditorium – an impressive hall where a presentation of the Armored Corps is projected simultaneously on nine screens.
• The AFV’s (Armored Fighting Vehicles) Museum with a spectacular display of over 150 armored vehicles.
• HERITAGE – Education Campus for Ethical Values and Nature. The Campus provides 250 students with full residential conditions, and those who study here include soldiers, students and Jewish youth from abroad. Even now, extensive educational activities are conducted there for soldiers and school-age pupils, inculcating them with a knowledge and love of Israel and teaching them about Israel’s military heritage, commemorating fallen armored soldiers, field studies, studies of bird migration, and more.
• The Armored Brigades Park – with brigade level monuments honoring and relating the story of the soldiers.
• The Trail of Time Museum – under construction. The museum will present the role of the Armored Corps in Israel’s battles and will conclude with a tank crew under war experience.
• The Allied Forces Monument – a salute by the Israeli Armored Corps to the Allied armored forces who defeated the Nazi war machine in World War II. This is the only monument of this kind in the world. The memorial is comprised of three World War II vintage tanks (American, Russian, and British), resting on a mound of gigantic stones, and alongside is a series of flags from all the countries that fought the Nazi enemy.
• The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II – to be set up in the shadow of the Allied Forces Monument and enveloping it, preserving the legacy and telling the heroic story of the Jewish soldiers in the Allied Forces during World War II. In the meantime there is an Exhibition of the Jewish Soldier in World War II (400 sq. m.).
• The Hall of Valor, in honor of The Armor Corps soldiers who were decorated with the Valor Medal during the Israeli wars, along with the stories of these soldiers.
• The Hall of Commanders, telling the stories of all the commanders of the Israeli Armored Corps since the establishment of Israel in 1948.
• The out-door Exhibition of the Yom-Kippur war in 1973.
• Observation balcony, enabling an all-around view of the Latrun surroundings and including metal signs telling the history of Latrun area battles since Joshua Ben-Nun (the mid 13th century BC) up to The Six Day War in 1967.
• Data Center, including big library and multi-media documents regarding the Israeli Armor Corps and armor in the world.
• Amphitheater for up to 10,000 seats used for conferences, assemblies, ceremonies and so forth.

Historical Battles in the Latrun Area
(From the Museum literature)

• The Mid 13th century BC. One of the most famous battles led by Joshua Ben-Nun. The five Kings of Amorite laid siege on the city of Giv’on. Joshua Ben-Nun arrived from his encampment at Gilgal, and launched an attack on the five kings of the Amorite. The kings fled down the slopes of Bet-Horon
• 165 BC The Battle of Emmaus. Judah the Maccabee defeated Gorgias and his Greek Army.
• May 24-25, 1948 Operation Bin-Nun “A”. On the night between May 24-25, 1948 the 7th Brigade, which had been formed a mere 10 days earlier, attacked the Latrun complex in order to break the siege on Jerusalem and transport military forces, weapons and food to the city. The 32nd Battalion of Alexandroni Brigade, which was comprised mostly of new immigrants – many of them Holocaust survivors – was attached to provide reinforcement. According to the Brigade’s intelligence information several hundred local fighters were holding Latrun. But in fact, the Latrun complex was being held by two Jordanian battalions assisted by an artillery battalion under the command of the 3rd Brigade and reinforced by local irregulars. The 32nd Battalion under the command of Zvi German was ordered to capture the Latrun complex and the police fortress. The 72nd Battalion, commanded by Zvi Horvitz, had to capture the village of Dir-Ayub and to join forces in Sha’ar Hagai (Bab-el-Wad). After brutal fighting, the 7th Brigade had to retire from the fight.
• May 30-31, 1948 Operation Ben-Nun “B”. The decision to open the road to Jerusalem – at any cost – was made by the IDF General Staff shortly after the abortive operation Bin-Nun A. This came in response to the Israeli assessment that a massive combined attack by the armies of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan is imminent and would lead to the fall of Jerusalem. The task was again given to the 7th Brigade which was reinforced by the 52nd infantry Battalion of the Givati Brigade. The IDF’s first armored Battalion, the 73rd Battalion (later renamed 79th), was ordered to take the police station, the monastery and Latrun village. After a brutal battle, the Israeli forces had to withdraw again.
• June 9-11, 1948 The Burma Road. After two bitter failures at the Latrun bulge the 7th Brigade turned its efforts to lift the siege of Jerusalem by looking for an alternative road that would by-pass Latrun. The brigade paved a new path south of the Jordanian strongpoint which became the main supply route to the besieged Jerusalem. The siege of Jerusalem was finally lifted, enabling the city to continue fighting, ensuring the existence of its large population, keeping Jerusalem an integral part of the state of Israel and eventually becoming the nation’s capital. This hard to attack bypass road was dubbed the “Burma Road” (after the Burma Road from India to China, paved by the U.S during WWII).
• June 5-6, 1967 The Latrun Conquest. 19 years passed from the War of Independence, when the 7th Brigade punched a primitive by-pass road (the “Burma Road”) to besieged Jerusalem through the hills near the Jordanian-held positions around Latrun, until the reopening of the highway to Jerusalem – (today’s Road No. 1), this was accomplished with Israel’s dominance of the area during the Six Day War.

Getting there:

The Latrun location is about 46km from Tel Aviv, or a little over half-way from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There are public buses that run between the two cities that have stops in Latrun, and private tours stop there as well. A taxi from Tel Aviv will be approximately 200 shekels ($60 USD) each way. If you have a rental car, take Road 1 towards Jerusalem, and there are road signs for the museum.

To contact the “Yad Lashiryon” Association:

Tel.: +972-8-9255268
Fax: +972-8-9255186
E-mail: yadlashiryon@gmail.com
Website: www.yadlashiryon.com
Mailing address:
Yad LaShiryon in Latrun
M.P. Shimshon 99762 Israel

The Rationale for a Strong, Permanent Ordnance Museum

A 92-page document titled Historical Monograph Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum 1919 – 1960 was prepared by Col. Jarrett’s faithful assistant and later successor, Karl F. Kempf, and published by the Ordnance Corps in January, 1961. As well as outlining the history of the Museum over those eventful decades, this interesting and well-written overview contains the following thought-provoking arguments for the retention of the Museum in the face of strong and continuous opposition from some quarters in the military:

It is often felt by some individuals that a museum is only a repository for material which no longer can have any value except perhaps to delight and amuse the casual visitor. Nothing could be further from the truth. A museum is, in reality, physical evidence of something that man has done and if its collection is reasonably complete and properly arranged it represents the background of his efforts to accomplish something. It will reveal his progress step by step and show how he arrived at his solutions.

In order to understand present thinking it is necessary to retrace the road that led to current development, and learn the basis on which this present thinking rests. Knowing this we can then take the correct path for our future work, and avoid the mistakes we would make if we had no knowledge of the past.

The Museum at Aberdeen Proving Ground is a highly specialized institution which contains the concrete examples of past thinking in the field of ordnance materiel. It is a veritable treasury of ideas of ordnance design. If properly understood and thoroughly exploited it can have inestimable value for the ordnance engineer, the career soldier and the historian.

While of great historical value the collection in the APG Museum is of even greater value for research and development and technical intelligence purposes. Each museum specimen, obsolete or current, foreign or American, represents an attempt to solve some problem of ordnance design. By carefully studying these design features the ordnance engineer may make use of good features and reject bad features, to his over-all advantage. The technical intelligence value of the Museum lies in the fact that it allows us to keep abreast of foreign design.

It is interesting to note that a design which has become obsolete may be revived at a later date, albeit in much improved form. An example of this is the Gatling gun, the last model of which appeared in 1903. Forty-three years later it was again being considered and by 1956 a power-operated aircraft gun based on the Gatling principle was adopted. The hand-firing Gatling gun had been supplanted by the lighter, faster-firing guns operated by the forces of the powder gases. Then, after World War II, came the requirement for rates of fire beyond the capability of existing guns. A study of past and present machine guns revealed the fact that the Gatling gun design, if motor driven, could meet the requirement for an extremely high rate of fire. Thus out of the past came an idea for the future, and since it is true that ordnance concepts continually change, it is inevitable that they will run the full circle and return to previous ideas. For this reason, if ordnance materiel is not preserved in a museum, many valuable ideas can be lost.

The collection at the APG Museum is as complete as possible. Every effort has been made to acquire all the links in the ordnance chain and to prevent the breaking of this chain. Many items are irreplaceable, and no photograph or description can ever equal the value of the physical specimen.

The mortal enemy of the Museum is the “scrap drive,” which has periodically threatened its very existence. Two such drives in the past have seriously damaged its collection. For this reason Colonel G. B. Jarrett has fought ceaselessly for a directive which would protect the Museum from arbitrary destruction, but so far [he] has not been completely successful in achieving this end. It is to be hoped that sometime in the future the APG Museum will acquire a status that will place its collection out of reach of “scrap drives” so that its wealth of background material will always be able to enhance the over-all knowledge of the Ordnance officer and Ordnance engineer, and be of maximum value to the Ordnance Corps.

Museum Closure and Break-Up of the Collection

Unfortunately, the well-reasoned arguments put forth in Mr. Kempf’s Historical Monograph were not enough to ensure that the APG Ordnance Museum would survive intact. As the Monograph itself continued,

The World War II experience had demonstrated the value of an ordnance museum. It served as the basis for Ordnance Technical Intelligence, was a valuable asset for research and development, and became a storehouse of ordnance information. It was the only place where the entire field of ordnance development, U.S. and foreign, could be studied. Although its historical value was not stressed, and although its display did not come within the meaning of the Special Regulations (SR 870-10-1) defining historical property, it nevertheless possessed historical value as a physical illustration of ordnance development over a period of years [However,] no regulations existed which could have prevented [the loss of much of the original collection in the 1942 salvage campaign], and the museum collection was therefore vulnerable to destruction.

Elliot Deutsch, the Chairman of the newly reformed Aberdeen Military Museum Foundation, Inc. (AMMF), recalls that after it opened in May, 1973, the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum was a very popular tourist “must-see” destination, with attendance of up to 250,000 visitors annually up to 9/11. Attendance bounced back after the 9/11 attacks, climbing from 0 to 65,000 in 2007, and to 70+ thousand in 2009.

However, in conformance with the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC), the Museum was closed to the public in June, 2010, and over the last year most of the collection has been moved to the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, located some 200 miles away at Fort Lee, Virginia.


The Renaissance of the Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum

A new museum, to be known as the Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum (APG Museum) will open in 2012 in the existing museum building. The new APG Museum Director, S. Gail Fuller, is working diligently to get this new museum into operation. Its collection will include the following:

• the Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) Museum, which is moving to APG from Fort Monmouth, New Jersey;
• vehicles, weapons and artifacts from some of the 70 tenant research and development organizations operating on APG;
• about 140 of the existing large artifacts (tanks, artillery, etc.) not moved to Fort Lee;
• the history of APG, Edgewood (formerly Edgewood Arsenal) and Fort Hoyle (a former pre-WWII Field Artillery post adjacent to Edgewood Arsenal);
• native American artifacts from the region;
• relics from the Old Baltimore archaeological site, a town on the Aberdeen Proving Ground peninsula on the shore of Bush River, established in the mid-17th century by early settlers from England.

As can be seen, the new APG Museum promises to house a new, exciting and diverse collection that will replace the Ordnance Museum as one of Maryland’s and Harford County’s great tourist and educational attractions.

The mission of the newly reformed Aberdeen Military Museum Foundation, Inc. (AMMF) will be to support the mission of the APG Museum, which is to collect, preserve, and exhibit historically significant property that relates to the history of the Army at APG and associated installations. The focus of the new APG Museum is on Army research, development, testing, evaluation and training in basic scientific research, serving as a valuable educational resource for the military and civilian populations alike, in fields such as physics, biology, electronics, communications, and computer development.

Moving Aberdeen’s 16-inch Coast-Defense Gun to the Museum Grounds

It transpired that the U.S. Army’s last intact 16-inc coast-defense gun was located at the Plate Range, a site in a restricted-access area on Aberdeen Proving Ground. The gun, a Navy-built Mk III, serial No. 138, is mounted on the original Barbette Carriage, serial number 1, which underwent various changes in the course of becoming the present “Proof Mount” version. This assembly was used to proof-fire new barrels and perform a wide variety of related ballistic tests between 1919 and about 1948. Having last been fired over 60 years ago, there was of course no one left at Aberdeen with any experience with the gun.

Dr. Raymond Lewis, the Librarian of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. and a long time student of coast artillery, had been researching Aberdeen’s 16-inch gun since 1962, in an attempt to save it from the scrap mill. At least ten years ago Dr. Lewis proposed that the gun be moved to the public-accessible tank park at the APG Museum, and preserved there as an historic exhibit for all to see.

Dr. Lewis’ excellent book Seacoast Fortifications of the United States was the catalyst for the formation of a group of “fort fanciers,” which was originally set up as the Coast Defense Study Group (CDSG) in the 1970s. The CDSG became a functioning organization in 1985, with Elliot Deutsch becoming a member soon afterward.

Dr. Lewis had lobbied military authorities and friends in Congress for years about saving and not scrapping the 16-inch gun, until finally one influential person “got on board.”

When someone at APG finally sought some information about what would be involved, Dr. Lewis and others in the CDSG recommended Elliot Deutsch, later a faithful member of the Aberdeen Military Museum Foundation, who has long had a deep personal interest in coastal defense. Over time Mr. Deutsch has visited and studied many sites, forts, castles and battlefields in the U.S. and almost 30 foreign countries.

Mr. Deutsch seemed a natural person to go to, as he was mechanically inclined, already a lover of heavy artillery, and, as a resident of nearby Bel Air, Maryland, the closest CDSG member to Aberdeen.

Mr. Deutsch was first contacted in the spring of 1988, and eventually he was asked to serve as technical consultant for the move – a job which also involved considerable heavy hands-on work and the donation of lots of the “smaller equipment” required. Fortunately, Mr. Deutsch’s family business is in the rental of just the sort of tools and light construction equipment that were to prove so useful in helping to accomplish the move. Looking back, Mr. Deutsch recalls fondly that while this job was one of the most significant challenges of his life, both technical and diplomatic, it was also one of the most-fun projects he has ever undertaken.

With the permission of the then Chief of Ordnance, BG Leon Solomon, a young Artillery officer named Captain (later Major) Lawrence (Larry) Lentz, who was also personally very keen to restore the gun and display it in a more accessible site on the Museum grounds, was appointed Project Officer. Dr. Lewis, Captain Lentz and Mr. Deutsch were joined by a large group of helpers – welders, fitters, and in the end, the men and heavy equipment of the U.S. Army’s 7th Transportation Group.

Although both serving Chiefs of Ordnance during the period of the move, BG Solomon and BG Ball, were very supportive, “diplomatic challenges” (poor or negative attitudes on the part of many in the mid- and upper-level areas of the military) were a constant obstacle. These ranged from an initial tendency to ignore the project entirely, followed by a period of mockery at the efforts being expended, and, finally, positive steps to impede or stop the project.

In all, a total of 14 months, replete with tragicomic events which both plagued and delighted the volunteer crew, was required to engineer and accomplish the move. By judicious scheduling, the necessary equipment was made available, and the job was finally completed in 1989. As Mr. Deutsch recalls it,

…to separate stubborn metal parts, the choice was among “threaded”, “bolted,” “rusted, or “too heavy for the crane,” while in order to combat personal obstruction, we had to overcome a much wider variety of human emotions.

The heaviest single part is the barrel, which is 68 feet long, and with recoil band still attached (we did not remove it) weighs 155 tons. It was lifted several times with two or three 75-ton cranes and the final few times with a single 250-ton crane to install it. The cradle is the next heaviest part, at 55 tons.

New Addition Planned – Members and Donations Sought

In the future the Aberdeen Military Museum Foundation, Inc. (AMMF) will also raise funds to construct a museum addition large enough to house and protect all the externally-stored artifacts from the elements.

The AMMF is actively campaigning for new members who can and will serve and donate to help realize the stated mission of the Foundation. For those who may be interested, the AMMF mailing address is as follows:

AMMF
PO Box 688
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005

(Look for the final instalment about Col. Jarrett in an upcoming issue of SAR detailing the legacy left by Col. Jarrett and the many people who benefitted from his vision and dedication.)

One of the most spectacular military museums found in America is the gigantic military museum that goes by the mouthful of a name of: American Armoured Foundation, Inc., Tank and Ordnance War Memorial Museum: also just known as The Tank Museum.

Nestled away in the peaceful farm country area of Danville, Virginia, the A.A.F. Tank Museum rests on the Virginia/North Carolina border. The city of Greensboro, North Carolina is just 1 hour south, and Roanoke and/or Lynchburg, Virginia, are only about 1 hour north of the museum; all being a pleasant drive through the country to get there. But once there, you may be startled by the sheer magnitude of this tucked away treasure. The sprawling museum facility and yard stretches on and on for almost a quarter mile. That’s because this once shuttered mill is an amazing 1/3 of a million square feet inside, with the building and parking lots taking up over 20 acres of the total 90 acre site.

Visitors will be greeted by a beautiful U.S. Army M-75 Armored Personnel Carrier named “Colorado,” which stands sentinel as a front lawn ornament. Walking up the walkway, the visitor will pass a genuine WWII period U.S. Army observation tower that has been restored to resemble the exact tower seen on the POW/MIA memorial flag. The tower is thoughtfully dedicated as such to our oft forgotten soldiers. The visitor will then walk past a pristine WWII period U.S. Army M-5 3-inch anti-tank gun.

Inside the Tank Museum, the facility is so enormous that each visitor is given a “road map” of the inside of the museum so that the visitor will not get lost. Being a renovated old factory, this museum is the quintessential maze if ever there was one. The museum staff is continually assisting its visitors in navigating through its endless hallways. There is a limitation however, to this immense size, and that is that most visitors do not leave nearly enough time needed to see the entire museum. Most visitors spend about 3 to 4 hours viewing the thousands of artifacts before their feet give out, leaving much more un-reconnoitered.

Focusing for now on our mission of what the readers of this magazine will probably find closest to their hearts is the enormous and wide ranging display of automatic weapons in the collection. If the reader of this article is interested in military uniforms, headgear, medals, patches, photographs, and just about everything else Tank and Cavalry related, then you will just have to visit the museum to view and appreciate this world class collection. Do remember that the focus of the Tank Museum is on anything related to international armor, with the Tank and Cavalry branches being most prominent. Other armored organizations such as Mechanized Infantry, Armored Field Artillery, and the Air Cavalry, etc. are also duly represented.

The spectacular “Weapons Room” exhibit displays over 150 international machine guns, and similar sized weapons. The smaller sized arms room collection is in addition to the above mentioned room, and is entrenched in its own separate bivouac area, as are the dozens of mortars, cannons, field artillery pieces, etc. In the Weapons Room, which has a spectacular 25-foot long mural of 2 GIs manning an M1917-A1 machine gun on Bataan, there are live weapons from most nations deployed throughout the display. Classics such as all of the Thompson series of submachine guns will be found in pristine condition as well as a mint BAR and a .30-06 Lewis gun. There is a like new Model 1895 Colt Automatic Gun (Potato Digger) nearby. There is a very unusual U.S. Army, National Match marked, phenolic stocked, M14 rifle on display, which was donated by the Department of Defense. For a few of the many types of German guns in residence, there are the usual garden variety of MP44, MP40, Erma’s, MG34s, and the like. For a high point in the room, there is a beautifully restored, amnesty registered, Normandy beach captured, MG42 (it had not one trace of finish left on it when brought home by a G.I.). For the Japanese aficionados, there are many types on display in that part of the collection including a gorgeous Type 92 “Woodpecker” on its tripod. Most are nice originals, or fully restored guns. The museum’s UDM-42 Marlin SMG is “exercised” once a year along with the venerable, but ugly M3 Grease Gun, and many others, at the annual “Extravaganza” in April where many weapons are fired for the museum’s visitors.

The museum’s Weapons Room has all kinds of other different, rare and odd weapons often missed in many advanced collections. Such weapons range between a French Mle 1931 Chatellerault with the odd side mounted drum, an XM-129 40mm grenade launcher for a Cobra Attack Helicopter and the really rare, pneumatic, U.S. Army “Bishop” Artillery Trainer that can still fire its 1-inch diameter ball bearing style projectiles. Besides many rocket and spigot launchers, there are plenty of other weapons that include several fully operational flame throwers such as the very early M1, and the even much rarer Tank Flame Thrower. Of course there is also the standard, M2A1-7 Flame Thrower, along with its later Vietnam conflict counterpart. In the really Light Artillery category there is one of the only two reportedly known, iron, 1768 dated, David King Howitzers with it’s rather odd 2 5/8 inch bore size. This thing is only about 1 foot long and the museum staff loves to jokingly tell it’s visitors that it is a “Pocket Howitzer” made to fit in a holster.

The mission of the Tank museum is to collect, restore, preserve, and exhibit, a significant part of military tank and cavalry artifacts from all time periods and nations as is possible, and to educate present and future generations to the service and sacrifices given by the men and women of the armed services.

The Tank Museum has the most extensive collection of International Tank and Cavalry artifacts in the world. The Museum collection is exhibited in a 330,000 sq. foot facility and just a small sampling of their collection includes:

• 117 tanks and artillery pieces
• 150 machine guns, mortars, flame throwers, recoilless rifles, rocket launchers, etc.
• Over 65 small arms
• 300 international tank and cavalry General’s uniforms
• Over 700 hats and helmets
• 100s of tank and artillery optical instruments
• 1,000s of pennants, banners, flags, pins, patches, medals and presentation pieces
  Museum Hours: Monday-Saturday – 10:00 to 17:00 hours. Opened weekly Monday through Saturday; closed Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day Only. Admission cost: Adults $10 – under 12 & over 60 $9.50. Note: Starting January 1st, 2011 thru March 12th, 2011 they will ONLY BE OPEN ON SATURDAYS. During these listed dates the museum will be closed Sunday thru Friday.
  
  A.A.F. Tank Museum
  3401 U.S. Highway 29B
  Danville, VA 14540
  Phone: (434) 836-5323
  Fax: (434) 836-3532
  Website: www.aaftankmuseum.com
  Email: aaftank@gamewood.net
  *Donations are tax deductible and greatly appreciated.

Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s, as part of chain of fortifications protecting the great naval harbor of Portsmouth in Hampshire, England, and its Royal Dockyard from a feared French invasion. Covering nearly 19 acres and now fully restored, Fort Nelson sit majestically atop Portsdown Hill, with amazing views of the Solent and Meon Valley. The Fort stands today as a monument to the skills and ingenuity of Victorian engineering and architecture. Opened in 1995 as home to the Royal Armouries collection of artillery, Fort Nelson, named after Lord Nelson, hero of the battle of Trafalgar, has over 350 big guns and historic cannon on display.

Before Fort Nelson was built, Portsmouth’s defense relied upon smoothbore guns positioned close to the shore. Portsmouth Harbor is a large, natural port in the south of England. To protect Portsmouth from newer, larger and more potent guns, it was necessary to redesign all of the fortifications around Portsmouth. In the 1850s the English government decided to update the forts on the Isle of Wight, the mainland and the Solent and they also built four sea forts across the eastern approach. It was feared that the French might try to come and attack over land so a line of forts were built along the Portsdown Hill – one of which was Fort Nelson.

Fort Nelson was built between 1862 and 1871 and the guns of the fort faced inland, not out towards the sea. The guns were manned by a garrison of 200 volunteers and the forts along Portsdown Hill were never attacked. High walls and towers were easy to knock down by siege guns so Fort Nelson was built low with earth slopes facing the attacker, with slopes hiding the guns and musketry positions.

In 1902, the garrison was stood down and the armaments removed although it did still continue as a military depot. It was used as a transit camp for soldiers going to France between 1914 and 1918 in World War I. Although the fort never saw action against the French, it did against the Germans. Prior to World War II, Fort Nelson became an important anti-aircraft magazine supplying ammunition (40mm Bofors and 3.7-inch rounds) throughout the South Coast with an adjoining anti-aircraft battery that was one of the important batteries preventing enemy aircraft from flying inland from the Channel. On the night of January 9, 1941, the fort was bombed by enemy aircraft. They were commended for supplying a further 1,220 rounds of ammunition to the AA batteries’ guns despite being under heavy fire. As it was being used as an ammunition base, its own anti-aircraft guns were placed outside its walls. The fort continued to serve as a naval depot until the 1950s. It was then restored before being leased to the Royal Armouries in 1988 and opened to the public.

Fort Nelson is a historic monument, restored to how it would have been in the 1890s. Visitors can access most areas of the fortification and see how the fort would have worked. The aims of the displays around the fort are to give an idea of how the fort would have been used and lived in, based on an 1890s date as by then most of the physical changes to the fort had taken place; to enable key examples of the fort’s armament to be demonstrated by dedicated volunteers, and to interpret the changes to the fort as the result of a major change of use from 1938 when it was used to supply anti-aircraft ammunition to batteries in the large area of Southern England.

The Tower of London used to house all of the arms and armor, including artillery, since medieval times and contained historic examples from throughout England’s history. Ultimately, the collection grew to the point where the Tower of London was no longer able to properly display a representative collection of artillery. However, the Royal Armouries discovered that Fort Nelson, which had been bought for restoration by the Hampshire County Council in 1977, was a perfect location to move the artillery collection. They leased the Fort and in 1995 Fort Nelson became a fully established artillery museum and historic monument.

Within the barracks are displays of historic cannon and artillery pieces; many of which were captured during their reign as an Empire, with many exhibiting ornate artwork as part of the gun’s decorations. A large structure located between the two surviving World War II magazines contain large exhibits that are too large to be displayed in the barracks. These exhibits follow artillery development from the earliest times to the later 20th century. The chronological layout is divided into specific kinds of artillery. Naval guns, field artillery from smoothbore to quick firing, anti-aircraft, with examples of the infamous German 88 and the dependable British 3.7-inch, anti-tank. There is also a rare German Gerlich “squeeze-bore”; recoiless; and self-propelled guns in the form of the British “Sexton 25 pounder. There are pieces from the First Gulf War, including a captured GH-N 45, the long gun-howitzer designed by Gerald Bull. Confronting the visitor upon entry are the Great Turkish Bombard and Bull’s Iraqi “Supergun” tubes of 1,000mm and 350mm calibers.

Fort Nelson is currently undergoing a £3.5M development of its galleries and fortifications and is scheduled for completion in 2011. Fort Nelson is located just a short distance from the town of Fareham and Portsmouth. Admission is free. Operating times in the summer (April-October) is daily from 10 am to 5 pm except Wednesday 11 am to 5 pm and in the winter (November-March) daily from 10:30 am to 4 pm except Wednesday 11:30 am to 4 pm. Fort Nelson is closed December 24-26 inclusive. Further information can be found at www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/fort-nelson.

On 19 June 2009, former U.S. Army General Colin Powell cut the ribbon to officially open the New National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center near the home of the U.S. Army’s Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia. The new museum is world class and quite large, with approximately 190,000 square feet dedicated to telling the story and honoring the U.S. Infantryman from 1607 to the present. The museum features six separate era galleries where exhibits are arranged by dates, although many of the early exhibits; “Securing Our Freedom” 1607-1815, and “Defining a Nation” 1815-1898, Manifest Destiny and the Civil War, exhibits are not yet open to the public. Among the many exhibits there are many personal items and stories of individual soldiers, some famous, others just ordinary soldiers who did an extraordinary job.

The International Stage

The gallery exhibits currently open to visitors begin with the “The International Stage” 1898-1920. Upon entering the display area there are many artifacts from the Spanish American War, including a porthole from the USS Maine. The Maine was a U.S. ship that mysteriously exploded and sank in a Cuban harbor, and eventually led to the war with Spain. Moving ahead, the visitor steps into World War I “no man’s land” by entering a sandbag covered trench. Along the walls of the “trench” are artifacts and photos that project the miserable conditions troops endured during the “Great War” (less rats and decaying bodies). Moving further one hears the rattle and sees the muzzle flash of a machine gun reflecting off of the wall. There is also an audio-visual exhibit that tells the story of Medal of Honor recipient, Sergeant Alvin York, one of the most famous Infantrymen of the war.

World at War

One of largest exhibits in the museum is “World at War” representing World War II, to include both European and Pacific Theaters of operations. Summarizing the events that unfolded during the conflict are projected on a rotating globe-like screen on the floor. Vintage films are continually running on screens throughout the exhibit areas. Small arms used by all of the belligerents involved are on display, as well as personal weapons and gear of famous soldiers and generals that include Audie Murphy’s service cap and German Field Marshall Herman Goering’s gem covered baton. Other artifacts are a U.S. Army Jeep and a Japanese gas mask designed for a horse. On display are uniforms of both Allied and Axis soldiers. Several dioramas in the exhibit area depict significant battles.

Cold War

The next chronological exhibit is the Cold War 1947-1989 that includes many artifacts and weapons fielded during the period, from a Browning Automatic Rifle designed during World War I, to the Davy Crockett, a small nuclear weapon developed during the 1960s for Army Infantry use against large Soviet troop concentrations, should the Cold War ever suddenly go hot. Many items from the Korean Conflict are also on display. Visitors can listen to Korean War veterans tell their recorded stories inside a recreated bunker. The Vietnam Gallery allows visitors to experience a search and destroy mission in a hot and humid jungle environment. Many personal effects of prisoners of war are displayed to offer a glimpse of the brutal conditions captured U.S. servicemen endured during their confinement in places like the infamous Hanoi Hilton. The Berlin wall was erected in 1961 by the Communist East German Government to keep East German citizens from defecting into West Berlin. The tearing down of the infamous wall in Berlin, Germany in 1989 marked the end of the Cold War era. On display in the museum are three complete sections of the Berlin Wall covered with graffiti, painted by citizens of Berlin.

Sole Superpower

The Sole Superpower exhibit, from 1989 to the present, was so named to describe the United States’ status after the Cold War ended. The Gallery covers the smaller scale conflicts like Grenada, the War on Terrorism and the two Iraq Desert Wars. On display are many high-tech weapons used by U.S. Forces as well as captured enemy weapons and equipment.

The Hall of Valor

Prominently featured in the Grand Hall is the Hall of Valor, a glass-enclosed space dedicated to recognizing deeds of exceptional bravery. On the outside, quotes are etched in the glass, and inside, plaques honoring each of the nearly 1,500 Infantry recipients of the Medal of Honor line the walls. A computer allows visitors to look up details for each Medal of Honor recipient.

The Last 100 Yards

The Last 100 Yards is one of the museum’s featured exhibits. It consists of a 100 yard long inclined ramp lined with lifelike Infantrymen from all periods. The name “Last 100 Yards” signifies the Infantry’s “boots on the ground” role in closing and seizing the last yards of ground from the enemy. A World War II glider, Huey helicopter and Bradley Fighting Vehicle complete the display.

The Officer Candidate School Hall of Honor

The Officer Candidate School Hall of Honor was established to recognize distinguished OCS graduates and as a method to motivate and provide incentive for both candidates and graduates to excel. This gallery honors the over 2,000 Soldiers who have been inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame since 1952. A computer is provided to search for individual inductees. A timeline follows the early beginnings of the U.S. Army’s Officer Candidate School and chronicles its development and history.

The Ranger Hall of Honor

This exhibit was formed to preserve the spirit and contributions of the Army’s elite Rangers. Honored are nearly 200 soldiers who have been inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame since 1992. A computer allows visitors to search for individual inductees by name. Also featured are U.S. Army Ranger history, its origins, and their role in military history. Several exhibits display uniforms, weapons and other items used by Army Rangers during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Grenada.

World War II Company Street

Located directly behind the museum building is a complex of seven restored World War II buildings to allow museum visitors a trip back in time. The simple wooden “Series 700? buildings were mass produced in the 1940s to meet the demands of the rapidly growing Army preparing to enter the war. After 1945, the post-war Army was rapidly downsized and the buildings, no longer needed, were being torn down. However, a building of each type; a barracks, mess hall, orderly room, supply room, chapel, and General George Patton’s headquarters building and sleeping quarters were spared and restored. Each of the structures are fully furnished with realistic touches that include 1940 era music, photos and furniture. A Physical Training field, like those used for daily PT by recruits, adds to the realism. A final touch are the period street lights.

Rifle Range

In addition to the era galleries there is an interactive rifle simulator, where for a small fee visitors can experience the feel of firing an M16 rifle. The rifles don’t fire live ammunition, but are fitted with lasers and a recoil simulator. The shooter gets 30 shots to hit 20 targets to “qualify”. It is the same type of device the Army uses to introduce new recruits to the M16.

IMAX Theater

The museum’s unique theater features a large high resolution screen that is five stories high and 70 feet wide. Images are projected in three-dimension that give the viewer the illusion that they are in the film. The 300 seat capacity theater features Hollywood movies as well as military documentaries.

Dining

For lunch or dinner the museum offers fine dining in a causal atmosphere at the Fife and Drum American Bistro located inside the museum.

Gift shop

For souvenir hunters, the Soldier Store offers a large selection of mugs, T-shirts and jewelry – many emblazoned with museum and Army logos. There is also a wide variety of military history DVDs and books, not offered elsewhere.

The Family Support Gallery

This gallery pays homage to the parents, children, spouses and other loved ones who make sacrifices just as important as the soldier’s. It also includes a play space for children where they can try on costumes and role play.

Brief History of Fort Benning, Georgia

Fort Benning is situated near Columbus, Georgia and covers over 182,000 acres. Ninety-three percent of the facility is in Georgia and seven percent is in Alabama. Fort Benning was established by Congress as Camp Benning during 1918, and assigned permanent status the same year. At the request of the Columbus Rotary Club, the Camp was named after Confederate Army General Henry L. Benning, a resident of Columbus. During the Civil War General Benning commanded a Georgia Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia. After the war ended, Henry Benning returned to Columbus where he practiced law until his death in 1875.

The first mission of Fort Benning was to provide basic training for U.S. Army troops during World War I. After the war ended, Fort Benning struggled for appropriations. However, by the mid-1930s the post was booming with construction because of the federally funded building projects initiated during the Great Depression. Just prior to the United States’ entry into World War II, the 2nd Armor Division was established at Fort Benning. The facility also became the home of the “Big Red One,” the First Infantry Division. An officer candidate school and airborne training center were also established at the Fort. During 1943, the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, known as the Triple Nickel, was formed and trained at the Fort. Airborne training is still conducted at Fort Benning.

The new museum replaces the old one that was located on Baltzell Ave, which opened in 1958. Although the original museum was located on Fort Benning, the new facility is just outside the gates on South Lumpkin Road, making access easier for visitors. There is no admission fee, but donations are appreciated. Cameras are permitted, but no flash photography is allowed. Adult and school group tours are available.

As part of their Knob Creek, Kentucky experience many enthusiasts have included a trip over to the General Patton museum on nearby Fort Knox. If you have visited the Patton Museum recently, you will have discovered that most of the museum’s exhibits and vehicles are no longer there. As part of the base realignment and closure program (BRAC), the Armor Center has begun to move its headquarters from Fort Knox, Kentucky to Fort Benning, Georgia, where a new National Armor and Cavalry Museum is planned in the near future. The remaining exhibits at Patton Museum at Fort Knox basically are personal and historical items from the famous general.

National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center
1775 Legacy Way
Columbus, Georgia 31903
(706) 685-5800
www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com

The museum is open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

As of January 2011, The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center will be closed on Mondays for general maintenance. The facility will be open during federal holidays that fall on Mondays to include Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Directions to the National Infantry Museum are to take I-185 south from Columbus, Georgia to exit 1B. Drive west on US 27/280/431 for about a mile, then turn left at the light onto Fort Benning Blvd. The museum will be a little more than a mile south, on the right.

In the beautiful countryside of northern England just a few miles from York, is the Yorkshire Air Museum. Based on the former World War II Bomber Command Station of RAF Elvington, the Museum retains the authentic atmosphere of the period, with many fascinating exhibits housed in restored wartime buildings.

The Museum is a memorial to all the Allied aircrews of Bomber Command, including French, Canadian, Australian and other nationalities that served in the Elvington area.

The unique aspect of this Museum is that the entire facility is the Museum with 17 preserved buildings of a World War II base that operated bombing runs across the channel to the heart of Germany. Each of the buildings contain exhibits pertaining to the people and operations that was home at Elvington. Originally the home of 77 Squadron of Number 4 Bomber Group, the first operational aircraft were Handley Page Halifax four-engine bombers and took part in the Battle of the Ruhr and many other battles aimed at the destruction of German industry.

During 1943, 77 Squadron alone suffered heavy losses, particularly against heavily defended Berlin. By the end of the hostilities, the squadron had lost almost eighty Halifaxes, with over five hundred aircrew killed, missing or taken prisoner. (The normal squadron strength was approximately twenty aircraft.) In all, more than one hundred Halifaxes left on missions from Elvington during World War II, never to return. Almost 900 air and ground crew members were killed or missing due to enemy action or accidents.

In 1944, 77 Squadron moved to another station and in May 1944, Elvington became host to the only base to be operated entirely by French personnel with the arrival of No. 346 (Guyennne) and No. 347 (Tunisie) Squadrons operating within No. 4 Group.

In October 1945, the French Squadrons left and in 1952 RAF Elvington was part of an expansion program with the US Strategic Air Command that included a new control tower and lengthening the main runway to accept the latest jet aircraft. The base never became operational and was vacated in 1958 and in March 1992, RAF Elvington was closed. The original air traffic control tower and adjacent buildings were derelict and overgrown. The land and buildings were privately purchased and a band of devoted volunteers set to work to clear 40 years of undergrowth and to restore and upgrade the buildings to the way they were in 1944. The Museum is privately financed and supported with no government, state or local authority funding.

RAF Elvington served as a base well past World War II and the present collection of aircraft at the museum encompasses pre-Second World War (9 aircraft), Second World War (9 aircraft) and post-World War II (24 aircraft). The crown jewel in their collection includes an operational Handley Page Halifax II (III) (named Friday the 13th) as well as a De Havilland Mosquito NF.II.

Air Gunners Memorial

A truly unique aspect of the Yorkshire Air Museum is in building number 3. This building is devoted to air gunners from the early World War I rear open cockpit planes that were armed with a Lewis gun with a 97-round drum magazine mounted on a Scarf Ring mount through the powered turret gunners of World War II.

The Air Gunners’ Collection is believed to be the only one of its type in the world and is dedicated to the memory of the tens of thousands of Air Gunners who lost their lives in World War II.

The Air Gunner’s tasks were complicated and hazardous and his life expectancy was appallingly short. It could be a little as two weeks before a rear gunner on bomber operations could be expected to be shot down or killed.

The display at the Yorkshire Air Museum shows an array of weapons, turrets and air gunnery techniques used by these aircrew who played such an important part in the achievements of the RAF effort.

In the years prior to World War II, the Air Ministry wanted a more purpose designed gun and the Vickers Gas Operated “K” gun using a 100-round drum magazine was adopted and became standard issue for air gunners in the early years of the war.

With the introduction of enclosed turrets that were being developed by Boulton Paul, Frazer Nash and Bristol Aircraft, powered by hydraulic or electrical power supplied by the engines that enabled them to be rotated, the first of these power-operated turrets were fitted with a single .303 Lewis gun and installed in Boulton Paul Overstrand medium bombers and used between 1935 and 1938 by 101 Squadron.

As World War II began in 1939, mid-upper turrets were fitted to aircraft such as the Boulton Paul Defiant, Bristol Blenheim and Avro Anson. Not long after, the twin-engined Whitley, Wellington and Hamdens were not only fitted with mid-upper turrets, but a rear turret and often a nose turret. They were fitted with Browning Mk II machine guns in .303 caliber and installed in either banks of two or four guns. The number of air gunner stations on aircraft increased as the fleet of four-engined bombers increased in 1942, initially again with the .303 caliber Mk II Brownings. However, the .303 Mk II Browning’s weakness was its lack of range and German fighters, usually equipped with cannon, could easily outrange the Browning air gunners who had to wait until the enemy plane was within 400 yards before returning fire – a deadly time indeed as they would have been under fire from the German guns for several seconds before being able to respond. Later in the war they were replaced with the much more effective .50 caliber Brownings.

The job of the air gunner required a highly trained and skilled individual. Not only was he to defend his aircraft from enemy fighter attack but it required excellent night vision (as Bomber Command conducted bombing raids at night) and he had to be proficient with bullet trail, drift, range finding and harmonization in order to maximize fire power as well as be proficient in correcting stoppages (particularly while manning the turret and under fire) and understand fully how the turret functioned.

Air Gunners (AG) and Wireless Operator/Air Gunners (WOP/AG) made up approximately half of the crew of an aircraft. Bomber Command estimates that 125,000 aircrew served in the squadrons and the operational training and conversion units and approximately 73,000 were casualties of which 55,500 were fatalities. The losses of AGs and WOP/AGs within this group would be 20-25,000. It is also important to note that the RAF crew losses noted above apply only to Bomber Command in the European theater and do not include losses of Coastal Command, Transport Command, 2nd TAF, SEAC and the Mediterranean. Thus, the loss figures would be substantially higher. This Air Gunners Memorial in Building 3 pays homage to those intrepid gunners, the risks they took and the losses they incurred.

This World War II airfield with all its restored buildings and displays is a unique experience and well worth a visit should you be traveling in Northern England or visiting the Royal Armouries in nearby Leeds. Also located on the grounds is a beautifully maintained Memorial Garden in memory of all the aircrew of the many nationalities that flew out of Elvington. There is a small restaurant on premises as well as a gift shop. Admission is £5 for adults, £4 for seniors and £3 for children (5-15). Parking is free. They are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (in winter, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Directions to find the Yorkshire Air Museum are to take the York by-pass, take the Hull exit (A1079) and then an immediate right to Elvington (B1228). The Museum is sign-posted on the right.

Yorkshire Air Museum
Halifax Way
Elvington, York YO41 4AU
Phone: (01904) 608595
Fax: (01904) 608246
www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

By Lawrence Heiskell, M.D. and Hans Bek

Suhl, Germany is located in the eastern province of Prussian Saxony, picturesquely situated on the Lauter River on the southern slope of the Thueringen Forest. In the middle ages, the knights of Southern Germany especially prized the swords and armor made in Suhl and many of the weapons used in the campaigns against the Turks and in the Seven Years War are said to have been manufactured in Suhl. The history of Suhl is closely tied to some of the most famous gun makers in the world such as ERMA, Walther, Sauer & Sons and Merkel, all of which have their roots in Suhl. The gunsmith craft has a long tradition in this small German town dating back to 1535. Suhl was also a major producer of cannons throughout the seventeenth and subsequent centuries. It is also the oldest proof house in Germany dating back to 1893. The extraction and smelting of iron ore had been common in the region around Suhl for centuries, as the mountains around the town are all rich in iron ore. The name Suhl first appeared in connection with weapons during a time when small arms were in demand for growing armies. In 1622, the Suhl based gun maker Simon Stohr received orders for 4,000 match lock muskets and by 1631 the Suhl gun makers had manufactured a total of 28,950 muskets.

In 1753 the town suffered a major setback when a fire destroyed the shops of 82 gunsmiths, 60 stock makers and 9 barrel smiths. It was not until 1800 with theintroduction of the new percussion lock to replace the flint lock did the town somewhat recover economically as the gunsmiths found profits in converting the old flintlock rifles to the new percussion design.

In 1872 two brothers, Paul and Wilhelm Mauser started the Mauser factory in Oberndorf am Neckar (also the home of Heckler & Koch, GmbH) and began mass production of weapons further causing economic problems for Suhl.

After WW II, Suhl became a part of the Eastern and Soviet controlled part of Germany. Over 4,000 enterprises in Suhl were accused of having connections to the former Nazi Regime and were shut down. A major arms company that was located in Suhl for almost 200 years was JP Sauer und Sohn GmbH, producer of hunting rifles, shotguns and pistols such as the Sauer 38H until moving operations to Eckernfoerde at the end of WW II.

The Waffen Museum is located at Friedrich Koenig Strasse 19 and is constructed in the Fachwerk Haus style with a stone foundation and, in the classic German style, has flower boxes in the windows.

As you enter the museum there is a reception desk and a place to buy tickets, postcards and books. The museum collection is on two levels with display cases that are well lit. Some of the larger weapons, such as the Maxim, are openly displayed. There is an exceptional period display showing the tools and materials used to manufacture early weapons. There are several groups of weapons behind Plexiglas lighted enclosures. One such display holds a near mint MP35 and an exceptional MP18 I. In another room is a display with an MP40 and an MP44.

There are several collections of early flint lock and percussion rifles as well as various WWII rifles and pistols. The oldest gun on display dates back to the 14th century. The weapons exhibits provides the visitor an interesting insight into the history and development of small arms that made the town of Suhl famous and well known around the world. Today, Suhl is the home of 14 out of 25 gun makers in the region and still produces fine hunting and sport weapons.

The museum is currently closed until the summer of 2008 for renovation, improvements and construction of new exhibits. If visiting the area it is advised to call to see if they are open.

Museum hours are dependent upon the time of year you visit the museum. From April 1 through October 31, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Holidays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From November 1 through March 31, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays and Holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are sold up to one hour prior to closing. Adults cost 3 Euros. Groups of 20 or more are reduced to 2 Euros each. If you want to take photos inside the museum you will be charged one Euro extra.

Waffenmuseum Suhl Friedrich Koenig Strasse 19 D-98527 Suhl Phone: 011 49 3681 72 06 98 Fax: 011 49 3681 72 13 08 Email: info@waffenmuseumsuhl.de

There were originally two separate Marine Corps museums. One was located in Washington, D.C., the other at Quantico, Virginia. The Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum that was located on the Quantico Marine Base featured displays documenting the Marine’s achievements on the ground and in the air during World War I, World War II and many other campaigns. The museum itself was housed inside one of the early World War I aircraft hangers. The Marine Corps Historical Center and Museum was located forty-miles north of Quantico at the U.S. Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. At this facility there was a standing exhibit that chronicled Marine Corps history from 1775 to modern day with uniforms, weapons, photographs and documents.

On 13 November 2006, after many years of careful planning and hard work, the new National Museum of the Marine Corps opened its doors to the public. This new ultra modern facility is situated on over 135 acres adjacent to the Marine Base at Quantico, Virginia. Currently, the display area inside of the museum building covers approximately 118,000 square feet, with a planned future expansion of over 181,000 square feet. A 210-foot iconic spiral protrudes from the roof of the facility and is clearly visible for miles on Interstate 95, especially when lit-up at night.

The word to describe the new museum is “impressive.” The facility and displays are all first-class, using state of the art multimedia technology to replicate the sights, sounds and even the temperature of being there. When you first enter through the museum doors you will encounter the Leatherneck Gallery. The stainless steel base of the 210-foot spire rises from the center of the gallery and its design was inspired by the famous raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. On the walls surrounding the display area are the portraits of eight Marines and overhead are four Marine aircraft representing different eras: from the 1920 Banana Wars, a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny armed with a Lewis Gun, two Corsair fighters from World War II and an AV-8B Harrier VSTOL (Vertical Short Take Off and Landing) jump jet that saw action during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. On the ground, an LVT-1 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) armed with a .50 caliber Browning machine gun breaches defenses on a Pacific Beach. Across the room a Marine machine gun crew with a M1919A4 Browning, disembark from a Korean War era Sikorsky HRS-2 helicopter to take up positions.

The visitor with a critical eye will notice that careful attention has been given to all of the weapons and equipment in the displays to insure the correct configurations for the time period depicted.

The next gallery on the tour is Making Marines, which conveys the anxiety experienced by recruits during basic training. The display features a Marine Corps bus, from which voices of nervous recruits can be heard, and on the ground are the famous yellow footprints. There is even a military barbershop to bring back memories for visiting veterans. One of the more pleasant displays in the gallery is an M16 laser rifle range where visitors can test their marksmanship skills. In the Marine Corp despite your job description, “Every Marine is a Rifleman.”

The Legacy Walk captures the more than 230 years of Marine Corps history featuring displays of the earliest Colonial Marines atop sailing ships. On a wall above, two-time Medal of Honor recipient Marine Dan Daly struggles with an opponent during 1900 in Peking, China. From World War I, a Marine engages a German soldier in hand to hand combat. During World War II, a Navy Corpsman attends to a wounded Marine. Displayed overhead is the actual UH1E Iroquois “Huey” helicopter that Medal of Honor recipient Marine Major Stephen Pless flew during the Vietnam War. Life-like figures, aircraft, photographs and artifacts create a Marine history timeline from 1775 to the modern day.

World War II Gallery

The story of the U.S. Marines in their Pacific island-hopping campaigns is told with displays of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft, small arms and personal items that belonged to individual Marines. Highlighted are Marine innovations in tactics, equipment and special units. An excellent display is a Marine aiming his water-cooled .30 caliber M1917A1 Browning machine gun at enemy aircraft. Weapons fielded by the Japanese Imperial Army are also displayed.

One exhibit briefs visitors for an assault landing on Iwo Jima before boarding a Higgins Boat for the hazardous trip to the beach. Sound and video combine to provide a realistic experience. One of the most historically important artifacts in the museum is the actual flag that was raised by Marines atop Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima and photographed by Joe Rosenthal. The resulting image is the most famous and inspiring photograph of World War II, with the image almost immediately becoming a Marine icon. The World War II Gallery honors the sacrifices and accomplishments of America’s Greatest Generation.

Korean War Gallery

This gallery documents the Marine’s involvement in the Korean War that took place from 1950 to 1953. After World War II ended both the Marine Corps and U.S. Army had been drastically reduced in size. On 25 June, 1950, at approximately 4 a.m., a rainy Sunday morning, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Army (North Korea) invaded the Republic of Korea (South Korea). At 11 a.m., North Korea announced a formal declaration of war. An unprepared United States military scrambled to train and deploy troops to Korea. Korea was the first combat action of the cold war era.

Included in the Korean Gallery is a display of Marine positions near the infamous Chosin Reservoir. The temperature in the display area is twenty degrees lower than the rest of the museum, the sky is dark, and voices of approaching Chinese troops can be heard; all contributing to an eerie feeling felt by the visitor. Other displays include a machine gun position in a sandbagged bunker, and a LCVP landing craft representing General MacArthur’s bold plan for an amphibious landing at Inchon to get behind the enemy and cut off his supply lines.

Another display depicts a U.S. Pershing tank moving through the streets of the war-torn capital city of Seoul, about to run over an abandoned Communist 12.7mm DShK machine gun position.

Vietnam Gallery

Marine units were first deployed to Vietnam in 1965, unaware that this would be the longest engagement in their history. Visitors are taken into the fight through a series of displays featuring both enemy and Marine uniforms, weapons and equipment. In one display, a Marine armed with an M79 grenade launcher peers around a wall. Behind him is a rare Marine Ontos tracked anti-tank vehicle armed with six 106mm recoilless rifles. During its service in Vietnam, the Ontos often fired fleshette filled “beehive” rounds to clear paths through the dense jungles. Another display depicts a Marine armed with an M14 rifle patrolling past a series of hooches lead by a German Shepard. Next, one enters a hot landing zone on Hill 881 through the fuselage of a CH-46 helicopter. The floor of the aircraft vibrates and sounds of rotor blades and weapons engulf the visitor’s senses. Scanning the landscape reveals Marines assisting wounded buddies and attending to a dead comrade. One of the many weapons on display in this gallery is the actual 7.62mm M40A1 Remington sniper rifle used by Marine Lance Corporal Benjamin “Chuck” Mawhinney. Corporal Mawhinney scored 103 confirmed enemy kills and 216 probables during his 16 months in country.

Global War on Terrorism

By using combat photographs, art, maps, and text, this gallery features images from Marines serving in ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Most of the photographs in this exhibit were taken by any one of the 400 personnel serving in the Marine Combat Camera Units today. This gallery was designed to help the families of deployed servicemen and women understand why their loved ones have been called to serve.

When the National Museum of the Marine Corps opens its second expansion phase, it will feature a permanent gallery that highlights Marine contributions during the Persian Gulf wars, and the continuing Global War on Terrorism.

USMC Combat Art Gallery

The Corps’ early association with combat art began during World War I when Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. drew a series of battlefield sketches. Since that time, art has been used to help convey Marine Corps history. Works in the museum’s display are those of both Marine and civilian artists and illustrators and represents a small sample of the nearly 8,000 pieces in the Marine Corps art collection.

Semper Fidelis Park

Overlooking the Marine Corps National Museum is a three-acre park dedicated to honoring all Marines who have served their country. Throughout the park are many monuments honoring the accomplishments of various Marine organizations. The walkways through the park are lined with special commemorative bricks that have been purchased and donated by family members and friends of Marines.

This article has described but a few of the displays of weapons, vehicles, aircraft and artifacts fielded by both the Marines and their adversaries featured in the museum. This is a tremendous museum with much more to see and experience in a first-class facility and is definitely worth a trip to see.

A special thank you is in order to Al Houde, Ordnance Curator of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, for his valuable time and assistance.

Directions to the Museum

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is located near the town of Triangle, Virginia just off I-95, 36 miles south of Washington, D.C., and 76 miles north of Richmond, Virginia. From I-95, take the VA-619 exit 150 toward Triangle/Quantico. Merge onto VA-619 East. Turn right onto the Jefferson Davis Highway/US-1. Travel approximately 1/4 mile and turn right into the National Museum of the Marine Corps parking lot. Parking is free and there is no admission charge to visit the Museum. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day except Christmas.

National Museum of the Marine Corps
18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Triangle, VA 22172
(877) 653-1775
info@usmcmuseum.org

By Robert G. Segel

Located in the center of Athens just several hundred yards from the Athens Hilton hotel is the Greek Ministry of Defense War Museum. Opened in 1975, the museum’s mission is to gather, safeguard and display military artifacts and memorabilia of Greek history to reinforce the national memory and highlight the historic continuity and unity of Hellenism.

The outdoor exhibits feature a fine display of a number of howitzer light field guns, anti-aircraft and mountain artillery pieces from different periods used by the Greeks, or their war booty. These include a French 47mm M1937 Puteaux, Bofors Mk I Rapid Fire 40mm AA gun, Hotchkiss 25mm M1938 light AA gun and two unique armored metal horse drawn carriages each armed with a Krupp-Schuman Model 1899 57mm gun. These carriages were used by the Central Powers during World War I and are spoils of the Hellenic army from the Bulgarian army in 1918. Also on display are some aircraft used by the Hellenic Air Force that include a replica 1912 H. Harman, Bell helicopter OH-13S, F-5A, F-104, F-84F, T6-G Harvard and F-86D. Guarding the entrance to the museum building is a British 40mm Model 1940 Pom-Pom gun used by the Greek navy in World War II.

Inside the museum, the first floor is dedicated in twelve specially laid out halls devoted to antiquity, the Alexander Years, Byzantium, Latin and Turkish rule, the National Uprising, the Greek War of Independence in 1821 and the New Hellenic State. The exhibits display the arms and armor of these periods and include pikes, spears, swords, cross bows, daggers, armor and early European rifles and pistols.

The mezzanine level is dedicated to the action and contribution of the Greeks to the success of allied operations against the Axis forces during World War II including Sacred Company, El Alamein, Rimini in North Africa and Middle East, Italy, the Aegean Islands and the coast of Normandy. The Occupation, Resistance and Liberation of Greece complete the section on World War II. There is a separate section on the mezzanine that highlights the contributions of Greece to the United Nations mission to Korea.

Weapons on exhibit on the mezzanine level are displayed both openly and in enclosed glass display cases with placards identifying the weapons in both Greek and English. Mannequins in various uniforms add to the well thought-out displays. While the display of heavy machine guns, light machine guns, submachine guns, rifles, bayonets, pistols, grenades and mortars are highlighted, they are of the common WWII variants; but they are well represented by the United States, Britain, French, Italian, Czech and German origins as used and encountered during World War II.

The museum is housed in a purpose built building and is well thought out in its layout and displays. If visiting Athens, it is time well spent to visit this museum. The museum is located at the corner of Vassilissis Sophias Avenue and 2 Rizari streets in the center of Athens. The museum is open weekdays except Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

(Editor’s Note: SAR recently sent Contributing Editor Robert Bruce to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to do an in-depth report on the training of Army Special Forces Weapons Sergeants. (Vol. 9, No. 9, June 2006) While there, we also assigned Robert to do a feature on the JFK Special Forces Museum to detail some of the exotic and historic weaponry in its collection. With the full support and energetic assistance of Director/Curator Roxanne Merritt and her small but dedicated staff, SAR was allowed not only the opportunity to get in after hours to light and photograph some of the current exhibits, but also to go behind the scenes into the museum’s high security arms vault. This special access has paid off handsomely in the accompanying photos and SAR sends a big THANKS for all the extra work. – Robert G. Segel)

“The mission of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Museum is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret significant historical property related to the history of special operations in the U. S. Army including the Special Forces and Civil Affairs branches, the Ranger Regiment, the functional areas of Psychological Operations and Aviation, and its predecessor organizations from the American colonial period to the present. As an educational institution, the museum will support training and education for military and civilian personnel.”

The JFK Special Warfare Museum may be relatively modest in size but it is undeniably mighty in the quality of its collection. It is, of course, the official repository for actual items used on missions by U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Berets,” Rangers and other members of the Army Special Operations Forces family. It also preserves the history of a long list of elite Army units that came before such as the legendary Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the First Special Service Force “Black Devils” from WWII.

The impetus for the museum came from the vision of Major General William P. Yarborough in 1961, who was, at the time, the commanding general of the US Army Special Warfare Center. The connection with President John F. Kennedy honors his energetic support for Army “Green Berets” and their unconventional warfare capabilities.

OSS Weapons Exhibit

It is the OSS connection that first caught this correspondent’s eye a couple of years back while doing research for a report on the opening of the International Spy Museum (SAR Vol. 6, No. 4, January 2003). An internet search turned up a procurement notice on a government purchasing website indicating intent to acquire the Brunner OSS Collection.

Subsequent phone calls resulted in confirmation that this effort was successful and the priceless artifacts have found a permanent home with the JFK Special Warfare Museum at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. SAR is pleased to report that this remarkable OSS collection is now front and center in a permanent exhibit at the museum.

Dr. John W. Brunner, a retired college professor, served with distinction in the OSS during WWII. His meticulously researched book OSS Weapons is considered by experts to be the best of its kind. Unfortunately now out of print, copies routinely bringing upwards of $200 on the used book market, testifying to their value among scholars and serious collectors.

Many of the items pictured and described in Brunner’s book were from his own collection. Notable among them are close quarter combat firearms from .22 to .45 caliber, some famous edged weapons, and a fascinating selection of spy tradecraft gadgets. As luck would have it, all of these had been temporarily relocated to the vault while the exhibit was being refurbished, and so were readily accessible for the photos accompanying this feature.

The .45 ACP single-shot Liberator pistol is perhaps best known of the WW2 OSS firearms, with over a million produced and intended for airdrop to resistance fighters. Brunner not only had a particularly fine example of this cheap and simple smoothbore weapon, he was careful to also preserve one of the waxed cardboard boxes they were originally packed in.

The Vietnam-era Deer Gun is the CIA’s (Central Intelligence Agency) upgraded version of the Liberator, chambered in 9mm Parabellum. As far fewer of these single shot handguns were made, the one in the JFK SW museum is particularly noteworthy.

While the uninformed may scoff at the effectiveness of weapons firing .22 caliber rimfire ammo, these small cartridges offer several advantages in the arena of clandestine combat. Principal among these are modest recoil, noise and flash, making them particularly adaptable to innovative concepts in weaponry for concealment and killing at close range. The Stinger is one of these, a single-shot device resembling an ordinary pocket-clip pen.

Brunner saved an original box containing ten of the first model Stinger devices and another with the improved Type 2 Stinger. He also made sure that an excellent example was preserved of the .22 cal. High-Standard semi-automatic pistol with a sound suppressor barrel, spare screen and a round of the original T-42 jacketed long rifle ammo.

Although not from the Brunner collection, another firearm that was likely to have been used by the OSS caught our eye in the museum’s arms vault. The British SOE (Special Operations Executive), a partner to the OSS in Europe, fielded a particularly effective single shot handgun usually identified as the Welrod. This sound suppressed 9mm Parabellum pistol features an integral barrel and may be quickly reloaded from a six-round spring loaded magazine in the pistol grip.

Crossbows and Carbon Dioxide

When circumstances call for stealthy dispatch of enemy personnel, the ideal tool is not necessarily a silenced firearm. Consider the medieval crossbow, some types capable of almost noiselessly propelling an armor-piercing shaft with astonishing range and accuracy. This concept made a lot of sense to the British SOE and their cohorts in the American OSS.

Brunner’s crossbow collection included several fascinating examples of modern adaptations of the ancient arrow shooter. While the most commonly used was the pistol-like Little Joe, the rarest is the “Little Joe Pedal” model, firing a particularly impressive ten inch long aluminum bolt at 170 feet per second. Only one example is known to have survived and is now safely housed in the museum’s collection.

Anyone who has had fun with quiet and powerful pump air rifles or CO2 pistols should appreciate the applicability of this sort of propulsion to spy type weaponry. Brunner’s efforts have ensured the survival and display of the only surviving example of the Gun, Dart, Carbon Dioxide Propelled. The OSS gave it the evocative code name “Flying Dragon” and fifteen were available by July 1945. Comparison testing with crossbows and conventional suppressed firearms showed little reason to field it and the Flying Dragon was grounded.

The Cutting Edge

The modern combat value of knives and other edged weapons may be somewhat less easy to demonstrate and document but apparently sufficient for the OSS to field a number of interesting stabbers, stickers, slicers and slashers. Notable among those in Brunner’s holdings are an OSS Stiletto, complete with “pancake flapper” sheath, and a Type 2 Smatchet bolo knife, complete with its original cardboard packing box and the correct plywood-lined sheath.

These join several other interesting edged weapons that were acquired from various sources. We examined a tiny thumb knife, a sleeve or wrist dagger and the wonderfully versatile lock-picking knife. This last is a seemingly ordinary pocket knife that also boasts a set of fold-out picks to facilitate surreptitious entry into locked areas.

Baseball Blaster

Were it not for the device’s destructive intent and unfortunate history, the Beano grenade might qualify as the most amusing of OSS artifacts in the JFK SW Museum. Formally designated as Grenade, Hand, Fragmentation, T13, With Fuze Grenade, Impact, T5, OSS personnel soon nicknamed it the “Beano.” The Beano was developed from a suggestion by Col. Carl Eifler who believed that the standard grenade was ungainly to throw. He asked the R&D branch of OSS to make a grenade the size, shape and weight of a standard baseball. It is speculated that the nickname might have come from the dishonorable practice of some baseball pitchers back then, and even now, to intentionally throw “beanballs,” to hit the batter.

This unusual ball grenade was designed to explode on impact with the target, rather than after the usual three to five second delay. Presumably, this would make it more useful for attacking moving targets and those who might be tempted to pick up the hand bomb and throw it back.

Interestingly, camera and film company Eastman Kodak got the contract to design and manufacture these novelties which soon proved to be unreliable in performance and particularly dangerous to the thrower. According to Brunner’s research, the Beano can be credited with nearly fifty casualties, but none of these were on the enemy side. The project was terminated at the end of the war.

Handmade Firearms

The other end of the weapons spectrum is well represented in some of the museum’s other displays showing guns made in primitive workshops by native populations. These include examples of pistols, shotguns and rifles cobbled together by Philippine resistance fighters, Viet Cong guerrillas and others, determined to do the best they could with materials at hand. It is astonishing what can be done with scraps of tin, bits of wood and hacksawed plumbing pipe. The handmade flintlocks of the Hmong of Laos were family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation as is evidenced by silver bands on the barrel, indicating how long it had been in the family.

Vietnam War

U.S. Army Special Forces “Green Berets” and other Army Special Operations Forces were heavily committed in the Republic of Vietnam beginning around 1961 during the so-called “advisor period” and extending to the fall of Saigon in 1975. So it follows that a large number of the artifacts on display are from this conflict.

The first thing most visitors see when approaching the museum is a full size re-creation of a firebase mortar pit complete with sandbags, log reinforcements and an actual 81mm M29 mortar. Large graphics display boards ring the pit, providing photographs, diagrams and information on how typical firebases were built and defended, often against overwhelming enemy forces.

Following the sidewalk to the main entrance leads past an imposing Soviet 12.7mm DShK-38/46 Heavy Machine Gun, fielded by the Red Army in WW2 then supplied to enemy forces and used against the US from the Korean War to Vietnam and right up to the present day.

Inside the main gallery of the museum are exhibits showing typical weapons, uniforms and equipment used by “A Teams” in Vietnam as well as those of communications, surveillance and Civil Affairs personnel.

Look for the very early AimPoint red dot sight used by MSG (later CSM) Joseph Lupyak, part of “Red Wine” element of the Son Tay Raid in 1970. It was purchased for $59.99 from Sears as the Army didn’t have anything like it in the inventory. The Son Tay Raid also offered such innovations, now considered commonplace, as the use of bullhorns and acetylene torches.

Artifacts From Recent History

For some of us with more than a few gray hairs it is sobering to consider that many of today’s twenty-somethings were still soiling their diapers when Army Rangers and other Special Operations Forces liberated Grenada in 1983. And others weren’t even teenagers when the invading Iraqis were kicked out of Kuwait in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. Thus, “history” is relative and each generation has significant milestones that are meaningful to them.

While it is to be expected that many of the museum’s exhibits highlight activities of Army SOF’s in the Vietnam War, more recent conflicts take front and center in the museum’s many displays.

SAR found it particularly interesting to see the gear worn by Special Operations soldiers during the 1993 shootout in Somalia, often called the Battle of Mogadishu and best known by many from the book and movie “Blackhawk Down.”

The expected and the unusual may be found in any of the displays but a case in point presents weapons brought back by SOF’s from Desert Storm. There are fascinating stories behind most every artifact but what the hell is a Greener Mark 2 Harpoon Gun doing in Iraq?

Global War on Terrorism

The museum’s preservation and exhibition mission comes fully up to date with displays showing Operation Enduring Freedom, launched principally in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the liberation of Iraq which began for US and allied special operations forces well before the official announcement on 20 March 2003.

The museum has items that come from the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center including a large twisted steel beam that is right next to the entrance. Also on display is the uniform of Ron Bucca, a former member of the 11th SFG (A) and the only Fire Marshall to have perished in the attack. This is an ongoing process as America’s GWOT continues and artifacts are sent back by participants. Get a close look at gaudy gold plated weapons from Uday Hussein’s Baghdad palace and the imposing gateway sign from Fire Base Tycz in Afghanistan.

The Mitch Lane memorial exhibit is a noteworthy example of most every aspect of the museum’s broad mission statement. Sergeant First Class Mitchell Arthur Lane, an Engineer Sergeant with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, died on August 29, 2003, during a combat air assault on an enemy cave complex in Afghanistan.

According to those who knew him, Lane was extraordinary in every way and will be long remembered for the particularly effective door breaching device he became a master of. The explosive water charge is widely used throughout US SOFs and those of many allied nations. Lane was constantly modifying the charge to fit the situation and made a point of writing clever messages on its support board.

The “Mitch Lane Special” features a spiral of detonating cord, a pair of medical salt water bags, 100 MPH tape, and a wooden board, “about half the height of the door you are going to blow down.” Its dramatic effectiveness comes not only in the ability to instantly vaporize heavy doors but also to allow the assaulting force to remain remarkably close to the blast without injury.

Wish List

While there are currently more than 6,000 artifacts in the museum’s collection, some gaps exist that need to be filled. Highlights from a long list posted at www.soc.mil/swcs/museum/wishlist.shtml include items from Mosby’s Rangers (American Civil War), Alamo Scouts, Merrill’s Marauders and First Special Service Force (WW2), a Stoner assault rifle or machine gun (Vietnam), as well as Propaganda and Psychological Operations materials from all periods. Individuals and organizations wishing to offer appropriate artifacts are encouraged to contact Director/Curator Roxanne Merritt.

Gift Shop

Proceeds from Gift Shop sales go to support museum operations. Available items include a fascinating selection of Special Operations books, souvenirs and apparel. Mail order sales are handled through the website at www.jfkgiftshop.org or by phone at (910) 436-2366.

No-Sweat Visitor Passes

These are tough times for the many museums located on military bases. Attendance is way down due to the strict security measures in response to increased threats from terrorist organizations. Clearance for entering the bases is an unfamiliar task for most civilians who can’t be blamed for being reluctant to undergo the scrutiny necessary to get a visitor pass.

But those with determination and a few simple preparations will find the entry process for Fort Bragg and most other bases rather quick and painless and the payoff will be more than worthwhile:

• Call or visit the museum’s website in advance for directions and hours of operation
• Make sure there are no weapons or ammo in your vehicle
• Have current drivers license, vehicle registration and insurance card
• Watch for signs that direct you to a lane for “vehicles without decals”

Find Out More

JFK Special Warfare Museum is located in the main post area of Fort Bragg, North Carolina (near Fayetteville) at Bldg. D-2502 at Ardennes and Marion Streets. Telephone (910) 432-4272 or (910) 432-1533. Their website is www.soc.mil/swcs/museum.shtml. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays except certain holidays). There is no admission charge but donations are greatly appreciated.

Special Forces Association www.sfahq.org

Ranger Association
www.ranger.org
OSS Society
http://osssociety.org
Central Intelligence Agency www.cia.gov
US Army Special
Operations Command
www.soc.mil