Saving History One Vehicle at a Time

A Place in Time

An air raid siren pierces through the sky. You jump behind a jeep seconds before bullets from the aircraft’s guns shoot into the dirt and ricochet off the body of the jeep, inches away from your head.

You arrive at your new location in the countryside of northern France, grab the green canvas and jump out of the back of the Dusenhalf. Minutes later a German Panzer tank rolls into your area. Quickly your company takes position behind the walls of a blown out building. Fortunately, the Germans do not see the Sherman tank camouflaged by a fallen tree. Immediately, the tank gunner takes his aim and the tank commander gives the order to fire. Threat eliminated.

On the third day of solid rain in late November, you walk back to the Dusenhalf after chow and try to warm up with the rest of your platoon. This is not a safe area to set up tents so your home for now is a wooden bench in the back of the truck. The canvas may leak but its still better than no cover at all.

Each of these vehicles has a story and a history far more vivid and rich than described here. We usually only hear about the major battles like the Battle of the Bugle or the Invasion of Normandy, but the truth is any war is filled with numerous battles that only the soldiers who were there know. An important piece of history in those battles are the vehicles which transported or assisted those soldiers in completing their missions and surviving. As much a piece of history as the weapons themselves, these vehicles play a very important role in connecting us with the soldiers who lived and died in their service.

To sit in the driver’s seat of an Army jeep from World War II mounted with its 50 cal. machine gun in many ways is a time machine of sorts. For a moment it places us in that time and helps us realize the conditions in which those soldiers traveled and fought. These are pieces of history that once we lose them, they are gone forever.

Saving History

The Armed Forces Museum in Alton, Illinois maintains its sole mission to preserve these important pieces of military history. The museum houses one of the largest collections of military vehicles in the country. It currently watches over approximately 15 privately owned vehicles and 25 owned by the museum.

They are involved in a program called “Living History” which furnishes displays of historic vehicles and memorabilia as well as works with reenactors at civil events like Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day. The museum also participates with reenactments and furnishes schools, youth, and civic groups the opportunity to see and experience history far beyond a book or a movie.

Speaking of movies, one of the museum’s prize vehicles is its WWII LVT-4 Water Buffalo, admirably referred to as “the Alligator.” What is special about this vehicle is it was one of two WWII LVT-4 Water Buffalos which was shipped to Iceland and played a starring role in Clint Eastwood’s movie, “Flags of Our Fathers.”

The Armed Forces Museum also contains an extensive collection of military uniforms, weapons, personal items, and literature. Much of their collection is on display at the museum or at various events throughout the year. In addition to their projects of operating and maintaining the building, restoring vehicles, and much more, they are working to build a military memorabilia store. It is quite alot for a small group of dedicated men and women whose work is strictly volunteer.

How You Can Help

The Armed Forces Museum survives solely on the donations of time and money from its members, supporters, and sponsors. The museum is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit museum. The museum also has a donation program in which they accept tax-deducted donations of vehicles, memorabilia, volunteer services, and funds.

One way in which the museum works to raise funds for its operation and restoration of military vehicles is by holding raffles. One recent success was the completed restoration of a 1952 M38 Willys Jeep with its raffle winner drawn at the VFW Post 1308 in Alton, Illinois on Veterans Day of this year. As the museum’s 6 year president George Lawrence told me, the money raised from this year’s raffle will help keep the doors open for this next year. He and other members of the staff went on to say that beyond that the museum’s future is on very shaky ground.

I have never seen a more dedicated group of volunteers using time, imagination, and ingenuity to help maintain and restore these important pieces of history. Many vehicles like these are usually maintained in places like the Smithsonian, so to discover a museum like this in middle America accomplishing so much with so little, it was absolutely breathtaking. This holiday season I invite you to learn more about the Armed Forces Museum and how you can assist in their ongoing mission to help preserve history one vehicle at a time.

ArmedForcesMuseum.org