| Military history on display at Obion County Museum |
By: Donna Ryder Messenger Associate Editor
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Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 9:32 pm
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By DONNA RYDER
Messenger Associate Editor
Area residents are being invited to take a step back in time and learn about America’s military history with the newest exhibit to open at the Obion County Museum this weekend.
Members of the Discovery Park of America’s military history committee, in particular vice chairman Hugh Wade of Union City, have been busy putting together artifacts from the Civil War through today’s wars in the Middle East.
Wade said there are items from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the current wars in the Middle East. “We’ve tried to cover the whole spectrum,” he said, adding they are in need of more items from the Korean War if anyone has any to donate.
The museum’s open house will be held Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and with the variety and amount of items being placed in the building on Edwards Street in Union City, residents should be sure to arrive early to have time to take in all that is offered.
Wade said the museum already had in its possession much of what is being displayed, but even more has been acquired by the DPA committee. Some has been purchased, while other items have been given or loaned to the museum.
The whole gamut of military history can be found at the museum. There are battlefield and dress uniforms from the Civil War all the way through the digital greens of today, as well as those for female enlistees and some from foreign enemies. There’s even a uniform worn by military personnel at the airport training facility located near Union City. Items soldiers would carry with them, such as canteens and mess kits, are on display, as well as a special box of custom-made lighters, one with a bullet hole in it, from the Vietnam War. Medical kits and stretchers, a pup tent, radio cranks, a one-man life raft, a piece of portable runway track and water buckets are included.
Firearms are covered as well, though all are non-functioning. History buffs will be able to see nearly everything from single bullets to propelled weaponry and a handle used by the Vietnamese to toss hand grenades. A Laos rocket tube, meant to be fired only once and then disposed of, and a mine detection device are among the treasures, as are two movie prop bombs used in the filming of “Tora! Tora! Tora!” Those attending the open house and paying the admission fee of $2 per adult and $1 per child will also get the opportunity to shoot replicas of some of the weapons used by America’s soldiers. Children must have a parent or guardian with them in order to participate.
Vietnam veterans may see items they’ve not seen in long time — a bottle of “33 beer” and bottles of liquor with real snakes curled up inside. On the gruesome side are torture devices for cutting off fingers and a string of what is hoped to be fake ears. Committee chairman Newell Graham said it’s a brutal fact that there was lots of mutilation on both sides during the Vietnam War and American soldiers known as tunnel rats would cut the ears off their enemies.
Also among the items on display are a Vietnamese street vendor box, Ho Chi Minh sandals, handmade ships, a razor blade made from a B52 bomber, rare medals won during rifle competition, short timer sticks, trench art and a watercolor painting of the military’s trek from Normandy to Belgium. Other posters — some originals and other reproductions — include those from World War II encouraging men to join the military and others asking Americans to “send money now.” Wade said from the Vietnam era are music posters, including what he has been told are original Woodstock posters. There are also more than 200 books covering the wars fought by Americans. One display case is dedicated to hats and helmets, such as the fighter pilot’s helmet which reads McCain. Wade said he doubts that it actually belonged to former presidential candidate John McCain.
Museum board chairman Larry Mink said with the thousands of items that are on display, he thinks area residents of all ages will enjoy the new exhibit.
Published in The Messenger 9.28.09 |
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