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US Army Quartermaster Museum


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The QM Musuem currently has an excellent temporary exhibit on swords and other edged weapons called “Blades: Centuries of Swords, Bayonets, and Bolos”, which chronicles the evolution of mankind’s oldest hand-to-hand weapons. You can read about in this previous post at:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=93828

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  • 7 months later...

Although I've been there once, reading this makes we want to revisit; fortunately I'm not too far away. I would second (third...fourth...) the endorsements listed above, definitely worth a visit.

-Lee

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Thanks Lee. The Quartermaster Museum is working on a new Temporary Exhibit scheduled to open in April called Supply and Demand: Quartermasters in the Civil War.

 

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, the Quartermaster Museum will install an exhibit that will focus on the role of the Quartermaster Department during that conflict. The exhibit will feature a wide range of displays to include artifacts that have never been on display before. The museum will also utilize technology in key areas to further highlight the Civil War story. The exhibit is scheduled to be open to the public on April 2nd. Stay tuned for more information.

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General Apathy

post-344-1332021045.jpg

 

 

I'm quite fortunate to work right across the street from the Army Quartermaster Museum. Unfortunately I simply don't have the time to visit as often as I'd like to.

 

The museum is a militaria collectors dream and well worth the trip. It has one of the US Army's largest collections of DUI and SSIs, much of which is on public display. One of the former missions of the Quartermaster Corps was Army Heraldry, so for many decades the Quartermaster Museum was one of The Institute of Heraldry's primary repositories of insignia. On public display is the collection of long time ASMIC member COL Richard T. Bull who donated his entire 6,300 piece DUI collection to the museum. COL Bull's DUIs are in a series of drawers that pull out of the wall for viewing. There is also a collection of cloth insignia on display in a simular manner, however this display is dominated with chevrons used throughout the Army's history.

 

Hi Kevin, I just saw that your Fort Lee topic had jumped to the top of the page again this evening, which made me recall that I had a 1941 ' yard-long ' photo of Camp Lee. It's actually several inches longer than a yard it measures 41 inches not 36 and it's 11 inches deep ( 104 x 28 cms ). :lol:;)

 

ken

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General Apathy

post-344-1332021495.jpg

 

 

Camp Lee 1941 ...................

 

Seen in this photograph on the top left border of the yard-long photograph the original owner has notated ' X My Barracks ' the ' X ' is in front of the barracks sixth back from the bottom left corner of the photograph, unfortunately he has not added any other personal details, an unknown to history. :think:

 

ken

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Technically, that's a heck of a photograph Ken. I suppose they must have had a very wide angle lens in an aerial camera. Wonder how many passes it took to get this particular frame?!

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post-344-1332021045.jpg

Hi Kevin, I just saw that your Fort Lee topic had jumped to the top of the page again this evening, which made me recall that I had a 1941 ' yard-long ' photo of Camp Lee. It's actually several inches longer than a yard it measures 41 inches not 36 and it's 11 inches deep ( 104 x 28 cms ). :lol:;)

 

ken

 

 

Ken, That's a great photo. I have my WW I yard long photo of Camp Lee hanging in my conference room at work. I have to check it periodically to make sure it's not gone missing. It's hard to make out any landmarks on it as everything was torn down after WW I with the exception of the Davis House which is the oldest structure on post.

 

I believe the WWII photo is taken from one of the two water towers, which are still standing. Sadly most of the WW II barracks and other buildings have been torn down in the last 15-20 years. There are still a few WWII buildings scattered around post to include a Chapel and the Officers Club (Lee Club). The main ballroom of the club still has two massive and magnificent paintings that were done by a Sergeant in WWII. One is George Washington and the other of Robert E. Lee.

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General Apathy
Ken, That's a great photo. I have my WW I yard long photo of Camp Lee hanging in my conference room at work. I have to check it periodically to make sure it's not gone missing. It's hard to make out any landmarks on it as everything was torn down after WW I with the exception of the Davis House which is the oldest structure on post.

 

I believe the WWII photo is taken from one of the two water towers, which are still standing. Sadly most of the WW II barracks and other buildings have been torn down in the last 15-20 years. There are still a few WWII buildings scattered around post to include a Chapel and the Officers Club (Lee Club). The main ballroom of the club still has two massive and magnificent paintings that were done by a Sergeant in WWII. One is George Washington and the other of Robert E. Lee.

 

Hi Kevin, thanks for your update on what's left to be seen of the camp features, I did manage to see a few of the original WWII barracks on a few of my earlier trips to the Camp, maybe they have gone now. :think:

 

ken

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General Apathy
Technically, that's a heck of a photograph Ken. I suppose they must have had a very wide angle lens in an aerial camera. Wonder how many passes it took to get this particular frame?!

 

 

Hi Ian, well Kevin might have explained in his reply how the photo of the camp was taken, from a water tower maybe, it does appear to have been an aerial shot not knowing of the water tower.

 

ken

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but all US Army camps of the period seem to have been built to a standard design? Even the opening credits of "Bilko" showing the fictitious "Fort Baxter" has similar buildings and layout?

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but all US Army camps of the period seem to have been built to a standard design? Even the opening credits of "Bilko" showing the fictitious "Fort Baxter" has similar buildings and layout?

 

 

Yes, the building design was standardized by the Quartermaster Corps' Construction Division so military camps could be constructed quickly in 1940-41 for the rapid mobilization of soldiers just prior to the US entry into WWII. The massive scale of construction was so great that it outstripped the capabilities of the Construction Division's peacetime staff and this function was transferred to the Engineer Corps.

 

These were temporary structures that were only designed to stand for 10 years or less, and now many are going on 70+ years of service.

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The transfer of mission from QM to EN may have been just one more hiccup in the mass changes after Pearl Harbor that affected everything from pay to uniforms to rations , etc. Another one was moving FIREFIGHTING from QM to EN. As masters of quarters, QM had also fulfilled the Facilities and Utilities needs of the Army....IIRC also Gas Generation, which for a time had been a Cml Corps responsibility, went to the EN then.

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Yes, the building design was standardized by the Quartermaster Corps' Construction Division so military camps could be constructed quickly in 1940-41 for the rapid mobilization of soldiers just prior to the US entry into WWII. The massive scale of construction was so great that it outstripped the capabilities of the Construction Division's peacetime staff and this function was transferred to the Engineer Corps.

 

These were temporary structures that were only designed to stand for 10 years or less, and now many are going on 70+ years of service.

And the best part of the standardization was that, during my years in the service, you could drop me off at any military base in the United States in the middle of the night and I could find a chow hall, a barracks, arms room and a unit supply room and easily identify the nearest chapel and motorpool...heck what would you need?

Al

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  • 3 weeks later...

The new temporarly exibit “A War of Supply: The Quartermaster Department in the Civil War", opens today at the Quartermaster Musuem. Here is the press release from the museum:

 

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum installed a new exhibit, “A War of Supply: The Quartermaster Department in the Civil War.” The role of the Quartermaster Department during the Civil War was paramount. This “army behind the army” provided logistical support never before seen in war. The ability to clothe, transport, and sustain large field armies over the course of four years was crucial to Union victory. However, success did not come easy. This exhibit reveals how the U.S. Army Quartermaster Department overcame significant challenges to create an effective organization that reinforced the importance of supply on the battlefield.

 

Artifacts from the museum’s extensive collection will be on display, some never before seen by the public. The museum will also highlight its iconic Civil War items to include General Grant’s saddle, Wagon Ambulance, and extremely rare uniforms and equipment. Visitors will have a chance to “try on” history with repro uniforms and take pictures in a mock-up Civil War studio. The exhibit will also utilize social media by using Quick Response (QR) codes and a digital trivia game via a Smartphone application.

 

The exhibit will be at the museum for one year.

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post-344-1332021045.jpg

Hi Kevin, I just saw that your Fort Lee topic had jumped to the top of the page again this evening, which made me recall that I had a 1941 ' yard-long ' photo of Camp Lee. It's actually several inches longer than a yard it measures 41 inches not 36 and it's 11 inches deep ( 104 x 28 cms ). :lol:;)

 

ken

 

I like the way you hold down the ends of the photograph---although Scotch would be my preference!! Al Hirschler in Dallas.

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  • 1 month later...

After wanting to see it for years, I finally had the chance to make it out to the QM museum this past spring - it's WELL WORTH the trip!

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After wanting to see it for years, I finally had the chance to make it out to the QM museum this past spring - it's WELL WORTH the trip!

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  • 1 month later...

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