Eisenhower Museum, Abilene Kansas

[MattS]

The museum complex encompasses Ike's boyhood home, Presidential library, and a visitor's center/gift shop. While there were a lot of great exhibits, I was disappointed in that there was not one of Eisenhower's generals uniforms on display. There were some of his earlier uniforms, a major's helmet, a tank corps campaign hat, and lots of other uniforms from other nations. One display was about Ike's support staff and had his luggage cases in it along with a moth-eaten NCO's Ike jacket. I read the label which said, "Master sergeant's uniform with quartermaster insignia". That was it. I was saddened to see the white-washed mannequins. Not only does that process ruin the artifacts, but they aren't even very accurate. Ike's medals laid out in 3 cases were impressive. I will share some photos, please judge for yourself.

[MattS]

1Lt Wallace Strobel was the paratrooper Ike was talking to in the famous D-1 photo. Strobel's M42 was on display but look at the helmet, maybe it's just me. The 2-star helmet was worn by MG Frank A. Keating, 102 Infantry Division and the USAAF officer was a pilot from Abilene.

[MattS]

I do not like white-washed mannequins. At all. At least they ruined a post-war helmet with the strap cut off.

[MattS]

Ike's Cadillac staff car.

[MattS]

Ike's medals. Anything with a ribbon on it was not on display and was replaced by a photo.

[MattS]

Ike statue in the middle of the complex and his final resting place. Great man, excellent leader, wonderful president.

[David D]

Is just the helmet the only real thing on the whitewashed mannequin, or is all of it original items whitewashed?

 

-Dave

[MattS]

I believe the boots were repro, the uniform and gear (and possibly the rifle) appeared to be original. And destroyed.

[David D]

Why why why do museums do stuff like this, to try to make it look "artsy"

 

-Dave

[Redleg13a]

Wish we could get MG Keating's helmet for the 102d Division. I'm SGS for the current 102d Training Division (Maneuver Support) headquartered at Fort Leonard Wood. We're looking at trying to get 102d items to put in a historical display we're planning.

[Government Issue]

That's bizarre. They used to have one of Rudder's dog tags displayed in the case with Strobel's stuff. Wonder where it went?

 

Concerning Strobel's helmet, It's probably his just not the one he wore when he jumped into France. A lot of guys ended up with different helmets during their time in the service, so it could be from a later date.

 

I've been there many times and was there for the 60th anniversary of Normandy back in '04. It was a blast with so many local vets there. My favorite display has always been the case with all the knives in it. Ton of rare ones in there if I remember right: V42, USMC raider stiletto, ect.

 

Did you happen to stop by and go in his house on the museum grounds? That was always a fun thing to do.

 

And I hope you stopped by the Brookville Hotel and got some fried chicken! The place although relocated has been around forever and is legendary to say the least.

 

But then again if you want the whole IKE experience try finding Mr. K's farmhouse. It was one of his favorite places to eat at and Mr. K's has remained virtually unchanged since '39. There's a humorous story with Ike and an infamous birthday incident that took place at Mr. K's too. Sure some people think it's a hole in the wall, but Ike liked it and I like Ike. If your ever going to Abilene give it a try.

[MattS]

They did have a dog tag of MG Norman D. Cota, 29th ID, in that display.

[Allan H.]

If I may, I would like to make a few comments about the museum and some of the concerns about the displays. I would like to start with the "whitewashed" US soldier that was photographed. The artist that did the whitewashed mannequin displays was not using anything that was considered to be historically significant when these soldiers were assembled. THe only WWII items that I recall on the mannequin were the wool overcoat, the M43 boots and the canteen cup. All of those items were considered to be hardly worth anything back in the day. The artist did other figures to include a German soldier and a British soldier too. The German soldier's helmet was one of the Spanish stahlhelms and even had the little metal hook soldiered to the front of it for the cocade that the Spaniards wore. The figure also had a 98K rifle with a straight bolt handle- probably a BRNO mauser. The badges on the tunic were reproductions and the tunic itself was a converted Swiss army tunic. These figures have been on display for at least twenty five years and maybe longer than that. I attended the 40th, 45th and 50th anniversary of D-Day celebrations held there and was dressed in WWII uniforms each time.

 

I remember when Wally Strobel brought his reinforced suit down for the museum and got to handle it. I do not recall it having an American flag on the sleeve before it went up on display. I can also say that I do not recall the helmet coming down with the uniform when he brought it to Abilene. I think it was simply added to the display to help the look.

 

Finally, I don't recall Rudder's dog tag ever being in the display with Strobel's suit. I remember General Cota's and believe that the helmet with the general's star was his as well. Perhaps Government Issue is mistaken? I might be for that matter.

 

As an aside- Strobel HATED the "23" placard that was put on the mannequin. He said the original was just a piece of cardboard (corrugated paper) with the number inked on it. He never thought that the number would ever have any significance, so he didn't keep it. He was getting ready to jump into combat and didn't see the need to preserve it. That was kind of interesting to me as I think Wally kept a lot of stuff from his time in service. Strobel was proud of the fact that he met Eisenhower on his 21st birthday and recalled that when the famous photo was taken, they were talking about fly fishing. Ike's hand is out because he was talking about fly casting!

 

Allan

[MattS]

Thanks for your comments Allan! As someone who works for a museum, I just do not personally like the 'artistic' whitewashed soldiers. Yes, there was also a German and Russian soldier there done up the same way. But my thought is that a military museum should be more about historical accuracy than artistic flair. I wouldn't expect to see a 1931 Duesenberg Model J painted over completely white in a car museum just for art's sake. If I wanted to see art, I'd visit an art museum.

 

In reference to Wally's helmet on display, I don't know if it was his or just a stand-in. If it is a stand-in, I think a M-2 would be more accurate. Of course, 99% of visitors wouldn't notice, except for the people like us on the forum that know the difference.

[Government Issue]

Ok now that makes sense. Sorry for the complete FUBAR on the dogtag. I was thinking of Cota and put Rudder! I had just finished reading a book on Rudder last night and totally misidentified it. Allan your completely right! I'm the idiot who botched the ID! It's really interesting to hear about the displays from someone who saw them before they were put up. It's sad to hear they added the flag to his uniform and such. The reason they probably don't have an M2 helmet is the same reason the majority of us will never have one in our collection--they're rare! Really great story behind the placard too! Did he hate it because it want the legitimate one he had? Was he disappointed with the flag too? I sure would be if they added something that wasn't legit.

 

Joseph

[Allan H.]

Joseph,

I hope you don't feel like you were being called out over the dog tag. That wasn't the desired effect at all. I was just simply going off of my recollections. There are a couple of things that I think need to be clarified- first, I said that I didn't recall a flag on Strobel's jump jacket when he brought it down to Abilene. I was so impressed that I was getting to handle the uniform that he wore in Normandy and I was more interested in looking at the canvas reinforcing and vividly remember the rust stains from the steel snaps on his jump suit. I just don't remember there being a flag on the sleeve. It could have been there, I just do not remember it at all. As for the white mannequins- I believe that they were donated to the museum and that the artist was someone of note. For the museum to not display them might be considered to be in bad form. I believe that this is why they are displayed. These mannequins are not behind glass or roped off. Anyone who walks up on them can touch them- though the staff doesn't want that to be done. Besides the American, the German and the Russian, there was a British soldier with tin hat and Enfield rifle, dressed as a desert rat and drinking from his canteen. I'm not sure if it is still on display.

 

Allan

[Government Issue]

Allan no worries. I just wanted to ensure that the correct information was being presented, and I deserve to beat myself up a little for getting Rudder and Cota mixed up. I've had lunch with Rudder's daughter for pete's sake! Thanks for the clarification on the flag, too.

[USMC Saipan]

fantastic museum amazing very nice thanks for the sharing

[viking73]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Matt. I remember going to this museum as a class field trip when I was a 5th grader in Junction City, KS (my late father was stationed at Ft. Riley at the time) many moon ago Wish I wasn't so far away as I'd sure love to go back sometime.

 

-Derek

[pmanton]

I lived just down the street at 108 Buckeye when I was stationed at Ft. Riley. I moved on post just before Eisenhower died and all the pomp of his funeral took place.

 

Paul

Salome, AZ

[mmerc20]

There are numerous boxes of documents in the Eisenhower library I would love to get copies of for our nonprofit group. I wish I had the opportunity to go visit.

[spectre]

I stopped by the Eisenhower museum on the way to the SOS last week. I didn't have much time as I was racing the weather so here are the shots I took.

Alan

 

[spectre]

First of the big murals when you come in

 

[spectre]

the second

[spectre]

Enigma machine and Norden bombsight