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TheWarFrontOR
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TheWarFrontOR

Since no one had started a thread for Oregon, I thought I would do the honor of the thread for this who fancy a coastal trip on the West side.

 

Oregon has an incredible amount of historical sites and locations for WWII lovers for all branches of the military:

 

Interested in the Navy? Head to Tillamook OR to see the incredibly impressive Navy zeppelin hangars and visit the Air museum there.

Interested in the Air Corp? Check out Pearson Airfield at Fort Vancouver or the Evergreen museum in McMinville and don't forget the B-17 Alliance Group in Salem OR to see the Lacey Lady, a B-17 currently being restored to flying condition.

Interested in the Army? Check out the grounds of the famous Camp Adair where over 40,000 men trained!

Interested in the Coast Artillery life? Check out Ft Stevens and battery Russell, the site of the only attack by the Japanese on Continental US ever occurred. While in town, Check out its triangulating sisters, Fort Columbia and Fort Canby.

 

Finally, interested in militaria and a great lunch? Stop by The War Front Militaria & Collectibles in Milwaukie OR where you'll find an impressive collection of WWI to modern military items including weapons, uniforms, blades, field gear and military vehicles and visit their museum with all original uniform and equipment display and an extensive collection of Camp Adair souvenirs and items. When you're done, get lunch at the Bombers Cafe to see more of the journey of the Lacey Lady, the Bombers who crowned a gas station in that location for over 50 years until its restoration began in 2015.

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You certainly are a first class advocate for Oregon. I've had the pleasure of visiting Tillamook, and it's well worth the visit. I picked up a wind breaker while there, and am reminded of my experience each time I wear it--a walking advertisement. Thank you in advance should I be able to get back to your lovely state. Jack

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I thought I was reading an informational pamphlet for a time there, almost bought a plane ticket. Sounds like you have a lot of military history of there and I would love to make it down there from Montana in the future.

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The Tillamook Air Museum is still there and is still worth a visit . The hangar alone is worth visiting.

 

However, many of the aircraft that were displayed there are owned by Jack Erickson (founder and former owner of Erickson Air Crane)and sadly, he has moved his aircraft to a new facility at the airport in Redmond, Oregon. If I heard correctly he bought the whole airport.

 

A visit to the Erickson collection is well worth it, but Redmond is in central Oregon, about a 6-hour drive from Tillamook, and about 4 hours from Portland. Here's a link: http://www.ericksoncollection.com/

 

The Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville is well worth a visit, but since the founder of Evergreen Aviation died, the museum has had issues with funding, and has sold off or returned many aircraft in it's collection. The Spruce Goose remains, but it would be wise to check with the museum to see what they still have on display, hours, etc. Here is a link: http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/

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  • 1 month later...

Some historical site additions...

If you are into hiking, you can check out the Cape Lookout crash site, where a B-17 went down on August 1, 1943, with a lone survivor. Off the Three Capes Loop Drive NW of Tillamook, if I remember right.

Fort Stevens, at the mouth of the Columbia was shelled by a Japanese submarine, and Mount Emily, near Brookings was bombed, with a resulting forest fire. Lakeview, which is I think is north of Coos Bay, is where six people were killed when trying to drag a Japanese balloon out of the woods in 1945.


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There's also a neat air museum in Hood River.

 

This weekend I went through Florence, and noticed a new sign where 126 crosses 101. It indicated there was a Military Museum on the coastal side of 101. It must be fairly new, has anyone been through it yet?

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This weekend I went through Florence, and noticed a new sign where 126 crosses 101. It indicated there was a Military Museum on the coastal side of 101. It must be fairly new, has anyone been through it yet?

Haven't heard of it,but coincidentally,I might be heading to Florence in the next week or two.

Will definitely keep an eye out.

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  • 5 months later...
thewarfront

We have one of the best collections of WW2 uniforms and equipment on display in the shop. See our post in the Display category. All original items. The War Front in Milwaukie Oregon just at the south end of Portland.

 

 

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post-32632-0-24827000-1469152339.jpgpost-32632-0-70411800-1469152377.jpg Actully a very cool Air Museum in Hood River. Lots of military and civ



There's also a neat air museum in Hood River.

ilian aircraft, Plus vehicles, weapons and other stuff.

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  • 9 months later...
General Colt

I didn't get to see this but would have loved to, the PT658 is alive and well and restored in Portland.

 

Anyone seen it?

 

http://www.savetheptboatinc.com

 

I've seen it. Pretty nice boat. I got a ride on it. Its right next to the LCI 713, the last remaining Landing Craft Infantry.

 

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  • 3 months later...

Here are a couple of places if you are looking for surplus within the Portland area.

 

Alleycat Supply located in Boring, OR. Very large building and parking lot. Has a lot of surplus and throw backs from a time long ago. Very spacious inside and has the true surplus store feel. The store has lots of oddities too, so you never know what is in stock. Prices are reasonable. There are large bins of oddities to rummage through if you feel adventurous. The back of the store also houses lots of civilian tools, gear, and camping stuff too so you may have to look past all the military to get to the bargain stuff.

 

Next, Aloha Surplus located in Beaverton. This place is in an old converted church which is why it looks so odd from the outside and inside. Parking is limited but once inside you can spend a lot of time just looking through stuff. Has a lot of modern clothing, hats, cold weather jacket, cheap overseas made stuff, etc. Good selection of ammo cans, and used military items, web gear and such. Prices are on the steep side for what I wanted to pay but found one or two items that were within my range. Has a wall or two devoted to collectibles from past wars. Probably one of the places around that is still a true army surplus store.

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  • 2 years later...

If you are in Medford, OR, the Main Antique Mall on N. Riverside Ave. is a good place to try for militaria.  Last time I was there (summer, 2018) one of the vendors had a pretty large selection of goodies, but I found other items within plenty of other vendor's booths, too.

 

For army/navy surplus, there is the HUGE "Army Navy Marine Store" on Crater Lake Ave. in Central Point, OR just up I-5 near White City.

 

Over in Klamath Falls, if you go to 600 Spring Street Antique and talk to the owner he'll point you down the street to his warehouse that has a pretty good supply of army surplus stuff for sale.

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