US Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen Proving Ground

[gwb123]

Now and then we have inquires about the former US Army Ordnance Museum that used to be at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

 

I was fortunate enough to visit there when I was a teenager.  Somehow I convinced my parents that it would make a great family outing, and they brought my sister and brother along as well.

 

For a young model maker, it was literally a "field of dreams".  

 

I did my best to photograph everything that was there.  However, the flaw in what I thought was going to be a once in a life time trip was I only brought a limited amount of film.  

 

My other disappointment was the field behind the museum had very little US hardware.  Only later did I learn about the Mile of Tanks coming in through one of Aberdeen's main gates.  You could see pretty much all of the significant tanks from US history starting at the main gate and then onward as you progressed into the base.

 

[gwb123]

Looking back, the tanks were already well on their way to being damaged by outdoor storage.

 

The collection has been dispersed, some of it at Ft. Lee, some to Ft. Benning, and some to Fort Bliss.  In some ways none of these will live up to the variety that was once at APG.

 

I've looked in recent years for photos on line that could better represent the past collection, and just happened across these slide shows on Youtube.

 

Since these photos were taken by a steadier hand with a better camera, I will yield this thread to them.

 

If anyone has any photos they would like to add, feel free!

 

 

 

 

[gwb123]

The irony of my story with Aberdeen is the US Army in its infinite wisdom took me with a political science degree and commissioned me as a Vehicle Maintenance Officer!  I spent at least 6 months there.  Oddly, I only returned to the Museum once or twice, and didn't take a single photo!  I suppose I was just too cool for school at that point, and was more focused on learning the ins and outs of US vehicles.  Opportunity lost, forever.  Lesson learned... never pass up the chance to explore what is right in front of you!

[Backtheattack]

Was there in 2007, a great place with a wide area of military history. Sad it`s now split.

[USARV72]

Spent about 6 months there in 71 for school. Had guard duty on the tank farm which was way better than any other post. Climbed on every tank looking through holes to inside. Sadly back then they were in bad shape. Took kids back a couple of times in 80’-90’s to show them. Went to MVCC shows there late 80’s- 90’s , fantastic shows .

[JDR]

Greetings!

 

Just ran across this thread while researching the Aberdeen collection, too bad they all were split up! Looks like it was a sight to behold while all the vehicles were together.

 

Picked this up in an online auction, I thought it was interesting enough to buy for the price. A piece of armor from a First World War era Saint-Chamond tank once housed at Aberdeen, around 400 were produced during hostilities by the French:

 

 

 

On the reverse of the photo is a description of when the piece was found. I blurred out the name of the individual

intentionally in case a souvenir like this is breaking some kind of rule that's in place:

 

"WWI-Chanult tank at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. 1981-83.

This French tank was painted painted light grey blue. When I walked behind the tank at the bottom

of the armor plating a small long triangular piece was missing. And it was lying 

on ground in 4" high grass. I brought it home and still have it today. 

May 2008."

 

A photo I found online when I searched for any French

tanks at Aberdeen. Based on the similarities of paint color

and the additional hatch on the top-right of the roof I will

assume this is the same tank

 

Cool little trinket I found and glad to have. If anyone knows the whereabouts of this specific tank I would love to know!

 

Best Regards,

-J.D.

[JDR]

On 12/21/2020 at 8:19 PM, gwb123 said:

The irony of my story with Aberdeen is the US Army in its infinite wisdom took me with a political science degree and commissioned me as a Vehicle Maintenance Officer!  I spent at least 6 months there.  Oddly, I only returned to the Museum once or twice, and didn't take a single photo!  I suppose I was just too cool for school at that point, and was more focused on learning the ins and outs of US vehicles.  Opportunity lost, forever.  Lesson learned... never pass up the chance to explore what is right in front of you!

 

Gwb123, I totally get what you mean! I did 4 years active duty in the Marines where I was stationed on mainland Japan but not Okinawa. Personally I had spent about 6 years on Okinawa as a child so getting to visit the island and bases was always a nostalgic tip up memory lane. In April 2019 I was assigned training on the island so I decided to go out of my way on a weekend and make the drive down to the castle from Camp Schwab.

 

Heres what it looked like from my visit:

 

 

And then fast forward 8 months later:

 

 

Made me glad I went out of my way to go!

 

Best Regards,

-J.D.

[militariaone]

2 hours ago, UnteroffizierFSAR9 said:

Greetings!

 

Just ran across this thread while researching the Aberdeen collection, too bad they all were split up! Looks like it was a sight to behold while all the vehicles were together.

 

Picked this up in an online auction, I thought it was interesting enough to buy for the price. A piece of armor from a First World War era Saint-Chamond tank once housed at Aberdeen, around 400 were produced during hostilities by the French:

 

 

 

On the reverse of the photo is a description of when the piece was found. I blurred out the name of the individual

intentionally in case a souvenir like this is breaking some kind of rule that's in place:

 

"WWI-Chanult tank at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. 1981-83.

This French tank was painted painted light grey blue. When I walked behind the tank at the bottom

of the armor plating a small long triangular piece was missing. And it was lying 

on ground in 4" high grass. I brought it home and still have it today. 

May 2008."

 

A photo I found online when I searched for any French

tanks at Aberdeen. Based on the similarities of paint color

and the additional hatch on the top-right of the roof I will

assume this is the same tank

 

Cool little trinket I found and glad to have. If anyone knows the whereabouts of this specific tank I would love to know!

 

Best Regards,

-J.D.

Greetings,

 

It was returned to France in 1985 as it was the only example left (& technically still on loan). See near the end of this webpage http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/saint-chamond-tank-ww1-char-french.html. It's currently located at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur, France.

 

Best,

 

V/r Lance

[atb]

57 minutes ago, militariaone said:

Greetings,

 

It was returned to France in 1985 as it was the only example left (& technically still on loan). See near the end of this webpage http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/saint-chamond-tank-ww1-char-french.html. It's currently located at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur, France.

 

Best,

 

V/r Lance

I saw it (and one or two other French WW1 tanks that may have been from Aberdeen) when I toured the museum several years ago. The Musee des Blindes is an amazing place. They rebuild the vehicles to running condition.

[JDR]

2 hours ago, militariaone said:

Greetings,

 

It was returned to France in 1985 as it was the only example left (& technically still on loan). See near the end of this webpage http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/saint-chamond-tank-ww1-char-french.html. It's currently located at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur, France.

 

Best,

 

V/r Lance

 

Lance,

 

Wow! I really appreciate the info, neat to have a piece that dates before the restoration and return to France. Had I known it was a piece from not A, but THE Saint-Chamond tank I probably would have paid more attention to the auction! I paid little to nothing for the piece so this discovery is quite fascinating, really appreciate your help!

 

Best Regards,

-J.D.

[JDR]

Greetings again,

 

Did some digging around to find a good photo of the rear of the Saint-Chamond before restoration in 1987. I came across this photo from a French thread discussing tow attachments for the Saint-Chamond platform:

 

https://forum.pages14-18.com/viewtopic.php?t=52967

 

 

More than likely the spot where the piece came off of. The tank now has had new back armor panels fitted in place of the original damaged ones.

 

I reached out to the museum to ask if they had any remnants of the tank before it was restored so I could compare the paint color, unfortunately it sounds like they got rid of all the old damaged pieces. Still a neat find!

 

Best Regards,

-J.D.

[macjac69]

I lived in the housing area on Rodman Rd. which about 500 yards from this museum on two different occasions as an Army brat. The second time from about 79- 81  Dad was an M-1 turret mechanic instructor his last assignment at APG before retirement. The first go around was from around 73-76.  Irony is i wound up coming back to Ordnance OBC at APG in 91. We used to roam around out there as kids not really knowing the history we were amidst. In OBC I didn't visit it at all. I could kick myself now that it's gone. Lots of good memories of APG.