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A Trip to the National Army Museum, Fort Belvoir, Virginia


Dirk
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Today the Company of Military Historians did a field trip to the National Army Museum. We were fortunate to have in our party several curators who worked on designing and outfitting the museum and hearing the back stories of many of the pieces. One item that stuck out to me  the Regimental Colors of the 13th US Infantry from the Civil War. The curator said when he had the flag restored the restorer asked him if he wanted the blood traces she found on it removed. Since the stains were stable he wanted them left-thankfully! You can’t even see the staining but it’s there.  Well worth the visit 

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More…another problem is all the artifacts that were “left on the cutting room floor” only so much space that did not allow for much in the way of the Westward Expansion or the Amex-American War. But what’s shown is first class….a nice minty 1872 campaign hat and a Custer Battlefield confirmed trapdoor recovered from the Indians during the recovery phase after the battle….the D-Day Higgins boat was brought back from England and was used on D-Day. The curator who outfitted land craft Diorama told us he included a Chaplain who is older then the others  scaling down the rope ladder…he was also responsible for selecting the gear each man would be carrying 

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Salvage Sailor

Terrific displays Dirk, adding this new (2020) museum site to my travel list

 

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Thanks for posting these photos Dirk. I heard about the opening of the museum and would love to go someday. It looks great! I envy you guys who live so close to these amazing museums. 

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This tank stood at Ft Mead for years. When finally restored for this museum the turret was removed and the restorer’s found  several German shells. The Tank was used in a counter attack that ultimately killed driver and wounded the officer who had to evacuate the tank.

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Old Crow 1986

Great displays and photos.

 

Your comment about "left on the cutting room floor" is going to haunt me every time I go to one of the top tier museums.  I'll constantly be thinking, "Hmmmm, so what have they got in the back room?"

 

Thanks for sharing!

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