The Former US Army Ordnance Museum - Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland (1 Viewer)

[tdubel]

As a kid, I grew up about 10 miles from the base and had the luxury as a youngster of attending Armed Forces Day and see an M60 and XM 1 in action, ride the original Officer's Train around the base with luxury Pullmann Coaches, as well as view a field of relics, artifacts, vehicles, etc that included just about everything you can imagine including a V1 and V2. Unfortunately, the Army in all of its wisdom spent millions of dollars to "move the Museum" to Fort Lee VA. However, step to reality - 1. No Public Museum has ever opened at Fort Lee! 2. "Outdoor Artifacts like Anzio Annie can be seen from a distance and 3. Most of the inventory of Tanks is "unaccounted for" which means they are either still at APG or in a warehouse at Fort Lee. As I said in another thread - BS! Some of the more prominent items are in various places - The King Tiger now resides at the Patton Museum, Anzio Annie has been reassembled and I believe you can finally view it at Fort Lee, The Tiger 1 I lost track of where it actually is. Enough rambling, I found a photo link from the 1970s that shows a lot of these pieces in their glory - enjoy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/avatar1/sets/72157626083785412/

Tom

 

[zblang]

Nice collection of armor there! It's a shame it's in shambles now

 

[6th Wisconsin]

Thanks Tom!! Nice Link. The tanks sure looked good back in the 70s! We were lucky to spend a lot of time there not long before it moved. I am going to add a link from my personal site, which has a lot of my photos from 2009. Some of the vehicles held up well, but certainly a few not so well over the years. http://www.danwoodlief.com/Military/US-Army-Ordnance-Museum/

 

[tdubel]

Thanks Tom!! Nice Link. The tanks sure looked good back in the 70s! We were lucky to spend a lot of time there not long before it moved. I am going to add a link from my personal site, which has a lot of my photos from 2009. Some of the vehicles held up well, but certainly a few not so well over the years. http://www.danwoodlief.com/Military/US-Army-Ordnance-Museum/

NICE You got them later in life when a lot had already gone missing, ,but they did look neat on the concrete pads, that was an upgrade! One thing to note also is the paint job on Annie. When I was a young kid, you could actually climb on Annie on Armed Forces Day and walk the length of the platform. Your pics are fantastic, thanks for sharing. I have often wish there was a book done on all of the pieces that were once there. There are aerial photos out there that show the field in the 70s, 80s, 90s and at the end. You would not believe how the collection shrunk over time. Anyhow, thanks again for sharing.

Tom

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Tom,

This is a personal sore point for me as well. I took my kids to see the collection before it moved and it was a really good display a lot of vehicles to see from many countries and some really interesting weapns and weapons systems as well. Of course with the shrinking of the force it was decided to move most of the Armor pieces to Fort Benning along with the newly shrunk and mal treated Armor School. (also a very major sore point for me) Unfortunately the Infantry School decided to give crap quarters to the Armor Museum and subsequesntly they have most of the vehicles in storage. I have a friend who lives there and is also an Armor guy and he says its a total shambles and will likely remain this way for a while. Fortunately if you want to see the Elefant Tank Destroyer we captured in Italy it is on loan to the British Tank Museum for a couple of years and is one of the stars of the up coming Tank Days event focusing on Tigers and varients. Down side is you will have to go to the UK to see it but if you plan a trip there at the same time as a Toy Soldier Show in London it will be a win win...

Here is a photo of the Elefant with my son who was 6 at the time

Dave

 

[tdubel]

Hi Tom,

This is a personal sore point for me as well. I took my kids to see the collection before it moved and it was a really good display a lot of vehicles to see from many countries and some really interesting weapns and weapons systems as well. Of course with the shrinking of the force it was decided to move most of the Armor pieces to Fort Benning along with the newly shrunk and mal treated Armor School. (also a very major sore point for me) Unfortunately the Infantry School decided to give crap quarters to the Armor Museum and subsequesntly they have most of the vehicles in storage. I have a friend who lives there and is also an Armor guy and he says its a total shambles and will likely remain this way for a while. Fortunately if you want to see the Elefant Tank Destroyer we captured in Italy it is on loan to the British Tank Museum for a couple of years and is one of the stars of the up coming Tank Days event focusing on Tigers and varients. Down side is you will have to go to the UK to see it but if you plan a trip there at the same time as a Toy Soldier Show in London it will be a win win...

Here is a photo of the Elefant with my son who was 6 at the time

Dave

Dave,

Great photo, a little more info - my stepdad is retired Chief of BRL, then ARL that was at APG. He was retiring as this debacle was occurring and he said there was truly a lack of attention paid both on the military and the civilian side. He indicated it was a crime what was paid to actually move Annie to Fort Lee. He said any financial person would have nixed it immediately as the cost was astronomical. Unfortunately, the uproar occurred after all was moved, removed, etc. He also indicated that the former curator was more concerned with appearing on the History Channel for the restoration of the Elefant and Hetzer than he was on taking care of the collection. He once inquired as to what happened to the V2 Rocket as well as the V1 and never got an answer through both civilian and military channels. At one point a non profit group tried to take control of the space and collection, but unfortunately, red tape as well as meetings were ignored and the decisions were made prior to that deal getting done. End of day, such a shame.

I actually did some further research and the Tiger 712 from my childhood has now been returned to Germany for restoration many moons ago, I am not sure where it actually is today. Funny thing as a kid, I remember that one being the "shiny penny" of the lot, not sure why it needed such restoration.

Anyhow, what is a shame is I never got to take Logan to see it as it was always an ordeal due to the base closure in time of conflict and my stepdad retired. Oh well, I will have to plan a trip and take him to Bovington! I have previously been there with Clive and I can tell you, it was impressive.

TD

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Tom,

I am sorry that this happened and can understand the anger and frustration your step father feels. I feel very similar about the way my branch and the museum there was packed up and shipped to benning. So as you can imagine I am Very aggravated and I am sure there are old Armor Generals flipping in their graves over these idiotic moves and subsequent demotion of my Branch, Armor to its 1920-30s roll of support to the Infantry. We are finally waking up to the fact that Infantry should do Infantry stuff and Armor and Cavalry guys should do their thing and not all be used as dismounted patrol fillers. I wont go into it but its a shame all the hard won training and of the 1980s and 1990s went in to the craper because of the type of war we are currently dealing with. Anyway the big issue of the museums may well be on the mend and perhaps they will get all the tanks back on display and taken care of.

As for the Tiger we gave back to Germany I am pretty sure its at Padderborn at their Tank School Museum. I know a couple of German and Danish Tankers and will see if one of them knows where it is. WHo knows maybe they can send me a photo or two of it.

Dave

 

[BLReed]

Although small, the U.S. Army Medical Museum success, if you will, is because of donations from a strong core
of supporters. With limited and decreasing government funds, these donations keep it alive. Maybe some other
Branches could establish an active association. Armor and Infantry certainly have a bigger base to draw from.
Maybe they do, I have no idea.

http://ameddmuseum.amedd.army.mil/visit.html

http://ameddregiment.amedd.army.mil/