Muscogee County GaArchives Photo Place.....Infanty Museum (Cannon) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 April 24, 2007, 1:51 pm Source: Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/infantym12654gph.jpg Image file size: 131.5 Kb RESOUNDING YES Infanty Museum Needed, Got a HOME By Richard Grube Guest Columnist The National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning seeks to preserve the Infantryman's gallantry and humility in action and act as a bridge to those Americans who follow, so that they too may share in the pride and dedication that has been displayed on countless stricken fields by the American soldier. The museum had a very modest beginning. Housed "temporarily" for 18 years in World War II vintage buildings, it was faced with the ever present risk of fire and weather damage. The show cases were those discarded by Kirvens or Sears. But what was lacking in facilities was more than made up for by the enthusiasm of the supporters at Fort Benning and in the local community. About ten years ago, when the late Jim Woodruff, Jr., Winthrop Rockefeller and many others considered the prospect of raising funds for a permanent home for the Infantry Museum, a question was posed: does the museum, the Infantry and the Army have anything worth preserving that warrants the effort of collecting funds and providing a permanent home for the museum? The answer to that question is a resounding "Yes!" If the only thing housed in sucn a museum was the memory of deeds and service by the Infantryman, the task and the effort would be justified. Largely through the efforts of Jim Woodruff and the Museum Association, a million dollars was raised to convert, restore, and renovlate the present buildings into a permanent home for the National Infantry Museum. On 1 July, 1977, before a crowd of some 4,000 people, General of the Army Omar N. Bradley ceremoniously cut the ribbon which would officially open the museum's new home. Appropriately, General Bradley, the nation's only surviving five star general, used a silver hilted Infantry officer's sword, dating prior to the Revolutionary War to cut the ribbon. The National Infantry Museum is among the largest of 70 U.S. Army Museums under the control of the Chief of Military history in Washington. Occupying the historic post hosp1tal, the second oldest permanent building at Fort Benning, it is housed in one of the finest museum buildings in the Army system. Carpeting, air conlitioning, a 100-seat auditorium, fine lighting, and plenty of free parking add to the attractiveness of a collection unequaled by most military museums, a collection which covers a wide range of interests for the gun enthusiast to the lover of fine art. With 50,000 square feet of space, nearly half of which is open to the public, an entire floor will eventually be devoted to the U.S. Infanry. When completed the third floor will house foreign displays. One wing is currently devoted to the history of Fort Benning. Although we talk of the collection being more than things painted olive drab, Army green, the collection is primarily military. There is a collection of some 2300 firearms. On display is a collection of 96 weapons of the rarest type, which traces the evolution of the Infantryman's basic weapon, the musket or rifle, from pre-Revolutionary America to the War in Korea. We have M-14 number 1, and two gatllng guns made in 1876, including the rare camel model made for epxort by Colt. We show the three barrel sport weapon of Herman Goering, Hitler's Chief of Air Force. Our collection includes one of the 10,000 Chariavilles Flintlocks Lafayette brought from France. One of our most important weapons is a cannon cast at the Confederate Arsenal, Columbus, Georgia, in 1863, which is proudly displayed with many other Confederate weapons and uniforms. As mentioned earlier, the National Infantry Museum is not a small museum. Its collection of 60,000 items ranges from pins and buttons to tanks, aircraft, and an atomic projectile, the Davy Crockett. The museum's 3500 uniforms date from the Revolutionary War, and the collection of U.S. and foreign helmets and headgear is exceptional. The quarter of a million books, photographs, and papers includes a collection of Presidential items, a reminder that the President is the nation's Commander-in-Chief. Of special note is a 1799 letter signed by George Washington. The nation can take pride that 24 of our Presidents have served in the military, of which 19 have been Army men. The duffle bag carried by Franklin Pierce during the War with Mexico in 1846, as well as other mementos which recall the visits of six Presidents to Fort Benning: Harding, Roosevelt,Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson and Ford, are on display. There are few visitors who will not be impressed with the bronze statuary, fine oils, water colors and sterling silver bowls and trophies which are laced through the exhibits of less elegant artifacts, demonstrating how diversified the collection is. Distinguished American artists such as Bohrod, Kingman, Davison, and Williams, along with many foreign artists are represented. Finally, for those who have no time for war and guns or for beauty and art, there is a turn-of-the century country store the type that would have been operated by a regimental or post Sutler prior to 1896.This store has plug tobacco - cutters. a barber chair, pot bellied stove and a host of other items which return the visitor to a year long past by jets, atoms, amplifiers and aerosal cans. A cordial Invitation is extended to those who have never visited the museum or those who have not toured the new building since the opening last July. The museum is open on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Private groups are welcome, and free use of the auditorium can be arranged. Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II Ledger- Enquirer, Sunday, April 23, 1978.S-20 Scanned by Christine G. Thacker, 4/22/2007. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/infantym12654gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb