Sign up for a Challenge!

I have visited many military museums around the world. One of the best is the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, USA. I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email about their WWII challenges. These are virtual run/walk challenges. These Challenges are a unique, virtual opportunity to honor our WWII veterans. They will let you explore the stories of two WWII journeys: Liberty Road and Pacific Theater.

The challenge began July 4 and runs through October 10. There are five different challenges you can choose to participate in:

• Operation Pacific Theater: 72-mile Challenge from Pearl Harbor to Midway Island
• Operation Pacific Theater: 717-mile Challenge which continues from Midway Island to Tokyo Bay
• Operation Liberty Road: The 100-mile Challenge through France. This takes you from Saint-Mere-Eglise in the Normandy region to St. Malo in the Brittany region.
• Operation Liberty Road: 712-mile Challenge. This challenge continues on to Bastogne, Belgium from St. Malo. Bastogne was liberated on September 10, 1944. It was an important Allied strong point during the Battle of Bulge.
• Freedom 5K

The cost for the first four options is $50 per person. The 5K is just $35. Registration for all five events is open through July 31. If you start now you still have plenty of time to finish before the October 10 finish. My wife, my son, and I all signed up a few days after the challenge began. We all selected Operation Liberty Road: The 100-mile Challenge. We each have accumulated over 30 miles so far. With a little more than 10 weeks left you can easily achieve one of the race goals. 

Sign up to support the museum and give yourself some exercise goals!

You can register using my unique referral link. You can read more about this event on the museum’s website.  https://runsignup.com/Race/LA/NewOrleans/WWII. 

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 550 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

Texas Military Forces Museum – Hands On History 2021

{see my other TMFM related posts) – As restrictions are being relaxed following COVID-19 the Texas Military Forces Museum is once again able to host events. The first was the living history presentation of the Vietnam War on Memorial Day. The next event will be the annual Hands On History night.

While the museum is located on Camp Mabry, it is open to the public. A valid, unexpired form of identification with a picture must be presented to enter the post. Admission to the Museum is free. Those wanting early access at this event will pay $5. That would put you early in line to access the vehicles and talk to the living history crew. Here are detailed directions on how to get to the museum. 

Hands On History 2019

As the name implies many of the exhibits that normally can only be viewed will be available to touch. There will also be a contingent of the living history group on hand to show off their kit and answer questions. I had the opportunity to attend the last Hands On History night in 2019. I really enjoyed the evening. 

Hands On History 2019

If you are interested in history this is a unique opportunity to get closer to it.

Living Military History Memorial Day 2021

The Texas Military forces Museum will be open this Memorial Day weekend. The Living History unit will present Vietnam War reenactments on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the performance and the museum is free. Enter Camp Mabry through the 35th Street entrance (see Directions page for more details). A photo ID is required of all guests entering the Camp.

The Museum contains 45,000 sq. ft. of exhibits inside, and dozens of armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and aircraft on the grounds.

Podcast: Bletchley Park

Updated 3/26/21

Image from theirApple Podcasts page

(See my other Podcast related posts) – As I have mentioned many times in my Blog, I listen to many podcasts, particularly those that focus on the WWII era in history. One of the podcasts I have been listening to for some time is the Bletchley Park Podcast. Bletchley Park is, of course, the home of British codebreaking in WWII. 

At the date of this posting, there more than 220 episodes (150 hours of content) available. They range from 30 to 90 minutes in length, with most coming in at around an hour. August 10, 2012, saw the publication of the first episode. New episodes appear about every two weeks. 

If you are interested in the WWII period of history you will find this podcast of interest.

If this podcast interests you you might also want to read Codebreaker Girls: A Secret Life at Bletchley Park, Code Wars: How ‘Ultra’ and ‘Magic’ Led to Allied Victory, and Bletchley Park’s Secret Source: Churchill’s Wrens and the Y Service in World War II.

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If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

TMFM – Soviet DShKm 38/46 Heavy Machine Gun

This is a Soviet DShKm 38/46 Heavy Machine Gun. This particular gun is the infantry model. The wheels and armor plated shield identify it as such. The weapon (DK) was first produced in 1930 and had a 30 round drum magazine. An upgrade in 1938 allow for a belt feed mechanism. It received the DShK 38 designation because of this improvement. It was the standard heavy machine gun used by Soviet troops during WWII. The weapon serves in both infantry support and in anti-aircraft roles.

The DShK 38 was modernized in 1946 and redesigned the DShKm 38/46. The gun shown above is in the “Cold War to Global War on Terror” Gallery at the Texas Military Forces Museum in Austin, TX. Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces used various models of the DShK during the Cold War. Many parties in the Middle East have them and they are still in use.

The DShKm fires a 12.7mm x 108mm cartridge and has a maximum range of 2000 yards. The unit with wheels and shield weighs 346 pounds. It is capable of firing up to 600 rounds per minute [1]. it is roughly equivalent to the US M2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.

Per TMFM signage for this exhibit – “This particular weapon was captured during the Persian Gulf War (1991) by the 149th Aviation Battalion of the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard.“

REFERENCES

1 – Signage for the DShKm at the Texas Military Forces Museum

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If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

TMFM – German Maschinengewer 08

The German Maschinengewer 08 or MG 08 was used by the German military in both World War I and World War II. It was considered a Heavy Machinegun. It was phased out of operation in 1942 by front line troops. Many were sold to the Chinese and they eventually produced their own models known as the Type 24 Heavy Machine Gun.

It is named the Maschinengewer 08 because it was adopted in 1908. It is a water cooled weapon with a firing rate of 450 rounds per minute. This was not a light weapon. It weighed in at 142 pounds – The tripod was 84 pounds and the gut itself 58 pounds. The effective range was 2,200 yards (2000 meters). The MG 08 required a crew of 4.

The MG 08 was ultimately used by more that 25 companies. More than 225, 000 of all variants were built over its service life.

This particular unit is on display in the Main Hall of the Texas Military Forces Museum in Austin, TX.

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If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 510 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

USA, Alabama, Mobile – USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park

I had read about and seen the Alabama Battleship Memorial when I have driven by in the past. This time through Mobile we planned to stop and visit the site. The Memorial Park is located at 2703 Battleship Parkway
Mobile, Alabama 36602.

The park is a large site. The Battleship Alabama is open for self-guided tours as is the submarine USS Drum. Both are veterans of WWII.

There are three tours on the Alabama. Two below deck and one above. The two below were well marked and easy to follow, though there were a couple of steep stairs. Many signs are posted to explain what you are seeing. The deck tour was more difficult to follow and leads up many stairs.

The Drum tour takes you through the forward torpedo room all the way through the ship and out the rear torpedo room. The entrance and exit is via a stairway instead of a ladder. The walk through the ship is fairly easy as long as you are not claustrophobic and can manage to step through the watertight doors.

On the grounds are a hanger with various aircraft and a gift shop. Outside can be found aircraft, military vehicles, and small ships on display. Exhibits cover a wide range of history. Among the larger displays are a B-52 and an SR-71. Some are currently undergoing restoration. I would have liked to spend more time looking at the outdoor exhibits, but the day we visited the Museum it was cold with a stiff breeze.

If you are in the Mobile area and have a few hours to spare (we were there at least 3 hours) this is a good place to visit.

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If you are interested in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 510 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.

See my other Food & Location related posts

USA, Texas, Austin – Texas Military Forces Museum

Updated 10/19/21, 9/16/21, 6/20/21, 5/24/21

(See my other Texas Military Forces Museum related posts) – The Texas Military Forces Museum is located in Building 6 on Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. The street address of Camp Mabry is 2200 West 35th Street. A photo I.D. for all adults is required for entry onto Camp Mabry. In addition, Camp Mabry regulations require motorcycle riders to wear long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and a motorcycle helmet. The museum is always free and is open 10AM to 4PM Tuesday thru Sunday.

NEW if you are unable to visit the Museum in person there are now Virtual Tours. Go to this website and to can tour The Great Hall, The 19th Century Gallery and the Cold War to Global War on Terror.

I like history museums and particularly those that cover the period 1939-1945, the years of World War II. I had seen the sign at Camp Mabry while driving down MoPac many times for the Texas Military Forces Museum. Finally, on September 17, 2017, I was motivated by Austin Museum Day to visit the museum.

While this isn’t a huge museum (at only 45,000-square feet it is a fraction in size of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans), I was impressed with the size and the extent of the collection on display. As the name implies, the museum covers all periods of Texas military history from the war of independence with Mexico, the US Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and today’s War against Terrorism. (Vietnam is NOT covered because the Texas National Guard was not called up).

The indoor part of the museum consists of four areas:

• The main hall
• The 36th Division in WWI & II gallery
• The 19th Century gallery
• The Cold War / War on Terror gallery

The largest portion of the collection is focused on the action by Texas units during World War II. The museum has been open since November 14, 1992.

Among the items on display in the Main Hall

• German MG 08 Machine Gun

Among the items on display in the 36th Division in WWI & II gallery

• Rommel’s cap

Among the displays in the 19th Century Gallery are:

• The birth certificate of the Texas Military Forces on November 10, 1822
• The Mier Expedition and the Black Bean Incident – draw your bean to see if you would survive

Among the displays in the Cold War / War on Terror are:

• A section of the Berlin Wall
• Soviet DShKm 38/46 Heavy Machine Gun

The museum holds several vehicles from the World War II era. Mostly US, but also a few German vehicles. Some of these are taken out of the museum and used during reenactments conducted a couple of times each year on the grounds of Camp Mabry.

The Museum hosts several special events throughout the year. Some of these have been:

• 12-13 November 2022 – Close Assault: 1944
• 6-7 November 2021 – WWII Reenactment Close Assault: 1944
• 18 September 2021 – What it was like to be a Vietnam grunt
• July 3, 2021 – Hands on History
• May 29-30, 2021 Close Assault: 1968 – Vietnam War living history reenactment
• March 8-9, 2020 – Battleground 1863 Civil War era
• November 8-9, 2019 – Close Assault ’44
• October 26, 2019 – Mabry Monster M*A*S*H & Jeepers Creepers Rally
• June 22, 2019 – Hands-on History Night
• June 13, 2019 – Museum Foundation Mixer
• November 12, 2017 – Close Assualt ’44

They also have some well-done dioramas from several periods, though I think my favorite is the one depicting a down in France shortly after D-Day. Amazingly this detailed display was built by Gilbert High School students of Gilbert, Arizona.

Leaving the building itself, there is a static display of armor and artillery around the building. Mostly from World War II, but a few more modern as well. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I wish I had made the time to explore the museum earlier.

The outdoor exhibits are divided into the following areas:

• Armor Row
• Artillery Park
• Parade Ground

I am hoping that I can return on Armistice Day (November 11, 2017) weekend when they host one of the re-enactments “Close Assault 1944“. The re-enactment is presented by “Company G”, this is

a “hard core” LIVING HISTORY group. Their principle aim is to find out what it was like to be on the front lines and in camps during America’s greatest conflicts – the War Between the States, World War I, World War II and Vietnam – while educating and commemoration along the way.

The event is free and there is plenty of free parking.

If you like history, particularly military history, you will want to visit this museum. You can follow the museum on social media:

• Website: http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasmilitaryforcesmuseum/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TMFMuseum
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq03uUO3EdzNvXEusfI0Zrw

 Donations can be made to the Museum.

SHOP & SUPPORT the Texas Military Forces Museum!

The Texas Military Forces Museum receives no State funding, so your support is what keeps us going! Camp Mabry is currently closed to the general public in order to help combat the spread of the coronavirus and that means that our two largest revenue streams, our gift shop and direct public support through donations, are at a complete standstill. However, the shut down has allowed us the time to complete a project long in the works and one that’s been requested by our visitors and supporters many times; we’ve opened an online museum store.

Please visit at  https://www.tmfhf.org/museum-store/

You can also support the museum by joining the Texas Military Forces Historical Foundation. The Foundation works in conjunction with the Adjutant General’s Department and its Texas Military Forces Museum to preserve the legacy of the Texas military forces and educate the museum’s visitors on the role they have played in the history of Texas and the United States. Membership Levels:

• Student/Educator/Military/Senior $25
• Basic $30
• Silver $125
• Gold $250
• Life $1000

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See my other Food & Location articles

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