LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS

Unit Commander Makes Largest Brick Purchase to Date

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Oakley (USA-Ret.) recently purchased a total of 215 commemorative bricks— the largest single purchase to date— which will be installed on the grounds of the National Museum of the United States Army.  Oakley, who served in the Army for twenty years, explained that he purchased these bricks for members of his family, close friends, and the men he commanded in Company B, 125th Signal Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, in Vietnam.   Recalling his service, Oakley noted, “One of the landmark experiences of my life was my tour of duty in Vietnam from February 1967 to February 1968.

Microsoft Corporation Exceeds $1 Million in Gifts to Museum, Foundation

In December of 2018, Microsoft Corporation paid the final installment of its $1 million cash gift in support of the National Museum of the United States Army.  When combined with its generous donations of time and hardware to the Army Historical Foundation (AHF), Microsoft’s financial and in-kind support to the project has now greatly surpassed the $1 million mark. Since making its first gift of $400,000 in 2016, Microsoft has continued its support with generous $200,000 gifts each year, and finishing up with $400,000 in 2018.  AHF Chairman, General Gordon R. Sullivan (USA-Ret.), gratefully acknowledged the continued support by Microsoft,

Museum Spotlight: Army Theater

The Army Theater will be a premier feature of the National Museum of the United States Army for visitors of all ages.  The state-of-the-art theater will offer an immersive cinematic experience played on a 300-degree screen that covers 2,000 square feet.  In addition to the awe-inspiring visual displays, the theater will take visitors on a full-sensory experience as fans blow wind, seats rumble and swivel, and thirty-six speakers create a full-surround sound.   The introductory film, “Of Noble Deeds,” will explore important aspects of the Army— past and present— by focusing on the core values of the American Soldier.  The

Why My Brick? The Story Behind The Inscription.

With installation of commemorative bricks at the National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA) in full swing, more and more brick purchasers are choosing to share the story behind their bricks.  Butch Schwoyer recently relayed the story behind his three bricks, purchased for himself, his father, and his son. Schwoyer served in Vietnam and Desert Storm and retired as a First Sergeant in 1992. In recalling his service, Schwoyer said, “I had the privilege of serving and fighting next to the most patriotic and dedicated men and women I have ever met.  I would do it all over again

M28 Davey Crockett

Written By: Patrick R Jennings, Ph.D.Chief, Programs and Education, National Museum of the United States Army Following the Korean War, U.S. military leadership envisioned an army whose historic virtues would be reinforced with massive application of science and technology focused through the lens of firepower. Operation Sunbeam would be among the first efforts to offset communist military bulk with American scientific knowhow, bringing forward one fascinating result—the nuclear armed M28/M29 Davey Crockett Recoilless Rifle. The genesis of Operation Sunbeam and the Davey Crockett lay between two issues, the looming threat of a Soviet invasion in Europe and the civil desire not

“We’re Very Close To Making This Museum a Reality. . . .” — General Gordon R. Sullivan (USA-Ret.) Chairman, Army Historical Foundation

On a crisp morning just before Thanksgiving, a crowd of Soldiers, Army veterans, and Army supporters joined more than 200 steel workers gathered on a construction site at Fort Belvoir to watch as the nal steel beam of the National Museum of the United States Army was lifted into place. The historic moment capped a year of tremendous progress building a place that will honor and preserve the service of the 30 million men and women who have served in the United States Army. The Army is our nation’s oldest and largest military service, yet it will be the last to

Battalion Sponsors Bench to Honor Unit, Comrade

Veterans of the 3d Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment who served in Vietnam have come together to sponsor an exterior bench at the National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA). The sponsorship comes from a four- month campaign to raise funds—$10,000 in total—for a bench to be placed on the Museum’s campus. Leading the charge for this lasting tribute is Major General Thomas Lightner (USA-Ret.), a Founding Sponsor of NMUSA and a Sustaining Member of the Army Historical Foundation (AHF), who commanded the regiment in 1970-71 in the Danang-Chu Lai area. Lightner explained that the unit began holding reunions some

Why My Brick: Colonel Russell Olson (USA-Ret.)

The National Museum of the United States Army (NMUSA) Commemorative Brick program encapsulates the idea that the story of the Army is the story of its Soldiers. Supporters of the Museum continue to choose to purchase bricks to honor the Soldiers in their lives and ensure their names will be preserved at the National Army Museum. Many brick purchasers have also chosen to share their impetus for purchasing bricks with the Army Historical Foundation (AHF) through the “Why My Brick” program. By telling these important stories about Soldiers and their service, supporters can add their personal touch to the Army’s

World War I Gas Alarm Rattle

Written By: Jimmy Price “Gas!” This lone word could strike fear and panic into the most stoic doughboy in the American sector of the Western Front. By the time that the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) arrived in France, the use of poison gas was commonplace by the Allies and Central Powers alike. By war’s end, an estimated 1.2 million gas casualties had been suffered on all sides – over 90,000 of these were fatal. When gas was introduced onto the battlefield in 1915, it was common to use large cylinders that would send billowing clouds of gasses like Xylyl bromide