National Museum of the Marine Corps

Up at Quantico Va right now, going to the National Museum of the Marine Corps tomorrow and will post some pics. Been wanting to make this trip with all of us for years. My brother, both my sons, myself (all Marines) and my brothers two sons made the trip. We've been planning it for months, my Dad also a Marine had been planning on coming, but bailed on us this morning. Said he didn't think he could make the long drive for physical reasons. We had tried several years ago to make the trip with his brother, a picture of whom takes up a wall in the museum. Deployments and work always got in the way with one or more of us and we never were able to make the trip before Charlie passed. Charlie did make the trip and got to see his wall.
Well we finally got here and hope it meets our expectations. More to follow.....

 

Charlies wall.

 

Sounds great! Looking forward to the pics.

 

OK just got back from Quantico, it was a long drive, but worth every second of it. That area of Virginia is incredibly rich in history anyway, passed Manassas and Fredericksburg battlefields, James Madison's house, went through Wilderness and Chancellorsville battlefields, and loads more that I wanted to stop at, but no time this trip.

Prior to this trip my all time favorite museum was the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, I can't count the number of times me and the boys have visited there. We'd be in Panama City, Destin or Gulf Shores at the beach and they'd always beg to go. An incredible collection of aircraft and artifacts from the first aviators through today, the associated ships and the space program, many one of a kind examples. So many artifacts in fact that they had the Saratoga's ships bell displayed on a little cart in the gift shop. The museum is always immaculate, the artifacts well displayed, the displays well maintained and a lot of interactive stuff.

Well I now have a new standard. The museum is fairly new, opening on the Marine Corps birthday on Nov 10th in 2006. It is currently the number one tourist destination in Virginia. One down side is that it only covers from 1775 through the immediate post Vietnam years. A massive new expansion is currently under way to take us through the current day. The museum may also not be appropriate for small children or the overly sensative (and they do have a warning posted) because of the realistic nature of some of the displays, they don't shy away from pain, blood or death, it's not overly graphic like Hollywood, but is dealt with in a realistic manner. There are a number of areas to keep children occupied while the adults view the exhibits. Many of the exhibits are also very immersive, you're right there in the scene, no distance, walls or ropes to keep you away. The amount of detail was also very impressive, in the Tarawa landing dio they even had small bits of seaweed floating in the cast water. From someone that grew up on beaches, you couldn't tell it wasn't real, spent shell casings, empty M1 enbloc clips, metallic machine gun belt liniks and other combat detritus littered the beach. Blood smears on the trac, etc.

Also, most of the displays were not your standard hang a period uniform on a generic mannequin, each figure was a life cast of an active duty Marine and all were in action poses. There were the standard type displays also, but you had to read all the descriptions because so many were the actual artifacts of famous Marines, for instance we were in a WWII aircraft area and just about walked past a Mae West life preserver and pilots knee board, when my son called me back and said, this is Marion Carl's actual Mae West and Kenneth Walsh's knee board (Kenneth Walsh was the fourth highest scoring Marine Corps Ace of WWII and got the Medal of Honor for singlehandedly attacking a formation of 50 Japanese Zero's, he also served in Korea).



Kenneth A. Walsh, 21 kills, excerpt from Medal of Honor Citation.....

"1st Lt. Walsh landed his mechanically disabled plane at Munda, quickly replaced it with another, and proceeded to rejoin his flight over Kahili. Separated from his escort group when he encountered approximately 50 Japanese Zeros, he unhesitatingly attacked, striking with relentless fury in his lone battle against a powerful force. He destroyed 4 hostile fighters before cannon shellfire forced him to make a dead-stick landing off Vella Lavella where he was later picked up."

Marion Carl was the first Marine Corps ace of WWII, ended up with 18 1/2 kills and was awarded two Navy Crosses. He was one of the "Cactus Airforce" pilots and served through Vietnam.

I've got to get up early for work in the morning so just a few teaser pictures tonight, more will follow:

Entrance to the Museum:



Another view....



Tarawa



A Corpsman rendering aid to a wounded Marine...



the mannequins had scrapped knuckles and beat up elbows just like real troops, we were all amazed at the level of detail.

 

The Marine Corps pioneered the use of helicopters in combat...

from Wikipedia:

"In 1946, U.S. Marine General Roy S. Geiger observed the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll and instantly recognized that atomic bombs could render amphibious landings difficult because of the dense concentrations of troops, ships and material at beachheads. During this time, The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Alexander Vandegrift, convened a special board known as the Hogaboom Board. This board recommended that the USMC develop transport helicopters in order to allow a diffused attack on enemy shores. It also recommended that the USMC form an experimental helicopter squadron.HMX-1 was commissioned in 1947 with Sikorsky HO3S-1s.[6] In 1948 the Marine Corps Schools came out with Amphibious Operations—Employment of Helicopters (Tentative), or Phib-31, which was the first manual for helicopter airmobile operations.[7] The Marines used the term vertical envelopment instead of air mobility or air assault. HMX-1 performed its first vertical envelopment from the deck of an aircraft carrier in an exercise in 1949.and in 1951 put their "vertical envelopment" developments to the test:"

from HistoryNet:

"While United Nations forces struggled to hold onto the Pusan perimeter in the late summer of 1950, the U.S. 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was rushed into action to reinforce U.S. Army and Republic of Korea (ROK) troops defending that precarious pocket in the southeast corner of South Korea. The undermanned 5th U.S. Marine Regiment and its support units had barely arrived at Pusan when they were moved in borrowed Army trucks to stop a North Korean assault near Chindong-ni, on the perimeter’s western edge. Brigade commander Brigadier General Edward A. Craig knew little about the terrain his Marines would have to cross, so he climbed into a Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter and lifted off to scout the route, give directions to the lead battalion, pick a spot for his command post and meet with his Army superiors. Returning from the meeting with Lieutenant General Walton H. Walker, the Eighth Army commander, Craig stopped three more times to confer with his unit commanders. That crucial trip aboard a chopper from Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VMO-6) on August 3, 1950, was a harbinger of the increasingly vital role rotary wing aircraft would play in three years of tough fighting in Korea.
“Fortunately, Marine helicopters attached to VMO-6 were always available for observation, communication and control,” Craig recalled. “These aircraft made my day. Without them I do not believe we would have had the success we did.” The VMO-6 choppers soon were pressed into service to deliver water and other critically needed supplies to grunts struggling over hilly terrain. And they often carried out wounded Marines on return flights."

And in 1951, the helicopter as a troop carrying assault craft was inaugurated.....

"The squadron (HMR-161) conducted the first mass helicopter resupply mission on September 13 during Operation Windmill I. In the course of 28 flights it transported 18,848 pounds of gear and 74 Marines into a ridgeline position in the Punchbowl area. A week later, it conducted the first combat troop movement, Operation Summit, quickly shuttling 224 Marines of the division’s Recon Company and 17,772 pounds of supplies to a remote hilltop in the same area."





This event is depicted here...

 

Thanks for sharing. Good stuff.

 

Ok, one more exterior view from the Semper Fi walk next to the Chesty Puller statue...



This picture was taken near the end of the day.

The entrance...



Once you get inside you see the Tarawa and 1st heliborne assault displays. Around the ceiling of the rotunda are a series of famous quotes. I won't bore you with all of them but here are a few...



Col. Shoup's (MoH) message to General Julian Smith on the second day at Tarawa.



Dan Daly's (MoH x 2) admonishment to the Marines that had gone to ground under German machine gun and artillery fire in the wheat field at Belleau Wood. They did rise, they did charge, they took the woodline. Bois de Belleau was renamed by the French government Bois de la Brigade de Marine in honor of their fight. Marines killed in the battle exceeded all combat deaths during the preceeding 143 years.

French Government Citation in Honour of 4th American Brigade, 8 December 1918

Issued December 8, 1918, in honour of the 4th American Brigade, fighting at Belleau Wood. This brigade consisted of two regiments of Marines, and a Machine-Gun battalion from the "Regulars" of the U.S.A.
During these operations [of early June], thanks to the brilliant courage, vigour, dash, and tenacity of its men, who refused to be disheartened by fatigue or losses; thanks to the activity and energy of the officers, and thanks to the personal action of Brig. Gen. Harbord, the efforts of the brigade were crowned with success, realizing after twelve days of incessant struggle an important advance over the most difficult of terrain and the capture of two support points of the highest importance, Bouresches village and the fortified wood of Belleau.

 

A MacArthur quote:



And one of my favorites...



Major General Lowe was President Truman's personal observer, sent to Korea to cut through the B.S. and give Truman an accurate picture of the situation in Korea. Truman was no fan of the Marine Corps or Navy and Lowes reports must have stuck in his craw. Lowe ended up attaching himself to General O.P.Smith's (Commanding 1st marine Division) HQ and really thought highly of Smith's abilities. Lowe also made the statement in a letter to Truman that, "the 1st Marine Division is the most efficient and courageous combat unit I have ever seen or heard of."

Also in the retunda are a number of Marine Corps aircraft, here are three.



Korean War era F4U Corsair



AV-8 Harrier, ground support VSTOL aircraft.



WWII era F4U Corsair.

 

Some more pictures of the Tarawa and 1st Heliborne assault displays;



Betio Island-Tarawa Atoll. "A million americans can't take Tarawa in 100 years" Admiral Keiji Shibazaki. Took 2d Division 76 hours.





A wireman unassing an LVT-1 Alligator, the LVT's had been used as logistics vehicles at Gudalcanal, and during the Torch Landings. Col. Shoup realizing that the reefs at Tarawa might present a problem, had the 2d Marine division refurbish the 100 amtracs in their T/O that had been worn out during operations in the Solomons. 75 were made combat ready and had make shift armor (boiler plate) welded to their cabs, accurately portrayed in the display. 50 additional amtracs, LVT-2 "Water Buffalo" were shipped directly from San Diego to Samoa where they linked up with 2d MarDiv crews and then rendezvoused with the invasion task force off Tarawa. The Marines almost didn't get these vehicles, Admiral Kelly Turner, commanding the operation thought them superfluous and refused. General Holland "Howlin Mad" Smith, Commanding V Amphibious Corps, went to the wall to see the Marines had what they thought necessary and told Turner, "Kelly, it's like this. I've got to have those amtracks. We'll take a helluva licking without them. No amtracks: no operation." Fortunately, they got them because the 1500 Marines in the initial waves got ashore relatively intact and didn't experience the slaughter of the later waves that had to wade ashore. Only 35 LVT's were still operational at the end of the first day.






50 cal links, shell casings and enbloc clips in the water.





Sgt. Tom Lovell painitng of Tarawa, I actually have a framed print my son got me from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation of this hanging over my desk.

Finally, the last photo I have of the Korea, helicopter display;

 

A couple of related artifacts from a later display:



Japanese Rikusentai helmet captured at Tarawa



Original Academy Award "Oscar" for best documentary film, "With the Marines at Tarawa"

 

Fantastic pics and excellent posts, Price.

 

You exit the rotunda to the left and enter a small theater where this film plays, familiarizing visitors with the Corps ethos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rexpWI0nJTc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw05sDpFL3s

My brother and I have met Ed Bearss, we went on a Friends of Chickamauga Battlefield tour with him. He was the Chief Historian for the National Park Service. Wesley Fox another of the people that appears in the film was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Vietnam, he was my brother's battalion commander during his time in the Corps.



My brother in front of a display about Colonel Fox.

 

Thank you. Apparently this museum is now the number one tourist attraction in Virginia, I highly recommend anyone that gets the chance to visit it.

 

The next stop was a section on recruit training. It was OK but we didn't spend a lot of time there. The cool part is that there were pictures of recruits there and my older son said, "Hey I think I know that guy. That's so and so, he deployed to Iraq with us the second time". He put the picture out on Facebook and asked his friends if the person was infact the person he thought it was. The guy himself replied and it was him.



The picture.

Then we went into the next gallery where we were greeted by Marines in "Fighting Tops"



This was the first section where I noticed that we might want to read all the artifact descriptions. There was a Mameluke sword in one case and I remarked on how small and delicate it appeared. One of the sons said, "Hey dad, you know whose sword that is?" "Archibald Henderson's" I said, "No way" and had to read it for myself. Archibald Henderson is known as the "Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps". He served as Commandant from 1820 to 1859 and served a total of 54 years. He served on the USS Constitution during the period when she had her most famous victories. When ordered to send Marines to go fight the Seminoles in 1836, he led the Marines that were sent, pinning a note on the door of the Commandant's residence, "Gone to fight the indians, will be back when the war is over."



Henderson's sword is the one on bottom.

 

This is the actual sledgehammer head, from one of the sledgehammers the Marines used to try and break down the doors of the arsenal at Harper's Ferry when they went to capture John Brown who with his followers had seized it. The Marines, the only regular troops available, were placed under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee. JEB Stuart was Lee's aide-de-camp. There was a small diorama next to this depicting the event.



Marines under Col. Robert E. Lee retake the U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry.

from Wikipedia:

"Lee first offered the role of attacking the engine house to the local militia units on the spot. Both militia commanders declined, and Lee turned to the Marines. On the morning of October 18, Colonel Lee sent Lt. J.E.B. Stuart, serving as a volunteer aide-de-camp, under a white flag of truce to negotiate a surrender of John Brown and his followers. Lee instructed Lt. Israel Greene that if Brown refused, he was to lead the Marines in storming the engine house. Stuart walked towards the front of the engine house where he told Brown that his men would be spared if they surrendered. Brown refused and as Stuart walked away, he signaled a "thumbs down" to Lt. Greene and his men standing nearby.
Seconds later, Greene led a platoon of Marines to storm the engine house. Two marines armed with sledgehammers tried in vain to break through the door, but were forced to fall back. Greene found a wooden ladder, and he and about 10 Marines used it as a battering ram to knock the front doors in. Greene was the first through the door and with the assistance of Lewis Washington, identified and singled out John Brown. Greene later recounted what happened next:

"Quicker than thought I brought my saber down with all my strength upon [Brown's] head. He was moving as the blow fell, and I suppose I did not strike him where I intended, for he received a deep saber cut in the back of the neck. He fell senseless on his side, then rolled over on his back. He had in his hand a short Sharpe's cavalry carbine. I think he had just fired as I reached Colonel Washington, for the Marine who followed me into the aperture made by the ladder received a bullet in the abdomen, from which he died in a few minutes. The shot might have been fired by someone else in the insurgent party, but I think it was from Brown. Instinctively as Brown fell I gave him a saber thrust in the left breast. The sword I carried was a light uniform weapon, and, either not having a point or striking something hard in Brown's accouterments, did not penetrate. The blade bent double."

 

Absolutely amazing pics and stories.
Nice one.

 

Lou, of the pictures I've posted thus far all are life size dioramas except the Harper's Ferry one. The museum has apparently decided that is the way they want to display many of their artifacts. The LVT-1 in the Tarawa diorama/display is one of only three known to still exist. There is another at the Marine Amtrac Museum at Camp Pendleton, reputedly "My Delores", the first amtrac ashore at Tarawa and returned to the US, bullet riddled as she was for a war bond drive. The last one at the Canadian War Museum. By placing an original uniform, web gear and weapon on a figure in an action pose gives you a feel for how the uniforms and equipment were worn and used, kind of brings them to life. Another thing I appreciated is that many times items such as cartridge belts are displayed as static artifacts and empty. The Marine laying down in the Tarawa display had taken a round through the left thigh, he was grabbing it and showed pain on his face. there is blood on the hand holding the wounded leg. His cartridge belt pouches were all full with 8 round enblock clips except for one pouch and it's flap wasn't refastened, there were several spent casings near him and an empty enblock clip. You could tell the whole story from looking at him, no further explaination was required. I thought that's how history should be displayed.

As for Tarawa, I highly recommend "Utmost Savagery", in my mind the definative history of the battle.

http://www.amazon.com/Utmost-Savagery-Three-Days-Tarawa/dp/159114003X

For a book that doesn't cover the "big picture", but lets you know what it felt like, smelled like, looked like, to be in the battle, I recommend Robert Sherrod's "Tarawa: Story of a Battle". Sherrod was a Time magazine reporter and had permission to accompany the troops in the assault waves ashore the first day. (His Correspondant's Patch and a short story about him is on display in the museum. I don't have a picture of it, but one of the boys probably do. We're supposed to share our pictures and if they do I'll post it). It was published in 1954, but is still readily available.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0007F0S1E/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=