Naval History and Heritage Command

[Uncle Fester]

If I could waive my magic wand I would love to see NPS donate all of Jones Point in Alexandria VA for the museum. Sure, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge would split the campus, but you could park just almost anything that floats with a little dredging and infrastructure. Keeping the old light house there would add some ambiance and there is plenty of room for a massive building. The views would be good the access is easy. But, since I am waiving magic wands, I guess I would have to raise it a foot or so for potential flooding. All my goofy dreaming aside, I would love to see a NMUSN built.@squorch2!

Interesting idea. Anacostia Park would also work, I think. Also owned by the NPS, directly across the river from the Navy Yard. Adjoins but outside JBAB so you have security at hand but not restricted access. Maybe run water taxis across to the Navy Yard and Nats Park.

 

[Flash]

...The Army peeled off a bit of real estate from Fort Belvoir to allow for the construction of the National Museum of the US Army...Moreover, if you build a museum on a base it automatically limits the number of people who can visit.

Not necessarily, I just noticed the construction site for the Army Museum two weeks ago driving to Ft Belvoir and it has direct access off a major state road. I would hazard a guess that the general public will be able to visit it without having to go through the usual hassle of visiting a military base, especially since the site looks like it could easily be isolated from the rest of the base.

 

[Flash]

Interesting idea. Anacostia Park would also work, I think. Also owned by the NPS, directly across the river from the Navy Yard. Adjoins but outside JBAB so you have security at hand but not restricted access. Maybe run water taxis across to the Navy Yard and Nats Park.

But it's so well used now! *sarcasm* That place is slightly creepy even in broad daylight, like a neglected leftover park in the middle of a craptastic area which is pretty much exactly what it is.

 

[jmcquate]

Where is it? Off of the Fairfax Co. Parkway over by the golf course?

 

[Griz882]

Not necessarily, I just noticed the construction site for the Army Museum two weeks ago driving to Ft Belvoir and it has direct access off a major state road. I would hazard a guess that the general public will be able to visit it without having to go through the usual hassle of visiting a military base, especially since the site looks like it could easily be isolated from the rest of the base.

Poor writing on my part. I meant to imply that public access is absolutely necessary without the burden of a base gate.

 

[Griz882]

Where is it? Off of the Fairfax Co. Parkway over by the golf course?

Yes, it is off Fairfax Country Parkway on what used to be a lower 9 on the course directly across from Davis AAF. A new traffic signal will be added to get people across the parkway if they are headed southeast. It is an 88 acre campus and the building is currently “dry.”

 

[jmcquate]

I was out there a few weeks ago. Wondering what the cranes were for. On a side note, I hope they get some of the armor that was at Aberdeen.

 

[Flash]

I was out there a few weeks ago. Wondering what the cranes were for. On a side note, I hope they get some of the armor that was at Aberdeen.

Not much of it I believe, they put in place a Sherman before construction started on the museum but most of the stuff from Aberdeen is supposed to go to the Army Ordnance Museum that moved to Ft Lee because of BRAC I'm pretty sure for space reasons. Why, when Aberdeen didn't close? I haven't a clue.

 

[Griz882]

I was out there a few weeks ago. Wondering what the cranes were for. On a side note, I hope they get some of the armor that was at Aberdeen.

Already housed inside is the only WWI combat veteran tank (FT-17), a landing craft from Overlord’s D-Day, the first US tank to enter Bastogne, and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle that led the charge to Baghdad. In next are a UH-1B (gunship) from Vietnam, an MB that survived the retreat from the Yalu, and an R-4 helicopter painted to match the first rotary CSAR mission in US history (Burma, 1945). Eventually will come a Wright Military Flyer, and over 1000 artifacts from Jamestown to Syria. It should be a great place.

 

[Griz882]

Not much of it I believe, they put in place a Sherman before construction started on the museum but most of the stuff from Aberdeen is supposed to go to the Army Ordnance Museum that moved to Ft Lee because of BRAC I'm pretty sure for space reasons. Why, when Aberdeen didn't close? I haven't a clue.

Aberdeen didn’t close, the ordnance corps moved down to Fort Lee. Most of the armor collection is under tents at Lee.

 

[Flash]

Aberdeen didn’t close, the ordnance corps moved down to Fort Lee. Most of the armor collection is under tents at Lee.

I know, I'm baffled why the museum moved when the base didn't close or even shrink from what I know.

 

[Griz882]

I know, I'm baffled why the museum moved when the beast didn't close or even shrink from what I know.

It didn’t shrink, but the armor all belongs to the orddies and when they moved their school house they moved their toys.

 

[jmcquate]

Did they move "Leopold"?

 

[Griz882]

Did they move "Leopold"?

He is parked along the entryway to the schoolhouse. As I understand it, they had to build a special bridge just to get it there.

Also, the Maus tank (Panzer VIII) is going to the UK for some love at Bovington.

 

[Griz882]

OK, aviation history question from AWs flying around the Oceana area...one of my “flying hobbies” is to look for old, abandoned airfields my father mentions in his writing or letters. I have flown over the remains of Pungo, and old Fentress to the west is an easy find. I have, however, passed over what was clearly a Navy field. It is roughly due south of Pungo and just north of the NC border. It looks like it has been converted into some kind of a driving school or raid testing area. Anybody out there know the history or even the name?