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{{primary sources|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox Museum
{{Infobox museum
|name = U.S. Army Transportation Museum
|image = Skycrane001.jpg
|caption = [[Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe|CH-54A (H54A) Tarhe "Sky Crane"]] outside the museum
|imagesize = 200px
|caption = CH-54A (H54A) Tarhe "Sky Crane" outside the museum
|map_type = Virginia
|map_caption =
|latitude coordinates = {{coord|37.1650|-76.5756|display=inline}}
|established = {{Start date|1959}}
|longitude = -76.5756
|established = 1959
|dissolved =
|location = [[Fort Eustis]], Virginia
|type = Military Museum
|visitors = 50,000
|director = DavidAlisha HanselmanHamel
|curator =
|publictransit =
|website = [http{{official website|https://www.transchool.eustistransportation.army.mil/museum/museum.html www.transchool.eustis.army.mil]}}
}}
 
Line 22 ⟶ 21:
 
==History==
The museum was established in 1959, in a warehouse using items initially collected for a recruiting exhibit. A main building opened in 1976, and in 1987, an open-air pavilion was opened for [[military aviation|aviation]] exhibits.<ref name="mus_main">{{cite web |url= http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/museum.htm |work= U. S. Army Transportation Museum site |title= main page |access-date= 2010-05-05 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113192029/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/Museum/Transportation%20Museum/museum.htm |archive-date= 2010-11-13 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The buildings, built at a total cost of US$765,000, and other capital improvements are funded by the [https://www.atmfoundation.org/ Army Transportation Museum Foundation] (ATMF). Since the foundation is prohibited by law from obtaining state or federal grants, private donations are the only funding source.
 
The museum was established in 1959, in a warehouse<ref name="atmf">{{cite web |url= http://www.eustis.army.mil/museumf/index.html |work= Fort Eustis site |title= Museum Foundation page |accessdate= 2008-03-05 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> using items initially collected for a recruiting exhibit, and got a main building in 1976. An open-air pavilion for [[military aviation|aviation]] exhibits opened in 1987.<ref name="mus_main">{{cite web |url= http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/Museum/museum.html |work= U. S. Army Transportation Museum site |title= main page |accessdate= 2008-03-05}}</ref> The buildings, built at a total cost of US$765,000, and other capital improvements are funded by the Army Transportation Museum Foundation (ATMF).<ref name="atmf"/> Since the foundation is prohibited by law from obtaining state or federal grants, private donations are the only funding source.
 
==Museum mission==
The museum reflects the history of the Army, especially of the [[United States Army Transportation Corps]], and includes close to 100 military vehicles such as aircraft, wheeled vehicles, watercraft and rolling stock, including stock from the [[Fort Eustis Military Railroad]]. It is officially dedicated to General [[Frank S. Besson, Jr.]], who was the first [[four-star general]] to lead the transportation command,<ref name="mus_Besson">{{cite web
 
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/generalbesson.htm
The museum reflects the history of the Army, especially of the [[United States Army Transportation Corps]], and includes close to 100 military vehicles such as land vehicles, watercraft and rolling stock, including stock from the [[Fort Eustis Military Railroad]]. It is officially dedicated to General [[Frank S. Besson, Jr.]], who was the first [[four-star general]] to lead the transportation command,<ref name="mus_Besson">{{cite web |url=http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/Museum/Besson.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Frank Besson page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|accessdate=2008-03-05}}</ref> and extends over {{convert|6|acre|m2}} of land, air and sea vehicles and indoor exhibits. The exhibits cover transportation and its role in US Army operations, including topic areas from the [[American Revolutionary War]] through operations in [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]].<ref name="mus_main"/>
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111104175810/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/Museum/Transportation%20Museum/generalbesson.htm
|archive-date = 2011-11-04
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> and extends over {{convert|6|acre|ha}} of land, air and sea vehicles and indoor exhibits. The exhibits cover transportation and its role in US Army operations, including topic areas from the [[American Revolutionary War]] through operations in [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan]].<ref name="mus_main"/>
 
==Exhibits==
[[ImageFile:WWIHi-Rail Liberty truckJeep.jpg|right|thumb|Aleft|rail "Liberty[[jeep]] truck",[[diorama]] at the first standardized US armyArmy truckTransportation Museum.]]
[[Image:WWI Liberty truck.jpg|right|thumb|A "[[Liberty truck]]", the first standardized US army truck]]
[[Image:Eve of Destruction Exterior.jpg|thumb|The [[gun truck]] ''Eve of Destruction'']]
[[Image:40and8s style boxcar.JPG|thumb|[[Forty-and-eights]] style boxcar in the Army Transportation Museum.]]
 
The museum features a {{convert|50000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} main building and four outdoor parks.<ref name="Virginia Tourism">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=43029|work=Official Tourism Website of the Commonwealth of Virginia|title=Virginia Tourism U.S. Army Transportation Museum|access-date=2008-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314233107/http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=43029|archive-date=2008-03-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> The exhibits inside the museum building include representative transportation-related materials, presented in a series of dioramas in chronological order. Outside (see map, below) there is a vehicle yard to the south, with road vehicles, amphibious craft, and the aircraft pavilion, and a rail exhibit to the north. Although material is presented on 18th- and 19th-century topics, over half the indoor exhibit space and almost all of the outdoor exhibits are 20th-century- related.
The museum features a {{convert|50000|sqft|m2|sing=on}} main building and four outdoor parks.<ref name="Virginia Tourism">{{cite web
|url=http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?AttrID=43029| work=Official Tourism Website of the Commonwealth of Virginia
|title=Virginia Tourism U.S. Army Transportation Museum
|accessdate=2008-03-08}}</ref>
 
Early truck developments are given coverage with the [[Mexican Punitive Expedition]], [[Liberty truck]], and Transcontinental Motor Convoy exhibits. The extensive Liberty Truck exhibit covers the development and production of the Army's first standardized truck design, a 5-ton cargo hauler produced using interchangeable parts.<ref name="liberty">{{cite web
The exhibits inside the museum building include representative transportation-related materials, presented in a series of dioramas in chronological order. Outside (see map, below) there is a vehicle yard to the south, with road vehicles, amphibious craft, and the aircraft pavilion, and a rail exhibit to the north. Although material is presented on 18th- and 19th-century topics, over half the indoor exhibit space and almost all of the outdoor exhibits are 20th-century- related.
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/LibTrucks.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Liberty Truck page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114853/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/LibTrucks.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-30
}}</ref> Also included are letters from soldiers about their experiences with the trucks.
 
[[World War II]] receives coverage with several exhibits including [[Mulberry harbour|Operation Mulberry]] which was an operation to construct two artificial harbors on the Normandy coast to support the [[invasion of Normandy|invasion]]. This operation used 158 tugboats including 74 of the Army's "small tugs" to tow 59 [[Gooseberry]] derelict ships to be sunk as breakwalls and the [[Phoenix breakwaters|Phoenix]] [[caisson (engineering)|caisson]]s and Lobnitz floating piers.<ref name="mulberry">{{cite web
Early truck developments are given coverage with the [[Mexican Punitive Expedition]], [[Liberty truck]], and Transcontinental Motor Convoy exhibits. The extensive Liberty Truck exhibit covers the development and production of the Army's first standardized truck design, a 5 ton cargo hauler produced using interchangeable parts<ref name="liberty">{{cite web
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/LibTrucksmulberry.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title =Liberty TruckOperation Mulberry page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref> as well as soldier letters about their experiences with the trucks.
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114911/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/mulberry.htm
 
|archive-date = 2012-03-30
[[World War II]] receives coverage with several exhibits. Among them are coverage of [[Mulberry harbour|Operation Mulberry]], which was an operation to construct two artificial harbors on the Normandy coast to support the [[invasion of Normandy|invasion]]. This operation used 158 tugboats including 74 of the Army's "small tugs" to tow 59 [[Gooseberry]] derelict ships to be sunk as breakwalls and the Phoenix [[ciasson (engineering)|caisson]]s and Lobnitz floating piers.<ref name="mulberry">{{cite web
|url-status = dead
|url=http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/museum/Mulberry.htm
}}</ref> Another exhibit focuses on the [[Red Ball Express]], the massive supply operation that supported [[George S. Patton|Patton]]'s advance after [[D-Day]]. The exhibit includes photos and paintings of the trucks as well as a diorama of a rest stop/repair depot featuring cargo trucks and a wrecker. Additional materials address the massive fuel and oil consumption needs as well as soldier experiences.<ref name="redball">{{cite web
|work=U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/redballintro.htm
|title=Operation Mulberry page
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|accessdate=2008-03-05}}</ref> Another exhibit focuses on the [[Red Ball Express]], the massive supply operation that supported [[George S. Patton|Patton]]'s advance after [[D-Day]]. Coverage includes photos and paintings of the trucks as well as a diorama of a rest stop/repair depot featuring cargo trucks and a wrecker. Additional materials address the massive fuel and oil consumption needs as well as soldier experiences.<ref name="redball">{{cite web
|title = Red Ball express page
|url=http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/museum/RebBallIntro.htm
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|work=U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|url-status = dead
|title=Red Ball express page
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114903/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/redballintro.htm
|accessdate=2008-03-05}}</ref>
|archive-date = 2012-03-30
}}</ref>
 
The museum has an extensive [[Vietnam War]] exhibit, including a large diorama with the [[gun truck]] ''Eve of Destruction'' (believed the only surviving Vietnam era gun truck,<ref name="eve">{{cite web
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/harden.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Gun Truck page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref> and named after a [[Eve of Destruction (song)|protest song]]<ref name="eve_name">{{cite web
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120318223301/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/nameharden.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-18
|work=U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|url-status = dead
|title=Gun Truck naming page
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref>) and anamed helicopter,after asa well[[Eve asof bicyclesDestruction used by the [[Viet(song)|protest Congsong]].<ref name="vc_bikeeve_name">{{cite web
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/vc-bikename.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title =Viet CongGun Truck Bicyclenaming page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref> The museum has an extensive collection of gun truck images, organised by the truck name, which are also on the museum's web site.<ref name="gt_name">{{cite web
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319214622/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/name.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-19
|work=U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|url-status = dead
|title=Gun Truck name page
}}</ref>), an exhibit depicting a downed [[Bell UH-1 Iroquois|UH-1 Iroquois]] in a rice paddy, as well as bicycles used by the [[Viet Cong]].<ref name="vc_bike">{{cite web
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref>
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/vc-bike.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Viet Cong Bicycle page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114848/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/vc-bike.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-30
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> The museum has an extensive collection of gun truck images, organised by the truck name, which are also on the museum's web site.<ref name="gt_name">{{cite web
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/name.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Gun Truck name page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319214622/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/name.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-19
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>
 
Outdoor exhibits include the vehicle park with a selection of representative vehicles used in the transport command including a [[DUKW]]. A marine park has Army water vessels, includingsuch a [[DUKW]] andas a tugboat, J-Boat, and various sized amphibious craft including landing craft and wheeled barges.<ref name="out">{{cite news
|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3723/is_200304/ai_n9189296
|work=Findarticles.com
|title=Exhibit overview
|accessdateaccess-date=2008-03-05
| year=2003}}</ref>
 
[[Image:C7Caribou Fort Eustis 2008.JPG|right|thumb|A [[C-7 Caribou]] ]]
The aviation pavilion exhibits aircraft, fixed wing and helicopter, from the [[Korean War]] to the present, including a [[HZ-1 Aerocycle]], an [[OH-23 Raven]] helicopter and a vertical take-off/landing plane.<ref name="out"/> An unrestored Avrocar is kept in the covered sectionstorage.
 
The rail section has several significant artifacts including the railway cars used in the Berlin duty train<ref name="btrain">{{cite web
|url = http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/bertrain.htm
|work = U. S. Army Transportation Museum site
|title = Berlin Duty Train page
|access-date = 2011-10-05
|accessdate=2011-10-05}}</ref> as well as standard issue tank switchers, and a collection of typical rolling stock including cranes, freight cars and maintenance of way equipment.
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114814/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/bertrain.htm
|archive-date = 2012-03-30
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> as well as standard issue tank switchers, and a collection of typical rolling stock including cranes, freight cars and maintenance of way equipment.
{{-}}
 
Line 103 ⟶ 133:
'''T''' - Train/Railway exhibits]]
 
Since the museum is on an active military installation, a check-in at the guard station, a possible vehicle search, and a visitor's pass are required (driver's license, car insurance and car registration, citizens of other nations need their passport).<ref name="visit">{{cite web |url= http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/visit.htm |work= U.S. Army Transportation Museum site |title= visitor info page |accessdateaccess-date= 2011-10-05 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120330114826/http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/visit.htm |archive-date= 2012-03-30 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The museum has a gift shop, and a reference library where research may be undertaken with advance request. <br />
The museum's hours of operation are 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday-Saturday.
 
==Other Army museums==
:''See: [[National Museum of the United States Army#Other Army museums]]''
 
==See also==
*[[List of museums in the United States]]
 
==References==
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{{coord|37.1650|-76.5756|type:landmark_source:enwiki-googlemaplink|display=title}}
{{Newport News, Virginia}}
{{United States Army history museums}}
 
{{authority control}}
 
[[Category:United States Army museums|Transportation]]
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[[Category:Museums in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:Museums established in 1959]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Military transport]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army_Transportation_Museum"