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A panorama of our museum:
The walls are covered with an array of Order of Battle maps including:
Western Front, WWII; 8th AF
Employment Plan; Operation Overlord; 86th Black Hawk Division; Battle of the Bulge (Dec 16, '44- Jan
24, '45); 1st Armored Division; Italy '43-'45; Korea '50-'53; Vietnam; Iraq, Gulf
War; Iraq, Push to Baghdad
(click on the thumbnails to see a larger photo, hit the back key
on your browser to return to this page)
SOME OF THE WALL DISPLAYS:
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Order of Battle map for the Western Front of World War I
at 11:00 a.m. November 11, 1918 when the war ended. Photos nearby are of
relatives of local residents who served in that war.
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| Station 1 |
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The map delineates bombing routes from UK to continental
Europe displaying routes taken to and from target areas.
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Station 3 |
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Station 4
D-Day landings on Europe showing units and locations. |
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Station 6
Island of Peleliu, Palau Group, invaded September 15, 1944. It was a major
struggle by the 1st Marine Division which had previously taken Guadalcanal
and New Britain Islands. Nearby is a map with artillery target areas
showing how thoroughly covered the island was.
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On February 19, three divisions of Marines landed on an
unknown island called Iwo Jima, bringing it into instant fame. What become
the battle with the most casualties in the Pacific War also provided the
most memorable photograph, Joe Rosenthal's flag raising on Mount Suribachi.
American casualties totaled more than 23,000. This was fewer than the
U.S.airmen saved by using Iwo as an emergency landing strip after bombing
runs on Japan.
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| Station 7 |
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Marjorie Johnston, a San Luis Obispo resident, was
working in the library of a military hospital in Chickasaw, OK, during
WWII. She began collecting shoulder patches from patients, asking them to
sign their names to a slip of paper. This unique collection resulted, with
each patch mounted on the signed mounting paper.
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Station 8 |
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Initially trained to go to the Pacific Theater, the 86th
Division was diverted to Europe during the Battle of the Bulge. When they
were released from the ETO the Blackhawks returned to Camp San Luis for
training and refitting and sent to the Phillipines. A sculpture of a
Blackhawk trooper made by a division veteran sits on a display case of
German artifacts liberated by local veterans.
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| Station 9 |
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The invasion of Iraq in March, 2003, is portrayed with
clarity on this map, showing the initial push from Kuwait to Baghdad and
Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town. Photos surrounding the map were taken
by a local Marine who participated in the invasion, including the infamous
toppling of Saddam's statue. GySgt Hernan Rodriguez returned safely with
the photos.
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| Station 14 |
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The Armory is a recent addition with a wide assortment of
armament.
| An impressive display of Japanese pistols, long rifle,
samurai swords; US springfield/enfield/krag rifles, M-1 Garand, 30 cal
carbine, Thompson M1A1 submachine gun; Vietnamese AK-47; hand grenades,
rocket launchers, anti-tank; and much more |
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Armory |
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The door leading to the
Veterans Interview Room |
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The inside of the Interview Room |
The following series of photos
are representative of some of the other museum displays. Navigate through the
photo gallery by using the < > tabs to show the different thumbnail photos,
click on the small thumbnail to show the larger view.
Leather Jacket Display Case
M3 37 mm Towed Cannon, with the various types of ammunition used. This gun started the war as an anti-tank weapon and performed satisfactorily against the Japanese. The Marines especially liked it when it was parked immediately behind their lines and used like a shot gun, with the third displayed ammo from the left, it helped clear out banzai charges.
Display case containing a variety of medals, with a chart of all U.S. medals behind. Medals are awarded for heroic and meritorious acts, as well as a wide variety of campaigns and acts.
Exhibit of jackets including a WWII U.S. Army issue Eisehower jacket, a Marine aviator flight jacket from the Korean era with a “Mae West” life preserver and helmet, and a U.S. Marine dress blue blouse from early in the 20th century.
Ya gotta eat. This display case contains eating utensils, ”mess gear” in the service vernacular. Included are field mess gear from WWI, WWII and Korea, items used in mess halls, such as trays, cups and eating utensils. Also there is a selection of food eaten both in the field and mess hall, including C Rations, K Rations, and MREs.
This Southwest Pacific theater display contains a Japanese flag, often carried as a good luck piece, a jar of Iwo Jima sand and Japanese occupation currency.
A collection of helmets and hats includes WWI and WWII steel helmets, modern Kevlar helmets, and aircraft crew helmet with a Red Cross,, as well as soft field hats from several eras.
A Navy display, created by one of the museums original founders, contains a Blue Jacket’s Manual, enlisted shirt and two older prints. Included are two submarine models, one of which was sent to Tokyo Bay shortly after December 7, 1941, to sit on the bottom and observe what was happening, rising as necessary for breathing. It safely returned to port. Dorleigh White was on that boat.
(Under Station #2) An exhibit honoring Clifton Scroggins, a U.S. Navy man who served shortly following WWI, was created by his daughters. Included in the display is a colored photograph of Scoggins, a picture of his ship, his burial flag and discharge papers, and a ship’s lantern. At that time, photographs had to be hand painted for color.
M3 37 mm Towed Cannon, with the various types of ammunition used. This gun started the war as an anti-tank weapon and performed satisfactorily against the Japanese. The Marines especially liked it when it was parked immediately behind their lines and used like a shot gun, with the third displayed ammo from the left, it helped clear out banzai charges.
What we still need:
Any military mementos veterans are
willing to donate. We have found that as the World War II generation
passes on, much of their military memorabilia that illustrates personal stories
is abandoned and lost to future generations.
Volunteers and Docents are needed.
Also we would appreciate volunteers to come in and tell their stories which will be taped.
Monetary contributions are
always welcome as admission to the museum is free. The museum is a 501(C)3
organization.
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