The Army wants their guns back

[Dudedog]

This is terrible. Why doth me think the governments end game isn’t to remember history of firearms but to wipe it out of existence? Oh, probably because of the revisionist history we have going on all over in this country.

More likely it's all just to save a few bucks.....

So sad to see something like this go away. Like a lot of things once it is gone it is gone forever.

 

[.455_Hunter]

"The only one I can think of that comes close is (was?) at APG with Dr. Atwater."
That museum has been shut down in APG and most if not all of the small arms are kept at Fort Lee, Virginia.

It was an outstanding facility, along with the outdoor tank gardens and an Atomic Annie out front. I greatly enjoyed working with Dr. Atwater for the time I was there.

 

[Demi-human]

I doubt this decision was part of any "evil democratic plot to destroy out culture." Let's not start any conspiracy theories, guys.

Yeah, but...

They will be gone for good.

NOOOooooo!

Surely there is a silver lining. There may be.

 

[tark]

"The only one I can think of that comes close is (was?) at APG with Dr. Atwater."
That museum has been shut down in APG and most if not all of the small arms are kept at Fort Lee, Virginia.

I think all of the Army's museums were shut down this last year. Too bad, because I don't think it was necessary.

 

[tark]

Yeah, but...

NOOOooooo!

Surely there is a silver lining. There may be.

It is what it is..... I try to take some solace in the fact that we will still have some of the most sacred holy grails of firearms collecting on display.

 

[tark]

It was an outstanding facility, along with the outdoor tank gardens and an Atomic Annie out front. I greatly enjoyed working with Dr. Atwater for the time I was there.

We have an atomic cannon sitting in Memorial Field, about a quarter mile from the museum, along with a Sherman tank knocked out during the Battle of the Bulge and about thirty other howitzers and cannons.

 

[Skylerbone]

I consider myself lucky to have visited this collection and taken my children as well. If I live a dozen blocks south of my current location the island would be in view. Truly sad news to hear it too will be gone along with the other losses RIA has suffered in the past few decades.

My only family connection to the Arsenal is my father, part of the Police Department there after retiring from city PD. Thank you for sharing Tark.

 

[CapnMac]

In the Army's museum system is deactivated. None of them will fire. The Army is very strict in this regard.

Many European musea are similarly strict.
Even to the point of irreparably damaging historically and physically unique materiel.

And, not one firearm stolen from museum custody has been used in a crime (some have been the crime--ref the CT Historical Firearms Museum and the Colt Reference Collection.

This is an ongoing issue for those committed to the preservation of the fabric of actual history. Which includes things like firing pins.

 

[.455_Hunter]

One of my ROTC buddy's father was the CG of Rock Island for awhile- MG Arbuckle (maybe BG while there?). I guess the Rock Island CG's quarters is the second largest (in square footage) government "house", behind only the one in DC.

 

[tark]

Quarters One hasn't been lived in in a long time. It is run down and in need of renovation. Wish the army would have spent their money renovating Q-1 and left the museum alone.

 

[DustyGmt]

I'm sorry to hear that. If this museum was close by, I would probably visit weekly.... Thanks for all the pics you've posted over the years. Awesome collection of history there, it's a shame the Army is taking them back, I'm curious as to why and what they plan to do with them.

 

[DustyGmt]

The Calvary Saber is an awesome piece of history. All of that stuff. If I were you I'd probably hire a professional photographer to take photos of everything and reconstruct the museum in prints and display it at my house, lol.

 

[tark]

I'm sorry to hear that. If this museum was close by, I would probably visit weekly.... Thanks for all the pics you've posted over the years. Awesome collection of history there, it's a shame the Army is taking them back, I'm curious as to why and what they plan to do with them.

Some will be parceled out to other army museums. The Army's new national museum will doubtless get some. Some will be put in storage at Anniston.

The Calvary Saber is an awesome piece of history. All of that stuff. If I were you I'd probably hire a professional photographer to take photos of everything and reconstruct the museum in prints and display it at my house, lol.

Buford quite possibly , literally, saved the Union on that first day of the battle of Gettysburg. His two Regiments ran into Heth's division. He held them off for a few hours because his men were armed with Spenser repeating rifles. Ironically, Buford didn't much care for Sabers, because he felt that horses were best put to use by carrying troops rapidly from place to place. Once the battle began his men would fight dismounted. Sabers aren't much use on the ground. Buford urged his men to leave their sabers behind. For his actions, Lincoln promoted him to BG and presented him with that saber. John Buford died from typhoid fever later that year.

His saber is one of the most priceless artifacts of American history. I'm glad we will be keeping it.