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The answer to the “What is it? Wednesday” question from June 25th is a part of the track tensioning system on our LVT(a)-4! Have you ever tensioned a tank track?Stay tuned for the next “What is it? Wednesday” question tomorrow, July 2nd at 10:00 am EST!#americanheritagemuseum #whatisitwednesday ... See MoreSee Less
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Today, June 27th is National PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) Awareness Day. This is an especially important date for us to acknowledge here at the American Heritage Museum, due to the immense number of veterans that suffer from this terrible condition. As reported by the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs), in 2022, 6,407 veterans took their own lives. That's 17.6 veterans every day. Many of these were related to struggles with PTSD.So as we close out Men's Mental Health Month, we would like to urge a gentle reminder. Check in on your family, friends and loved ones. These struggles are often silent and overlooked, and sometimes all it takes to help someone is for them to know that someone cares.If you are struggling with your own mental health problems, there are people who can help. Call 988 or text TALK to 741741 to reach a representative at the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 💚 ... See MoreSee Less
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What is your favorite Anti-Tank Gun of all time?Join the conversation and share your thoughts! 💭 Each week, We're posing a question about historical military vehicles, and we want YOU to weigh in. Whether you’re a history buff, or just curious—we want to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below to cast your vote! 👇#QuestionOfTheWeek ... See MoreSee Less
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Join us on Saturday, July 5th, 1pm to 2:30pm, for an engaging talk by award winning author George Hayward on his book The Party Dolls.On 10 May 1969, two American prisoners of war escaped from a brutal Hanoi prison camp called the Annex. Their story is one of incredible bravery against the longest of odds. It’s also one of bitter conflict. Air Force Captains John Dramesi and Ed Atterberry escaped with help from their fellow prisoners, but that help was not given freely. The suffering it brought killed Atterberry, and scarred others for life. For more information on the event see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/speaker-series-the-party-dolls-escape-from-the-zoo-annex/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Battle of the Bulge


Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer
– GER | TANK DESTROYER

M4A3E2 Sherman “Jumbo” – USA | TANK

M16 Half-Track / M45 Quadmount – USA | PERSONNEL CARRIER/ANTI-AIRCRAFT

M5 3-inch Gun – USA | ANTI-TANK GUN

M5A1 13 ton High-Speed Tractor – USA | ARTILLERY TRACTOR

M8 Scott – USA | HOWITZER MOTOR CARRIAGE

After the breakout from Normandy at the end of July 1944, and the Allied landings in southern France on August 15th, 1944, the Allies advanced toward Germany’s borders very quickly. But then a rapid thrust into the Netherlands was blocked by recovering German forces, compelling the Allies to retreat out of Holland. The British slowly retook the Scheldt estuary to allow use of the key port of Antwerp. Canadians advanced a second time into the Netherlands in hard winter fighting. American and French armies attacked the fortified Siegfried Line and Metz farther south, while other Americans bogged down in close and bloody fighting in the Huertgen Forest. The nearby Ardennes Forest, where Americans had fought Germans in WWI in 1918, looked to be a quiet sector. It soon turned into a bloody battle zone when the German Army launched a surprise counterattack.

The Battle of the Bulge, named for the bulge in American lines created by the German attack, is also known as the Ardennes Offensive. It was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. It took place from December 16th, 1944 to January 25th, 1945. It was launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, northeast France, and Luxembourg. The offensive was intended to stop Allied use of the Belgian port of Antwerp and to split the Allied lines, allowing the Germans to divide the Allied armies and stave off looming defeat for a little while longer. If the attack were to succeed in capturing Antwerp, four complete armies would be trapped without supplies behind German lines. Unfortunately for German ambitions, they did not have the tanks, aircraft, fuel or offensive punch left to even reach Antwerp. Still, many men would die trying while others died to stop them, then force defeat on the Nazi regime.

American forces bore the brunt of the attack and incurred their highest casualties of any operation during the war. The battle also severely depleted Germany’s armored forces and all but eliminated the last of its air forces (Luftwaffe). The Germans’ initial attack involved 410,000 men; just over 1,400 tanks, tank destroyers, and assault guns; 2,600 artillery pieces; 1,600 anti-tank guns; and over 1,000 combat aircraft. Around 98,000 Germans were killed, missing, wounded in action, or captured. For the Americans, out of a peak of 610,000 troops, 89,000 became casualties. Over 19,000 were killed.  The “Bulge” was one of the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II and the third-deadliest campaign in American history (behind the Battle of Normandy 1st, and the Meuse–Argonne offensive that was a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire Western Front).

During World War II, most U.S. black soldiers in Europe still served only in maintenance or service positions, or in segregated units, although a black combat division saw extensive action against the Japanese in Burma. Because of troop shortages during the Battle of the Bulge, Eisenhower decided to integrate the service for the first time. This was an important step toward a desegregated United States military, although that did not formally take place until after the war ended. More than 2,000 black soldiers volunteered to carry rifles and go to the front. Others served a vital role as drivers of supply trucks that ran 24 hours a day in the “Red Ball Express.” The 761st tank battalion was the first African American tank battalion to see combat in World War II. The “Black Panthers” received nearly 400 combat decorations, fighting in France, in Belgium during the Bulge, and ending the war in south Germany and Austria.

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EVENT TICKETS ONLY FOR SATURDAY & SUNDAY - No General Admissions available this weekend during Father's Day Tanks, Wings, and Wheels special event.

There will be no General Admissions tickets available on Saturday, June 14th and Sunday, June 15th during the Tanks, Wings, and Wheels Father's Day Weekend - all visitors on Saturday and Sunday must purchase event tickets for Saturday and Sunday for access to the American Heritage Museum. $30 Adults | $25 Seniors/Veterans | $20 Children 3 to 16 years old.