Today, March 25th, is National Medal of Honor Day. In honor of this, we would like to take the opportunity to honor MoH recipient Colonel John Riley “Killer” Kane. “Killer” Kane was a B-24 Liberator pilot who led the 98th Bomb Group in Operation Tidal Wave; a large-scale bombing raid on German run oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania on Aug. 1st, 1943. Thanks to the generous donation of Mr. Curtis Burton, we have the honor and privilege of displaying Col. Kane’s Medal of Honor here at the American Heritage Museum as part of our Italian Campaign gallery. ![]()
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You can read more about Col. John “Killer” Kane at: bit.ly/4iVKYaq![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #medalofhonor #moh #usaaf #ploesti #operationtidalwave #wwii #wwiihistory #worldwarii #worldwar2 #b24liberator
Today is Rosie the Riveter Day, honoring the iconic symbol of female empowerment during WWII. Rosie represented the millions of women who entered industrial jobs, proving their strength and capability. Despite facing discrimination, they paved the way for workplace rights and gender equality. Rosie’s legacy lives on in today’s fight for equal pay, representation, and opportunity—reminding us: “We Can Do It!”![]()
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Read our full article about today's importance at: bit.ly/4hDJaly![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #rosietheriveter #rosietheriveterday #celebratewomen #womenshistorymonth #inspiringwomentoday #worldwarii #wwii #arsenalofdemocracy
One of the goals of the American Heritage Museum is to encourage our visitors to learn about the veterans in your own family and reflect on the experiences they went through during their service. When we first started, our focus was on our World War II veteran community, but sadly, many of our WWII veterans are no longer with us and many family members only learned about their service after their passing. Think of the WWII veteran that was in your life... family or friend. What is the one question you'd ask them today if they were still with us? Such questions may inspire others who have veterans in their life to ask the same and keep their stories alive. ![]()
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Please share your questions in the comments. ![]()
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Photo of WWII B-24 pilot Frank Tedesco (1921-2020), 451st BG and friend of the Collings Foundation via Emily Clark - Wicked Local (2013)![]()
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#WWII #Veterans #WWIIveteran #veteranlife #AmericanHeritageMuseum
Read the full post at: bit.ly/3FkwQZM![]()
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That old saying “the devil is in the details” certainly holds true for the ongoing restoration of Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina BuNo 2459 in New Smyrna Beach, FL at American Aero Services. Though the exterior restoration is mostly complete, the interior restoration to bring the aircraft back to accurate 1942 wartime configuration has been an enormous task that has tested the skills of the restoration crew led by project manager Casey Littrell. Because the aircraft arrived from Europe with little original equipment, nearly all of the interior components have either had be found or fabricated. And considering the early vintage of this PBY, original equipment is scarce… so just sourcing the materials is a monumental task in its own right. And for items that need to be fabricated, finding original drawings or photos to accurately reconstruct items is an additional challenge... (continued)![]()
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Please read the full update with a gallery of photos at: bit.ly/3FkwQZM![]()
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#PBYCatalina #PBY5A #FlyingBoat #USNavy #NavalAviation #AvGeek
The American Heritage Museum is pleased to announce the launch of our first BSA Merit Badge Program for Scouting America for the American Heritage Merit Badge. Learn More at: bit.ly/43DVnDd![]()
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Every Scout swears to an oath that includes duty to their country. The American Heritage Merit Badge encourages a better understanding of American heritage, learn the ways in which the past has lead to our present nation, and truly knowing what it means to be an American.![]()
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The American Heritage Merit Badge at the American Heritage Museum is a three-hour long program, which includes museum admission and a guided tour for scouts and leaders. By the end of the program (prerequisites required) the scout will have completed all requirements to earn the merit badge. The program is conducted by a registered BSA Merit Badge Councilor. A minimum of 10 scouts and 2 BSA registered adults is required per session and adults may be asked to assist.![]()
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The program cost is $40 per Scout and BSA registered adults are free. To learn more about the program and to schedule, see: bit.ly/43DVnDd
Did you know that there are other ways to make a gift to the American Heritage Museum a program of Collings Foundation, Inc. outside of a cash donation each year? As a 501c3 non-profit organization, we have a number of other ways you can make an impact through smart giving of assets you may have never considered before.
If your investment portfolio has grown over time and you have appreciated stock available, did you know that you can easily transfer and donate stock? Stock donations can be used as a tax-deductible charitable contribution and will also avoid potential capital gains taxes on the appreciated assets through the donation. Learn more at our stock donation link.
If you have built a cryptocurrency portfolio and it has appreciated, you can also avoid the hassle of liquidation and donate crypto directly through our partnership with Crypto for Charity. Similar to stock donations, you can use it as a tax-deductible charitable contribution and avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated cryptocurrency. Learn more by visiting our cryptocurrency donation link.
If you and your family have built and contributed to a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) with your financial advisors, you can easily designate a gift to the American Heritage Museum and Collings Foundation to make an easy and positive impact on our mission. Learn more by visiting our link on Donor Advised Funds.
For donors over the age of 70½ years with a Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you may make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) as a direct transfer from your IRA custodian to support our mission. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year, as long as certain rules are met, and are not counted as taxable income to you. Learn more at our IRA QCD link.
Explore Smart Giving Options
Donate Stock and SecuritiesMake a donation of appreciated stock or securities to support the American Heritage Museum and Collings Foundation for additional tax saving benefits . |
Donate CryptoMake a donation of cryptocurrency to support the American Heritage Museum mission through our safe and secure portal managed by Crypto for Charity. |
Donate from a DAFEasily make a gift to the American Heritage Museum and Collings Foundation through a Donor Advised Fund DAF managed by your financial service provider. |
Give from an IRA / QCDDonate to the American Heritage Museum from your Individual Retirement Account IRA and satisfy your Qualified Charitable Contribution QCD requirements. |
Questions? Contact Us Today.
Please contact our Development Office with any questions you may have about smart giving options as well as other ways to support our mission of living history for future generations!
Contact: Ryan Keough
Director of Donor Relations and Development
978-562-9182 office – rkeough@collingsfoundation.org
