Hats off to our Veterans!
Each year on Nov. 11, we honor those who have served this great country. We pay our respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, and we say thank you to those who have been on the frontlines and ensured our freedom over the years.
To help understand and learn more about the U.S. Armed Forces, I made a trip to the Military Museum within the Greater Southwest Historical Museum (GSHM) in Ardmore.
As soon as I walked into the museum I was greeted by the kindest folks working at the museum, and I had the privilege of spending the day with Wes Hull. Mr. Hull could be a whole blog topic himself. He’s a retired Rear Admiral from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and was clearly passionate about what he was sharing with me as we wandered through the museum.
You wouldn’t believe the history and artifacts tucked in every corner of the Military Museum. Every branch is represented in the museum and displays start with the Mexican–American War in 1847, and continue through to Desert Storm, which ended in 1991. Each war is represented with artifacts and relics on display.
A notable distinction for the Military Museum is displaying uniforms of the seven uniformed services of the United States. Mr. Hull told me this could possibly be the only display of its kind in the world. I highly suggest you spend some time at this exhibit.
There are exhibits dedicated to military happenings in Oklahoma and the Ardmore area throughout the museum. But, there is one exhibit that stood out to me. The crash of the American Flyers Airline that was carrying 92 Army recruits and six crewmembers on April 22, 1966. Only 15 people survived the crash.
The plane crash impacted more people than just those involved. It impacted the city of Ardmore. The museum recently held a reunion for the remaining survivors and emergency workers. Mr. Hull told me it was a very emotional reunion and helped provide closure for a few of the survivors and emergency workers.
I’m in no way doing the stories shared with me justice. There is so much to take away from what is on display and so much to learn from at the GSHM. If you have a couple of hours to carve out in during your week or weekend, I encourage you to stop and ask for Wes Hull. Have him take you on a tour; you’ll be glad you did.
So today, I say thank you to all those in our armed forces and those that came before you. This museum opened my eyes to all that it takes to keep us safe and the sacrifices made for our country do not go unnoticed.
Until next time,
Katie
Comments