What a great weekend!

Even though there was extensive rain throughout the Northern Virginia region on Saturday, we were largely spared for most of the day at the Tank Farm.  A few quick sprinkles in the late morning and early afternoon, but no real rain until 3:00.

Combining the experience of long-time traffic counters as well as estimates based on hard numbers of lunch sales, we believe that we had 700-800 attendees on Saturday and 1,200-1400 on Sunday. Our biggest Open House yet.

So many highlights:

• 50 or 60 armored vehicles out on display
• The capabilities of 10 vintage tanks demonstrated
• A Huey helicopter flown in for display by the DC Army National Guard
• A special ceremony honoring several World War II veterans who were present, including Bob Overkott, a survivor of the disastrous launch of 29 amphibious tanks on D-Day
• Flame thrower and small arms demonstrations by the United States Marine Corps Historical Company
• Helicopter rides provided by American Helicopters, Inc.
• Remote controlled, to scaled model tanks—a real hit with the boys!
• A cadre of re-enactors
• Camo face painting for the kids
• Armored vehicle rides for membership raffle winners
• New NMAW T-shirts for all new members
• And much more

For the Museum, we were very pleased to add nearly 200 new members to our cause.  More importantly, however, we believe that we were able to show our visitors in a fun and respectful way how our Museum will achieve our vision of honoring those who serve(d) our country in times of war.

Special thanks to Allan Cors, our chairman and owner of the Tank Farm and his amazing collection of vintage armored vehicles, Nancy Coursen, Elizabeth Newberry, Marc Sehring, Alan Berry, Bruce Oppenhagen, Larry Tucker, and so many other great volunteers and participants.  

We will have more photos and film available soon, but our good friend Bob Miller has already posted some great shots and video clips on his milblog: 

http://unitedconservatives.blogspot.com/search/label/National%20Museum%20of%20Americans%20in%20Wartime

 http://www.concretebob.freeservers.com/custom.html

In World War II, American citizens collected scrap in order to help the war effort. Today, we are collecting a modern version of your scrap in order to help a worthy cause: wounded warriors. We’d love to have your help. Bring us your unwanted cell phones – many families have several castoffs tucked away in a drawer – and we will recycle the phones to raise funds for Paralyzed Veterans of America. Just bring your old phones when you come to our Open House this weekend. Drop off the phones in our clearly marked boxes, and we’ll do the rest. We don’t need chargers, cases, or accessories of any kind; only the phones. You’ll be clearing out unwanted junk; providing phones for recycling; and doing your part to help our wounded warriors.

Many thanks to NMAW Trustee Susan Keating for putting this together for us.

POLK CITY, Fla. — After flying 50 combat missions over two tours of duty in World War II, Neal Goss returned home a reluctant American hero.

Sixty-four years later, he has done it again.

Goss, who turned 89 earlier this month, never left the skies he once helped patrol for his country, trading his B-17 bomber for a variety of private aircraft, eventually leading to his hang glider, which he still flies solo at least two days every month at the Wallaby Ranch in Central Florida.

Click here to read the whole story.

Hopefully you have already registered for the National Museum of Americans in Wartime annual Open House event on October 24 and 25 at Aden Field near Nokesville, VA.  Visitors will see an amazing collection of armored vehicles, tanks in demonstration, helicopters, reenactments, and more.  Veterans, families, and students love this event!  No admission charge and parking is free.

Our goal is to get exposure for the museum (www.nmaw.org) and attract new members, so here’s a special Open House offer:

Anyone who becomes a new museum member or renews their membership at the Open House on either Saturday or Sunday, October 24 and 25 will receive a cool museum T-shirt and have your name entered in a drawing for the chance to ride in an armored vehicle at the Open House.  35 names will be chosen each day.  Major photo op!

Memberships start for as little as $25.

If you haven’t already registered for the Open House, please click here.

Should you have any questions feel free to contact Elizabeth Newberry at membership@nmaw.org

National Museum of Americans in Wartime

Open House

Our most effective and fun way to promote the Museum and fulfill our mission of honoring, educating, and inspiring visitors, especially young people, about wartime service is through our special events.  Our biggest event, the annual “Open House”, is now set for October 24 & 25 at Allan Cors’ Tank Farm (lots of tanks!) near Nokesville, Virginia.

On Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25, the activities will run from 11:00am until 4:00pm.  Many vintage vehicles will be on display and several will be used in live demonstrations.  Living history units will be present to display their gear and weaponry and even provide some shock and awe.  Other exciting activities are being planned right now.  Refreshments and Wartime Museum items will be available for sale.

Drawings for tank rides both days!

Veterans, kids, families, and even active duty personnel love this event!  If you’ve never been, it’s definitely worth the drive.

Want to get your picture taken beside a Sherman tank or even a Russian T-34?  Or see a reenactment of a WWII bunker assault?  Witness helicopter maneuvers?  Get a cool T-shirt?  Then put our open house on your calendar now.

Best of all, it’s a free event! However, we do ask visitors to register in advance so we can plan for the crowd size.  You can register now by clicking here