National Museum of the Marine Corps

Yesterday, just for tickles and grins, we drove on over to the National Museum of the Marine Corps which is only a few miles from Prince William RV Park.

The Museum opened in 2006 with exhibits artifacts from all the wars in which Marines have participated beginning with the American Revolution (1775) through the Vietnam War (1975).  There is a tribute to 9/11 and the Museum is working on exhibits for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The Museum hosts on an average of 1,500 people per day.  The admission is free.

The main entrance leads you to Leatherneck Gallery and the Gift Shop.

We watched a short film about the spirit of the Marine Corps that explains just who a Marine is.  Once a Marine, always a Marine; Semper Fi – Hoorah!!! 

Then we began our tour down Legacy Walk beginning with the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.  This picture below depicts the Battle at Harpers Ferry during the Civil War. 

Next was the World War I exhibits.

 

Then we enjoyed listening to the Marine Band playing several of John Phillip Sousa’s marches.  We enjoy bands, concerts in the park, and that sort of thing.  At one point I had a dozen LPs of the Coast Guard Band.  Do you remember LPs?  For those of you who don’t, they were just big CDs or huge MP3 disks.

Next we toured the World War II exhibits.

 

With the actual flag that was raised on Mount Suribachi at Iwo Jima on display.

The World War II display was followed by exhibits for the Korean War.

 

And last, but not least, exhibits of the Vietnam War. 

 

The last exhibit was a timeline tribute to 9/11 with a piece of I-beam from one of the Towers.  There were clocks on a wall with events of that morning placed in chronological order.

The Museum was a nice tribute to the Marine Corps and well worth the time to visit it if you are in the area, however, it pales in comparison to the Pacific War Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Hoorah and May God Bless  - - - - - - - -