BG John C.L. Scribner Texas Military Forces Museum Camp Mabry • Austin, Texas NewsQuarterly Summer 2012

In this issue

3 Director’s Corner Jeff Hunt

Residents of Tarrytown, the neighborhood adjacent to Camp Mabry, got a close look at 4 the truck during their Fourth of July parade. Deputy Director’s Report Lisa Sharik WWII Fire Truck Joins Collection The newest addition to the Texas Military Forces Museum’s collection of historic vehicles – a Class 500 Fire Truck – is now on display in the Great 5 Hall. This is a very special artifact with a very special story. Exhibits Report Edward Zepeda This fire truck was delivered to the United States War Department by the Ford Motor Company on June 19, 1943 and first saw service at McCloskey General Hospital in Temple, Texas, before being transferred to Camp Swift 6 near Bastrop, Texas, in either 1943 or 1944. The truck’s firefighting equip- Foundation Update Continued on page 2 Tim Weitz VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER: George Necer 7 Long-time museum volunteer and leather Muster Day and specialist George Necer has lived a varied, Close Assault interesting life with many accomplishments. Born into a family of photographers, George 8 endured the German occupation of France as Upcoming Events a young child. He speaks, reads and writes English, French and Spanish, as well as a smat- and Contact Info tering of German and Italian. Among his many talents, George is a horseman, photographer, Continued on page 2 2

WWII Fire Truck Joins Collection, continued ment was provided by American LaFrance — one of the Special thanks to the following soldiers oldest manufacturers of such equipment in the United and volunteers who restored this vehicle: States, the company was founded by Truckson LaFrance and his partners in 1873. Capable of pumping 500 gallons MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS of water a minute at 120 pounds per square inch of pressure, this vehicle was a standard piece of equipment Glen Villoz – recovery, mechanical, research on most military installations and primarily designed to Chris Hunt – recovery, mechanical, research fight structure fires. The vehicle remained in service at Jeff McDonald – recovery, mechanical Camp Swift until the late 1970s, when it was transferred to Damon Lopez – recovery, mechanical the Bastrop Volunteer Fire Department, which used the Roger Dean – research and equipment truck into the early 1990s before retiring it from service. Ed Hall – equipment David Gruetzner – equipment In 2009, Specialist Alan Donaldson — a Texas National Guardsman assigned to Range Control at Camp Swift CSMS #2 CAMP MABRY and a volunteer with the Bastrop Fire Department — contacted the museum about the location of the fire truck, Kirk Smith – project manager, body work, paint and assembly which was then sitting neglected in an open field not far Steven Pavitt – media blast, body work, paint, assembly from its old Camp Swift home. Specialist Donaldson and electrical helped facilitate the donation of the truck to the museum. Jared Harris – hose reel and tank fabrication In 2009 museum volunteers recovered the vehicle, and assembly repaired the engine, tires and brake systems and prepared Jason Quigley – media blast, paint and assembly it for further restoration by Combined Support Mainte- Reginald Blue – body work nance Shop #2 at Camp Mabry. Here, extensive body Alicia Alva – upholstery work, including the fabrication of damaged or missing Thomas Funkhouser – miscellaneous parts fabrication parts, a rewiring of the electrical system and radiator Terry Neidig – stencils repairs were completed. The operational fire truck was Brian Rivera – wood work returned to the museum for exhibit in May and is already a big hit with visitors.

VOLUNTEER OF THE QUARTER: Continued reporter, journalist, lecturer, leather artist and author. His book, Saddles of the World, is the definitive book on the subject. George is often contacted to identify rare or unusual saddles and his articles have appeared in many different magazines.

At the museum, George takes care of our leather items, preserving, conserving and restoring them when needed. He does his work in the gallery so that he can share his love and knowledge of leather with our visitors. As a docent at the front desk, he is a friendly, knowledgeable presence and his language skills often come in handy when we have visitors from other countries. George and his lovely wife, Juanita, live in Austin, Texas. 3

Director’s Corner

JEFF HUNT

One of the perks of this job is interact- panels and label text would be accurate, ing with folks who have never been to informative and visual appealing as well the museum or who haven’t visited in a as effective. long time. Generally, they are awed by how big we are, how remarkable our What they see is the finished product — story is and how well that story is told. and they are universally wowed by the Those visitors returning months or even result, sometimes even moved to years after their last tour are especially expressions of pride or tears. That’s struck by how much the museum has when you realize all the time and effort changed and continues to change. is SO worth it. That’s also when you Although we always like to hear feed- look around and think back to how that back from our patrons, these reactions exhibit used to look, how that space was are especially gratifying because they utilized or what that vehicle looked like help remind our staff and volunteers when it was just a restoration project how important what they do is and how waiting to happen. That is when you see much progress we’ve made — and how far we’ve come and have absolute continue to make. faith in where we are going.

When you are at the museum every day Examples of this reality abound — from or every week, it is easy to lose sight of the newly restored WWII fire truck that progress. This is because you see it which just entered the collection, to the incrementally and you help it move along new artifacts and exhibit cases recently step by small step. Some of those steps installed in the War on Terror exhibit, come far slower than you wish they like a multi-cam uniform worn by one of would, and a few are much harder than our engineers in Afghanistan, a dummy you thought they would be. For every IED used as a training aid, a 1/4-scale project completed you always know F-16 fighter and a stunning new exhibit there are dozens more waiting in the case to display Major General Garrett’s wings, and knowing they are all ex- collection of captured German Lugers tremely important, you feel like you just and Nazi daggers. There is the new can’t get to any of them fast enough. paint in the museum’s offices, the new break room for our hard-working But then someone stops by and heaps volunteers, the fact that we’ve already praise on the end result of all of that exceed 15,000 visitors this year and that work done by so many dedicated and the calendar is teeming — and I mean talented volunteers and the museum’s teeming — with school tours, summer staff. Those visitors weren’t around to camp tours, vacation bible school and see the time consuming and challeng- scout tours. Every time you go out into ing work that went in to making a new the Great Hall, Lisa and the docents are exhibit or finding aid. They weren’t here leading groups of young people around to see the meticulous effort that goes the museum and teaching them about into processing, cataloging and housing their history and the price that has been artifacts. Nor did they see the hours paid for their freedom. spend doing research so that exhibit Continued on page 8 4

Deputy Director’s Report

LISA SHARIK

Spring is officially over; it was 109 degrees A few of the many new donations since the last newsletter include: yesterday! The museum was very busy with both Muster Day and Close Assault events this spring. Muster Day set attendance records this year. We had around 4,000 people who came through the museum itself, as well as the thousands who saw German MP 40 brought the reenactments over both days. The museum back as a WWII souvenir. will be doing a fundraising event in September. Check the included flyer for more information. We have had school and summer camp tours almost every day this summer. In addition our regular visitation is way up. A big thank you to our docents for handling this extra load. One of our spring interns, Nora, has moved on but Jordon continues to intern for us this summer. Kudos to both Nora and Jordon for an outstand- ing job; almost all of the donation backlog has been cataloged. We will have two new interns Scarf from the 182nd Fighter Squadron which belonged to 1861 Richmond Newspaper with starting this fall and the intern program paid, for Sgt. Wade Spears who served with an article on the Battle of Wilson’s by the TXMF Historical Foundation, is a huge this Texas Air National Guard Creek, the first major Civil War help to our overworked museum staff. unit during the Korean War. battle west of the Mississippi. Congrats to former volunteer Robert Gates III on Some previously uncataloged items from the museum’s collection: his marriage in June to Erika — our best wishes to the newlyweds. On a somber note, as many of you are aware, long-time Museum volunteer and Foundation President, Colonel Al Lloyd, passed away in March. His presence and knowledge of all things TXMF are greatly missed. We know you are keeping an eye on us Al, we miss you. As always, we couldn’t manage without our wonder- ful volunteers and we welcome new volunteers. WWI T-Patch license plate from 36th Division commander Contact me by phone or email if you are inter- General Smith’s car. ested in working at the museum. Be sure to visit our gift shop. We continue to add new items and the used books section is always a treasure hunt as new books are constantly being Signed Audie Murphy donated. We continue to take donations of recruiting poster. Major documents and artifacts related to Texas Military Murphy served with the Forces, and Texas military history. I am happy to Texas National Guard answer any questions about the donation process beginning in 1950. or the museum’s artifacts. You may call or email Japanese aircraft recognition booklet. me at the museum. 5

Exhibits Report

EDWARD ZEPEDA

One of the best parts about working look and feel of the west side of the version of the Civil War exhibit with here is that you never know what is Great Hall as professional as the rest the exception being a hidden door going to come in the front door, and remove the little kiddies’ excuse most people don’t even see because it granted it has to be smaller than a for crossing the old ropes and chains. is behind a diorama. Accessibility for Sherman tank to fit or it has to stay The pipe is on site and the connec- the two new cases is from the rear outside. My new favorite thing is tors are moving at the speed of UPS. using the hidden doorway, removing the fire truck. Not for the fire truck Our next gallery redesign is slated to the need and cost of a moving parts shaped goodness, but for the oppor- occupy the area we have come to call entrance in either of the new cases. tunities provided the volunteers and Gallery One. Currently, it houses the Just another way that design and staff of the museum to participate in story of the Texas Revolution through planning save the museum and the restoration of the vehicle. All the Spanish American War, with a foundation money. credit goes to CSMS #2, for the little space set aside for a temporary fantastic body work and the great exhibit gallery. The redesign changes The cost of the revamped 19th paint job, Chris, Glen, Damon and the order of the gallery with a bit of Century exhibit will be $128,000 — Jeff for the brakes and electrical, and thought set toward the flow of people more or less. One of the first benefits I got to restore the bits and bobbles traffic and a pair of permanent of the computer generated virtual that are attached to the truck like the manufactured glass cases. Like we design of the new space will be to fire hoses, fire ax, a great big fire did with the last major gallery rede- facilitate fund raising to help make extinguisher, and what turned out to sign, we’ve started in the virtual world the concept a reality. We are all really be after a good sand blasting some projecting images into the computer excited about launching into this new awesome brass valves and nozzles. It and making choices. The content is project. Although it will be a big was fun to work on a little restoration arrayed in a logical manner paying challenge and more than a year’s project after spending so much time attention to accessibility and flow. worth of work, the final result should planning and building exhibits. be something to see. It will also take Nicer still to see the battered and At the present moment, the wood us one step closer to an integrated beat up parts take back their shapes work of Gallery One has been inte- overall feel for the entire museum and textures once the old paint and grated into the design of the next exhibit. rust was stripped away. Every piece is just a small part but boy do those parts add up. I’m sure the residents of Tarrytown enjoyed the truck tooling Mark your calendars! along in the 4th of July parade. Rails. In a museum, nothing says Sept. 22, keep out quite like a nice set of double pipe railing. My hope is that by now you’ve seen the nice pipe 2012 rail and label decks in front of the Sherman tank and the newly pre- A Casino Night served fire truck. The foundation has approved and funded the next Fundraiser at section of the continuing rail project in the Great Hall, completing the the Museum. northwest section. This will make the 6 From the Foundation President TIM WEITZ, JD, CAE

Museum Ambassadors There are always a number of good No matter how you answer that understand that the museum exists things to report on and always steady question, whether scientifically or and that Camp Mabry is an accessible, progress to talk about at the museum. philosophically, it has to be acknowl- open post that is a destination in its You can flip through any of the edged that a museum serves its more own right. museum newsletters and read about complete purpose when it has an them. There are some rather high audience. Consequently, there is Fortunately, Austin is a friendly, tourist profile things that have gone particu- always ongoing cultivation of greater town. You can see that everywhere larly well like the American Heroes visitation. It requires museum staff from Zilker Park to downtown, to the Day Weekend (aka Muster Day week- expertise, volunteer efforts, and wide outskirts of the city. I strike up conver- end). With all of its moving parts and ranging support from the military and sations with folks all the time, give challenges of coordination, its success directions, and answer questions about says a great deal about the museum restaurants and attractions. My wife, and its supporters. There are also the Just a one-minute the photographer, is usually asking quiet and routine daily successes like those taking pictures if they would like the regular acquisition and preserva- elevator conversation to join their subjects and have her snap tion of some rather incredible items, as a group shot using their camera. well as the creation of another impres- can go a long way. Conversations naturally flow from these sive display or upgrade. Yet, among all Your enthusiasm can chance meetings. If they are anything the topics of discussion, there is one like my wife and me, they are looking item that repeatedly comes up. It is be contagious. for that unusual, cool thing to do while the continuing upswing in visitor touring Austin. The Texas Military attendance which has been climbing Forces Museum fits that description, at a remarkably steady rate. It is civilian communities both on and off and there is no better person than each undeniable that improvements, new post. One aspect of this effort must of us to carry that message. displays, and interesting events have take place at a level where we can all all played a part in this visitor increase. participate. It’s understandable that we Depending on the time of year, we can The statistics are impressive. In 2010 can’t always find the time to support tell them not only about the museum, the museum doubled its visitation, and the museum as actively as we each but also upcoming events. Close in 2011, it increased another 15% to might want; however, what we all can Assault as we approach Veterans Day 29,587, and we are on track to exceed do on a daily basis is serve as ambas- or Memorial Day might just make that number in 2012. sadors of the museum. someone’s weekend more memorable, or at least keep the kids focused for an These statistics are indeed meaningful. Taking the time to talk about the hour or so on something that is educa- For a museum, visitation is near the museum is a labor of love. Whether tional and entertaining. For the pure top of the hierarchy of objectives. With in line at the bank or sharing a meal historians and academically-minded, or without an immediate audience, the with coworkers, we all can be walking, the latest symposium or traveling securing of artifacts and documents, as talking advertisements for the museum. display may just be what they’ve been well as studying, preserving, and I’m not advocating for an aggressive, hoping for to round out the week. If displaying items are worthy goals of never-shut-up soliloquy that turns near February 14, talking up the annual any museum; however, with an audi- people off. What I am encouraging is Valentine’s Dinner-Dance is a must, ence to educate, remind, and inspire, a that when we each have a moment to and as we get ready to roll out another museum becomes more and more make conversation, take time to tell fundraiser this September in the form relevant in a modern society. Visitors people about the latest display or the of a Casino Night, word of mouth will bring completion to the museum next entertaining and educational contribute greatly to its success and science equation. The need for visitors event. Just a one-minute elevator may determine whether or not it sort of calls to mind “If a tree falls in conversation can go a long way. Your becomes an annual gathering. the woods and there is no one there to enthusiasm can be contagious. Half hear it, does it make a sound?” the battle is just getting folks to Continued on page 8 7

Muster Day, Close Assault Bring History to Life

The boom of cannon and the rattle of small arms fire are no strangers to Camp Mabry each spring. Fortunately, our neighbors are used to the racket and the gunfire is part of the annual Muster Day (aka Texas Military Forces Open House/American Heroes Celebration) event held each April, and the Memorial Day weekend Close Assault 1944 living history program. Both events draw extremely large numbers of visitors to Camp Mabry and the museum to learn about the history of the Texas Military Forces and especially the saga of the 36th Infantry Division in World War II.

The museum’s own living history detachment — G Company — is the backbone of both events, doing the hard work of set up, take down, preparation and organization. Whereas Close Assault is an all- G Company event, Muster Day enjoys the support of multiple reenactment units, museums and living history groups. This last April, more than 214 reenactors, military vehicle collectors and living historians took part in Muster Day — by far the largest number ever to do so. They provided the 18,396 visitors who attended the event with a panoply of history ranging from the Texas Revolu- tion, through the War Between the States, the Punitive Expedition, World War I, World War, Korea and Vietnam.

As always, the biggest hits with the crowd were the historic military vehicle rides conducted by the Lone Star Chapter of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) and the WWII battle reenactment, which was witnessed by over 4,500 spectators. Special thanks go to the Museum of the American GI in College Station for supporting the event with some of its tanks and to the CenTex Wing of the Commemorative Air Force for participating with some of their aircraft. Everyone we heard from thought this year’s battle reenactment was the best we’d ever staged.

Close Assault 1944, which came a scant six weeks later, brought another 2,093 visitors to the museum. In addi- tion to helping Texans remember the true meaning of Memorial Day, G Company had the honor to chat with a D-Day 2nd Division veteran. The event raised $3,872 for the museum. That represents a $1,000 increase from the amount raised during the May Close Assault program last year. 8

September 22: Dog Tags & Dice Casino Night at the Museum Upcoming October 26-27: Hood’s Texas Brigade Symposium (for info visit www.hoodstexasbrigade.org) November 10-11: Close Assault 1944 Living History Program Events Director’s Corner, continued

And then there are the plans for the current 19th Century exhibit, but it will And if you want to do more, we have future which will allow us to build be a modern and exciting venue that so many ways that you can help — on all that has been accomplished will bring the important stories of the through fundraising, being a docent or heretofore. Texas Revolution, the Republic, the tour guide, assisting with research or Texas Navy, the battles for the frontier, cataloging artifacts and a dozen other The Texas Military Forces Historical the Mexican War, War Between the opportunities. Foundation is doing an ever better job States, Volunteer Guard, Spanish- and making huge strides in providing American and Philippine-American So come join us and convince others the financial and other support we Wars, the same kind of expert atten- to do so! Together we will ensure that need. Its latest fund raising event — tion and innovative exhibitory given the men and women who have worn Dog Tags and Dice Casino Night at to the Cold War, 49th Armored the uniform of our state and nation the Museum — promises to be both Division, War on Terror and Peace will have their history preserved fun and profitable. Much of the Keeping in the gallery we opened in and their story told so that it can money raised at this event will go September 2011. inspire others to serve and all of us toward a total revamp of our 19th to remember … remember and be Century exhibit, which we hope to We appreciate you being part of what thankful for what they have done and open in June or July of 2013 near the we do. Your membership dues help continue to do. That, after all, is what 150th anniversary of the battle of more than you can realize. So do your the museum is all about and why we Gettysburg. This new gallery will efforts to promote the museum and are here. consume the same foot print as the get more citizens to pay us a visit. From the Foundation President, continued

The electronic message board off walking trails leading hikers to explore is no charge to go through the museum. MoPac certainly gets the curiosity up the nature that has been so well pre- The price for admission has already of potential visitors, and the new Texas served here. With each improvement been paid and continues to be paid by highway signs that have been pursued to the installation and the museum, the dedicated men and women of the and promised for this fall will more the likelihood of more visitors increases, Texas Military Forces. It’s a heritage to clearly point people in the right direc- and with each of us serving as ambas- be proud of, and one worth talking tion. The post command is intent on sadors for the museum, attendance about. Oh, and by the way, did you making the entrance to Camp Mabry should continue to steadily climb. hear that we’ll be holding Casino Night look more inviting and park-like with Don’t forget to remind folks that there at the museum on Saturday, Sept. 22?

Museum Contact Information www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org

Main Number (512) 782-5659 Exhibit Curator – Edward Zepeda 782-5467 Fax 782-6750 Photo Archives – Bob and Jean Gates 782-5797 Director – Jeff Hunt 782-5770 Foundation 782-5282 Deputy Director – Lisa Sharik 782-5394 Email [email protected]