RGronovius Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 I get asked the question every now and then about whether or not the Patton Museum is still open at Fort Knox or did it move to Ft. Benning. The answer is yes and no. The US Army Museum of Cavalry and Armor did move from Ft. Knox to Benning, but the Patton Museum is still at Knox. It is now called the General George Patton Museum of Leadership and will reopen as such on Friday April 1, 2011. Here are its operating hours (effective April 1st): Weekdays Year-Round: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Weekends Year-Round: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CLOSED: Jan. 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, Dec. 24, 25 and 31 The above information is accurate as of 3:00 PM EDT yesterday. The "new" Patton museum is bascially a shadow of its former self. Think gift shop, lobby and that room where Patton's Cadillac, command post truck and other memorabilia was located. As far as display armor, there isn't very much in front of the museum and what is left I do not know if it will remain or just hasn't been moved yet. The display armor around post has virtually vanished. I took a drive around post yesterday (got lots of spare time since I'm clearing) and came up with a list of what's still left. At the new Chaffee Gate (formerly the Bullion Blvd Gate), there is an M24 Chaffee, M3A2 Bradley and M1IP Abrams. The old Chaffee Gate still has the two M48A2 tanks on the brick pedestals. The traffic circle has the M47, M48A2C and M41 Walker Bulldog. The Brandenburg Gate has an M60A1 and M60A3. The Wilson Gate has an M551 Sheridan. The PX still has the M4A3E8 Sherman in Abe's Thunderbolt markings near the bank. There is an M59 APC in front of the Ireland Army Community Hospital. There is an M60A3 in front of the Sadowski Field House across the street from the hospital helipad. All that was left in the Disney Barracks area was an M578 cherry picker in the 15th Cav's area. Although with basic leaving this year, I'm not sure if that'll be there for much longer. Around the Patton Museum, all that's left is the old M4 Sherman with the banana peel barrel near the Keyes Park playground. Here is a list of what's in front of the museum as of yesterday: M60A1 M4A3E8 Sherman M7 Priest M10 tank destroyer M52A1 SP 105mm howitzer M59 APC and a new item I hadn't seen before is a towed 8" gun (like the AFV kit). It sits where the old T28 heavy tank used to be displayed. The T28 is no longer there. Other than the old M60A1 on 31W as you approach the Muldraugh hill and the M103 heavy tank next to the Chamber of Commerce in Radcliff, display armor is virtually gone from in front of buildings around post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Aldrich Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Rob, You are like me. I take early morning drives on some Saturdays around Fort Lewis. That is how I found where they moved the M4A3E8 to and the two M3 series vehicles. It is a neat little thing to do and I also get to see the newer vehicles that are being deployed as well. It is a honor that I was fortunate to retire this close to an Army Base....or Joint-Base as they call it now. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGronovius Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 I only took a drive around post because I was looking to see what was still in place because I often get asked. I was also driving around because I'm clearing and needed to visit places I often do not go to in the course of my daily activities. When I lived on post, I ran passed most of the displays, but now that I moved off post, I've got a set route I take to work and beyond a few areas I hit for meetings or places like the PX, I don't get around the base much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMorales Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thanks for the update Rob. Do they plan on continuing the July 4th living history event? I am glad (and privelged) to have gone to Armor School in the late 80s, when so much armor was there, both historical and "present-day". I have mixed emotions with the Armor School relocation. Ft. Knox is a great post and the community was excellent, but since I live 2 hours north of Ft. Benning, I am going to be visiting the new museum alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGronovius Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Sounds like you and I went to the armor school around the same time (AOB July-Nov 87). I doubt that 4th of July display will be quite the same with a large number of museum runners heading south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts