If you love military history, you absolutely must go to the Don F. Pratt Museum at Fort Campbell. This museum was established in 1956 to honor the 101st Airborne Division, popularly known as the “Screaming Eagles.” It is full of exhibits, including a restored CG-4A cargo glider, plus some memorabilia from Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt. He was the highest-ranking member of the Allied forces that were killed on D-Day, and you’ll get chills when you see the memorabilia he left behind.
Check out what’s been going on at the museum and make plans to visit.
A Museum Reborn
When a museum has been around for as long as the Don F. Pratt Museum, it’s normal for it to show signs of wear and tear. That’s exactly what happened to the Don F. Pratt Museum. The curators realized they had to do something, so they shut it down in 2016 for renovations. It just reopened in April of this year, and you can tell that a lot went into the renovation. This was its first renovation since 1974, and now, the museum is more mesmerizing than ever.
Don’t think that the hard work stopped with the renovation, though. The museum recently held a restoration event, and members of the 101st Airborne Division and their families came out in droves to help. The team of volunteers was tasked with storing three howitzers. They cleaned, removed rust, and painted them, so now you can truly appreciate these artillery pieces.
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Looking to the Future
These renovations might make you think the museum is all about paying homage to the past, but that’s not true. According to Dr. John O’Brien, the museum’s director and a 101st Airborne veteran, the museum’s purpose is to inspire the next wave of freedom fighters. He wants people to go through the museum, see the relics, and use those relics as inspiration. He hopes when others see the achievements of those that came before them, they’ll want to achieve something, as well.
It’s easy to get inspired when you go to the Donald F. Pratt Museum. This museum is quite impressive, and you will want to share your experiences with others. You’ll also want to travel to other museums around the country. You don’t want to have to take the bus on those trips, so get some new wheels from James Corlew Chevrolet Cadillac in Clarksville, Tennessee. With the help of your new car, truck, or SUV, you can drive anywhere and everywhere you want to go without any worries. That means you can go on a history tour of the United States if you wish.
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