Fort Worth Military Museum
www. facebook. com/militarymuseumoffortworth/
I had one of the last visits to the Fort Worth Military Museum before a primary resettlement project began.
The Military Museum, one of Fort Worth’s lesser-known gems, is a larger excavation at Ridgmar Mall. The scheduled opening date is Veterans Day (November 11). The museum will be on the northwest corner, off 183rd between Dillard’s and JCPenney.
More space means more attractive things, adding larger pieces of army equipment, such as a fully restored World War II Jeep Willy, but there will be more.
If you haven’t followed the Military Museum Saga, do so at a small grocery store near Camp Bowie. He temporarily passed this area and eventually moved to farm animal parks. It has gained support as well as more area, along the way.
The guy from the Military Museum, Tyler Alberts, is scrupulous in his studies and has helped visitors learn a lot about his own service or the service of loved ones.
The now-old position had a giant World War I trench, with a plastic rat, that will remind him of the 1917 film. The new location will probably have an engiantd edition of the trench.
I have two parents, my grandfather, John Haney Francis, and my wonderful Uncle John Chitwood, who spent time at Camp Bowie. My grandfather was on the 111th Ammunition Train of the 36th Infantry Division. Uncle John was with the 132nd B Machine Gun Battalion, 36th Infantry Division. On October 8, 1918, he fought in the 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, at the Battle of Saint-Etienne-A-Arnes. My grandfather was in this battle, too.
Alberts knows a lot about Bowie’s camp and said he could locate where my relatives lived in the camp and where he is today. Yes, it brings history to life that way.
I’ll tell you more about the museum and its move in the run-up to Veterans Day. In the meantime, I’m sure the Military Museum can use your help to move in, either personally or financially.
Maybe when the museum opens, we can unite and the museum and Alberts can relive history.
Robert Francis
Editor
Fort Worth Business Press