Everyone at the American Heritage Museum wishes all of you a very happy and healthy holidays! Please come visit! We will be hosting the Battle of the Bulge Experience Weekend on December 28th & 29th and will be open Monday and Tuesday, December 30th & 31st.
As you come to experience what it was like to be an American surrounded in the cold of the Battle of Bulge (12/28 & 12/29), join the American Heritage museum on Saturday December 28th to learn about a similar battle 6 years later in the Korean War. Here the U.S. 1st Marine Division found themselves surrounded in a desperate fight in the extreme cold, outnumbered 5:1 against Chinese forces in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Like the Battle of the Bulge, the Chosin Reservoir is regarded as one of the most intense battles in American History, yet most Americans know little of this great battle of Korea, “The Forgotten War.” On December 28th at 1:00pm the museum will host a speaker series event about the Chosin Reservoir: “All Roads Lead to Hagaru” a special interactive discussion analyzing the crucial leadership decisions in the Chosin Reservoir that would decide whether or not the 1st Marine Division would escape the Chinese trap. More information see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/speaker-series-korea-all-roads-lead-to-hagaru/
Check out the latest video from SpruesNBrews Scale Modeling in partnership with the American Heritage Museum featuring our M18 Hellcat!
Up Close & Personal with the M18 Hellcat | 360° WWII Tank Destroyer Tour
www.youtube.com
Welcome to *Up Close & Personal* - a new series where we'll be exploring some of the most iconic military vehicles of WWII and beyond as you've never seen th...
Don't miss our great talk on How To Research WWII Veterans - Friday, December 13th, 1pm to 2:30pm. No reservations needed. For more information see:
Speaker Series: How To Research WWII Veterans - The American Heritage Museum
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
Autumn Hendrickson, who has spent the last four and a half years working on a project to tell the stories of the men and women from Reading & North Reading, Massachusetts that served in World War II, ...
Exclusive Experience: Bobsled Driver’s School and AHM Billy Fiske Medal Race!
February 3, 2025 @ 12:00 pm, ending February 4, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
$5995
What do NASCAR drivers, Aerobatic pilots, and Motorcycle Racers have in common? They all make a yearly pilgrimage to experience the Ultimate Adrenaline Rush… bobsledding!
If you want real bragging rights and the ultimate rush, learn how to drive a bobsled at the World Famous Lake Placid Olympic Sliding Venue and compete for the first annual AHM Billy Fiske Medal with the American Heritage Museum in partnership with Extreme Bucket List!
This two-day drivers and/or brakeman school is taught by two Olympic coaches and teaches you sled dynamics, pushing the sled in the ice house, and how to track walk like an Olympic team. The experience finishes with you competing against other participants driving an actual Bobsled from Start 4 in a Club sanctioned race for the first-ever AHM Billy Fiske Medal!
Professionally shot video of training and race days will be provided for you and your race results will be published! You will instantly be the coolest person in the crowd!
Not only will you get bragging rights along with having the time of your life with a true once-in-a-lifetime experience, your participation is a fundraiser for the American Heritage Museum’s future growth and programs… keeping history alive!
Who is Billy Fiske?
Billy Fiske (1911–1940) was an American athlete and war hero celebrated for his achievements in both sports and military service. At just 16, he became the youngest-ever Winter Olympic gold medalist, leading the U.S. bobsled team to victory at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. He repeated this success at the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid, earning a second gold medal. Known for his charisma and skill, Fiske’s sporting legacy was marked by his innovative approach to bobsled design and strategy.
Despite his American citizenship, Fiske joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1940 to fight against Nazi Germany during World War II, using a fabricated Canadian background to circumvent U.S. neutrality laws. He became one of the first American pilots to serve in the Battle of Britain, flying the Hawker Hurricane like the model recently restored by the American Heritage Museum. Tragically, Fiske died from injuries sustained during combat in August 1940, leaving behind a legacy of courage, determination, and international unity.
The American Heritage Museum honors his memory and the memory of all who volunteered their lives in the defense of freedom with the AHM Billy Fiske Medal Race.
A Sneak Peek… a Bobsled View at Lake Placid
Don’t just take our word for it, here is a point-of-view video of the actual bobsled run at Lake Placid… but we can’t replicate the adrenaline… you’ll just have to experience that for yourself!
Pricing and Schedule
The cost of this incredible program is $5995.00 per person. To book, we require a $2000 deposit at signup with the balance due on January 15, 2025. This experience does not include hotel accommodations, but we can help with making arrangements.
Participants must be at least 16 years old. You must be a member of the US Bobsled Federation (easy to do, here is the link) and have your doctor sign off. You must sign waivers from Olympic Regional Development Authority.
Space is limited! Sign up today by contacting Ryan Keough at rkeough@collingsfoundation.org or call 978-562-9182 x203.
Program Schedule
February 3rd
12:00pm – Meet and Greet Catered Lunch
1:30pm – Classroom Instruction An Intro to Bobsledding
3:30pm – Sled Shed and Learning the Sled
5:00pm – Ice House learning to push and load (optional)
7:00pm – Dinner at Lisa G’s if desired
February 4th
10:00am – Meet at Track Lodge
11:00am – Conduct a Drivers Track Walk to the Mile
12:30pm – Load Sleds to Start 4
1:00pm – Take 2 Training Trips with our Driver
2:30pm – Race Heat One
3:30pm – Race Heat Two
5:00pm – Return Sleds
5:30pm – Medal Ceremony
6:00pm – Dinner and Swag
8:00pm – You will probably be asleep… fast asleep!
Again, space is limited! Sign up today by contacting Ryan Keough at rkeough@collingsfoundation.org or call 978-562-9182 x203.
