Today, March 25th, is National Medal of Honor Day. In honor of this, we would like to take the opportunity to honor MoH recipient Colonel John Riley “Killer” Kane. “Killer” Kane was a B-24 Liberator pilot who led the 98th Bomb Group in Operation Tidal Wave; a large-scale bombing raid on German run oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania on Aug. 1st, 1943. Thanks to the generous donation of Mr. Curtis Burton, we have the honor and privilege of displaying Col. Kane’s Medal of Honor here at the American Heritage Museum as part of our Italian Campaign gallery. ![]()
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You can read more about Col. John “Killer” Kane at: bit.ly/4iVKYaq![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #medalofhonor #moh #usaaf #ploesti #operationtidalwave #wwii #wwiihistory #worldwarii #worldwar2 #b24liberator
Today is Rosie the Riveter Day, honoring the iconic symbol of female empowerment during WWII. Rosie represented the millions of women who entered industrial jobs, proving their strength and capability. Despite facing discrimination, they paved the way for workplace rights and gender equality. Rosie’s legacy lives on in today’s fight for equal pay, representation, and opportunity—reminding us: “We Can Do It!”![]()
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Read our full article about today's importance at: bit.ly/4hDJaly![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #rosietheriveter #rosietheriveterday #celebratewomen #womenshistorymonth #inspiringwomentoday #worldwarii #wwii #arsenalofdemocracy
One of the goals of the American Heritage Museum is to encourage our visitors to learn about the veterans in your own family and reflect on the experiences they went through during their service. When we first started, our focus was on our World War II veteran community, but sadly, many of our WWII veterans are no longer with us and many family members only learned about their service after their passing. Think of the WWII veteran that was in your life... family or friend. What is the one question you'd ask them today if they were still with us? Such questions may inspire others who have veterans in their life to ask the same and keep their stories alive. ![]()
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Please share your questions in the comments. ![]()
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Photo of WWII B-24 pilot Frank Tedesco (1921-2020), 451st BG and friend of the Collings Foundation via Emily Clark - Wicked Local (2013)![]()
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#wwii #veterans #WWIIveteran #veteranlife #AmericanHeritageMuseum
Read the full post at: bit.ly/3FkwQZM![]()
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That old saying “the devil is in the details” certainly holds true for the ongoing restoration of Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina BuNo 2459 in New Smyrna Beach, FL at American Aero Services. Though the exterior restoration is mostly complete, the interior restoration to bring the aircraft back to accurate 1942 wartime configuration has been an enormous task that has tested the skills of the restoration crew led by project manager Casey Littrell. Because the aircraft arrived from Europe with little original equipment, nearly all of the interior components have either had be found or fabricated. And considering the early vintage of this PBY, original equipment is scarce… so just sourcing the materials is a monumental task in its own right. And for items that need to be fabricated, finding original drawings or photos to accurately reconstruct items is an additional challenge... (continued)![]()
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Please read the full update with a gallery of photos at: bit.ly/3FkwQZM![]()
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#PBYCatalina #PBY5A #FlyingBoat #USNavy #NavalAviation #AvGeek
The American Heritage Museum is pleased to announce the launch of our first BSA Merit Badge Program for Scouting America for the American Heritage Merit Badge. Learn More at: bit.ly/43DVnDd![]()
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Every Scout swears to an oath that includes duty to their country. The American Heritage Merit Badge encourages a better understanding of American heritage, learn the ways in which the past has lead to our present nation, and truly knowing what it means to be an American.![]()
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The American Heritage Merit Badge at the American Heritage Museum is a three-hour long program, which includes museum admission and a guided tour for scouts and leaders. By the end of the program (prerequisites required) the scout will have completed all requirements to earn the merit badge. The program is conducted by a registered BSA Merit Badge Councilor. A minimum of 10 scouts and 2 BSA registered adults is required per session and adults may be asked to assist.![]()
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The program cost is $40 per Scout and BSA registered adults are free. To learn more about the program and to schedule, see: bit.ly/43DVnDd
WWII Tank Demonstration Weekend – August 2025
August 16 @ 9:00 am, ending August 17 @ 5:00 pm
$20 – $30
A fantastic weekend where you can see some of the American Heritage Museum’s tanks including the M4 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, M36 Jackson, and several M5 Stuart tanks as well as other privately owned military vehicles operating on our tank driving grounds behind the museum.
Gates open at 9:00am and close at 5:00pm each day. The daily Parade of Tanks will occur at both 11am and 2pm each day. Tank driving will be ongoing with at least 1-2 or more tanks driving on the operations grounds throughout the day. Some WWII re-enactor camps with displays will be set up.
All three museums will be open: The American Heritage Museum, The Historic Aviation Hangar and Classic Automobile Barn. This is a unique opportunity to see some of the world’s most rare aircraft, extraordinary American classic automobiles, historic tanks, armored vehicles, military artifacts and much more.
Daily Schedule
9:00am – 5:00pm – Gates Open – All museum buildings open to visitors.
Docents and guides on staff in all museum buildings to answer any questions and provide more details on the exhibits presented.
9:30am – 4:30pm – Re-enactor encampments open to all visitors.
Re-enactors from groups like the 101st Airborne and German Infantry will be giving hands-on demonstrations and discussions throughout the day.
10:00am – 4:00pm – Paint-A-Tank – In Front of American Heritage Museum
For kids of all ages – come to the Paint-a-Tank tent in front of the museum to get a 3D printed tank to paint in the battle colors YOU choose! $5 donation per tank.
11:00am – 11:45am – World War II Parade of Armor – Driving Grounds
All World War II tanks in operation on the Tank Driving Grounds with narration by our resident historians and our invited World War II veteran guests. Includes the M4 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, M5 Stuart, and M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer.
2:00pm – 2:45am – World War II Parade of Armor – Driving Grounds
Our second presentation of the day with a similar schedule to the 11:00am program.
5:00pm – All museum grounds and buildings close for the day.
There is over 100,000 square feet of space within the American Heritage Museum and Hangar combined.
Food and beverage will be available for purchase on site and picnics are allowed.
Event Day Admission Tickets
Admission for the Saturday and Sunday events are as follows:
$30 Adults | $25 Seniors/Veterans | $20 Children 16 yrs. and younger
Members, WWII/Korean War Veterans and Children Under 3 are Free – No ticket required. Admission discounts can not be used for special event weekends.\
Your ticket includes admission for all museums, no additional tickets for the American Heritage Museum necessary.
Click Here to Buy Tickets for Saturday, August 16th, 2025
Click Here to Buy Tickets for Sunday, August 17th, 2025
Admission for AHM / CF Members
This is a Members Free Event Weekend: one (1) free admission per day for Individual and Participating Members, two (2) free admissions per day for Dual Members, and two (2) adult and two (2) child free admissions per day for Family Members. No advance ticket purchase required, just bring your VALID membership card or recent membership receipt to the entry gate for proof. You may buy tickets online or at the gate for any additional people in your party.
Tank Rides and Driving Experiences Available
Tank Driving experiences and Tank & Half Track Rides will be taking place over the weekend. You can register online, by phone, or on-site, but spaces are limited! All donations for ride or drive experiences are tax-deductible donations as the American Heritage Museum is a 501c3 non-profit foundation.
Tank Rides Available:
– M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer (10 minute ride) – $195 per PERSON. Maximum of five (5) seated riders aboard.
– M24 Chaffee (10 minute ride) – $595 per GROUP OF THREE (3) persons – two in the turret, one in the bow gunner position.
– M4 Sherman (10 minute ride) – $595 per GROUP OF TWO (2) persons – one in the turret, one in the bow gunner position.
Tank Driving Experiences Available:
– M24 Chaffee Light Tank (20 minutes driving the tank) – $995.00 donation (tax deductible)
– M4 Sherman Medium Tank (20 minutes driving the tank) – $1495.00 donation (tax deductible)
Schedule your tank driving or ride experience above or call 978-562-9182 to reserve.
