Two great presentations at the American Heritage Museum this Saturday: Baker Company, 21st Marines, and 3rd Navy Medical Battalion re-enactors will have a presentation and table displays of equipment, weapons, and gear to educate the public on the Battle of Iwo Jima that took place February 19- March 26, 1945.![]()
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From 1pm to 2pm there will be a lecture by Jason Cleary about US firefighting during WWII. Hope to see you here! More information see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/events/
The American Heritage Museum is open 10am to 5pm all this week for school break. Hope to see you soon!
The American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA will be open ALL WEEK next week (Feb 17-23) for the Massachusetts School Vacation Week, including Presidents Day on Monday, February 17th and Tuesday, February 18th. We are open 10am-5pm daily and you can save $2 per ticket by buying online at: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/purchase-tickets-online/
Feeling the cold of winter? Think of the guys caught in the Battle of the Bulge!![]()
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Join us tomorrow, February 12, 1:00pm to 2:30pm, for an engaging talk by Dr. Michael Hirsh about Battle of the Bulge with a particular focus on a nurse whose important role in helping Allied soldiers survive was never given its proper due until 10 years ago.![]()
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Dr. Hirsh will discuss the development of this battle and how this ultimate Allied victory could have turned into a defeat. He will also talk about the role of some “unsung heroes” in helping secure the victory using their medical skills. See: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/speaker-series-the-forgotten-angel-of-bastogne/
82 years ago this week marks the pivotal end of the Battle of Stalingrad, a major turning point in World War II. On February 2nd, 1943, the German 6th Army surrendered to Soviet forces, marking the end of the fierce and bloody battle. The American Heritage Museum features a rare Soviet T-34-76 tank and other artifacts in our Eastern Front Gallery to recount this historic WWII clash.
Take a Ride Aboard the Famous Light Tank That Spanned Two Wars
The American Heritage Museum is proud to offer tank ride opportunities in the Spring, Summer, and Fall aboard the M24 Chaffee light tank used in World War II and the Korean War. The M24 Chaffee is a fast and maneuverable tank that replaced the M5 Stuart light tank during WWII and brought the harder hitting 75mm M6 cannon to the battlefield.
Tank rides on the M24 Chaffee are a donation of $595.00 for three (3) persons aboard the tank. One seat is in the hull gunner position and two standing positions are in the turret. The ride experience is 10 minutes on the tank driving grounds at the American Heritage Museum.
Ride experiences are being offered in the afternoons of select weekends. Please click the button below for schedules and online booking. Please feel free to call us at 978-562-9182 with any questions.
For safety, all participants must be at least 5′ tall to ride. Children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by an adult on rides if they meet the height requirement.
Gift Certificates Available
Looking to give a tank ride as a gift? We have presentation gift certificates available for gift giving to the tank enthusiast in your family! Tank Ride Gift Certificates are open ended and allow the recipient to schedule their own ride experience. Click here to learn more about and purchase an M24 Tank Ride Gift Certificate at this link.
Don’t Just Ride – DRIVE the M24 Chaffee!
Feel like doing something even more exciting? Learn to DRIVE the M24 Chaffee as part of our Tank Driving Experience Program, a one hour training and driving experience that allows you to take the controls for 20 minutes on our tank track! – Click Here to Learn more!
History of the M24 Chaffee
Seeking to replace the aging M3 and M5 Stuart series of light tanks, the U.S. Army Ordnance Department and Cadillac joined forces to create a new light tank. The new T24 pilot vehicle was delivered in October 1943 and full scale production began in 1944 as the Light Tank, M24. The Chaffee retained the M5 Stuart’s twin Cadillac V-8 powertrain, but came armed with a lightened 75mm Cannon adapted from a version used on B-25 Mitchell bombers, replacing the under whelming 37mm used on the Stuart. The Chaffee was speedy and nimble. The M24 saw use in WWII, but found a calling in the cold, mountainous environment of Korea, where it fought as a part of reconnaissance units alongside “Easy Eight” Shermans, M26 Pershings and M46 Pattons. Long after the United States replaced the M24 with newer models such as the M41 Walker-Bulldog, other countries such as Israel and France used the Chaffee well into the 1950s.
SPECIFICATIONS
Armament: 75mm M6 Cannon, one .50 cal. MG and 2x .30 cal. MGs.
Crew: 5, Commander, Gunner, Driver, Loader, Co-Driver
Engine: Cadillac Series 44T24, 220 horsepower.
Range: 100 miles
