The answer to the “What is it? Wednesday” question from July 2nd is the drivers hatch release handle inside of our M5A1 Stuart!![]()
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Stay tuned for the next “What is it? Wednesday” question tomorrow, July 9th at 10:00 am EST!![]()
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#americanheritagemuseum #whatisitwednesday
At the AHM this weekend! WWII Pacific War Re-enactment – Battle of Okinawa, July 12th & 13th, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM![]()
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The American Heritage Museum will host a WWII Pacific Theater re-enactment. Infantry representing Japanese and American forces will clash in this extraordinary living history event. Camps will be set up with authentic gear and appearance. WWII aircraft will fly in the battle (weather permitting).![]()
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The Battle of Okinawa, fought from April to June 1945, was the largest and bloodiest battle of the Pacific Theater in World War II. The intense combat was marked by kamikaze attacks, brutal ground fighting, and high civilian casualties. The battle was the fiercest in the Pacific Theater, with some 50,000 Allied and 100,000 Japanese casualties, not including the local Okinawans who were conscripted into the Japanese Army. It is estimated that over 149,000 Okinawan people were killed. The Allied victory at Okinawa provided a critical staging ground for a potential invasion of mainland Japan, but the staggering loss of life and the fierce Japanese resistance significantly influenced the U.S. decision to use atomic bombs to end the war swiftly. Okinawa underscored the heavy cost of victory in the Pacific and hastened the final chapter of the war. Pacific war camps and aircraft will be set up and on display throughout the day. The battle re-enactment starts around 1 PM.![]()
For tickets see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/wwii-pacific-re-enactment-saipan-campaign-2025/
Starting at 1pm at the AHM: Author George Hayward will talk about his book The Party Dolls. He delves into a dramatic and morally charged episode from the Vietnam War: the daring 1969 escape attempt—code-named “The Party”—by U.S. Air Force Captains John Dramesi and Ed Atterberry from Hanoi’s notorious Annex prison camp.
Start your 4th of July celebrations with a visit to the American Heritage Museum! We will be open July 4th from 10am to 5pm.
What is your favorite military car of all time?![]()
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Join the conversation and share your thoughts! 💭 Each week, We're posing a question about historical military vehicles, and we want YOU to weigh in. Whether you’re a history buff, or just curious—we want to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below to cast your vote! 👇![]()
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#QuestionOfTheWeek
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
