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, ...
Take a Ride on the Rare M36 Jackson World War II Tank Destroyer at the American Heritage Museum!
Coming in May 2023, the American Heritage Museum is excited to offer a new World War II Tank Ride Experience aboard the rare M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer! Currently under restoration, the M36 Jackson will look like it just rolled off the factory floor in 1944! Based on the reliable M4 Sherman chassis and drivetrain and equipped with a formidable 90mm gun in an open turret for crew, the M36 rolled through the European Theater in 1944, capable of taking out the menacing German Panther and Tiger tanks.
Tank rides on the M36 Jackson are a tax-deductible donation of $195.00 per person and up to five (5) passengers may ride along. There are four (4) standing positions in the open top turret and one (1) seated position in the hull gunner seat. The ride experience is 10 minutes on the tank driving grounds at the American Heritage Museum and all riders must be at least 5′ tall (60 inches) to participate.
Ride experiences are being offered on select weekends through the summer. 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 12 should be accompanied by an adult on rides if they meet the height requirement.
Click on this item below to book your M36 Jackson Tank Ride Experience and see our upcoming ride day schedule
A Great Present for a History Lover: Gift Certificates Available!
Looking to give an authentic World War II tank ride as a gift for the history fan or tank lover in your life? We have digital gift certificates available for immediate giving, purchased online! Tank Ride Gift Certificates are open ended and allow the recipient to schedule their own ride experience. It’s an awesome way to give your loved one a trip back in time to 1944! Click on the item below to purchase!
Click on this item below to buy a M36 Jackson Tank Ride Experience Digital Gift Certificate
History of the M36 Jackson
The M36 Jackson was a highly effective tank destroyer used by the United States during World War II. It was designed to counter the German Panther and Tiger tanks, which had proven to be formidable opponents for the earlier American tanks.
The M36 combined the hull of the M10 tank destroyer, which used the M4 Sherman’s reliable chassis and drivetrain combined with sloped armor, and a new turret with a powerful 90mm gun, which was capable of penetrating the armor of the German tanks from a long range. The vehicle had a relatively low profile, which made it harder for the enemy to spot and target it. It also had a top speed of 45 mph, which allowed it to quickly move to strategic positions on the battlefield.
The M36 saw action in various theaters of the war, including in Europe and the Pacific. It proved to be a valuable asset to the American military, often being used in combination with other vehicles such as the M4 Sherman tank.
After the war, the M36 continued to be used by the United States in the Korean War and as an export to other nations, even being re-engined by Yugoslavia with a 500 hp Soviet-made diesel engine used in T-55. Today, the M36 Jackson is a rare sight with only a few preserved in museums and private collections.
SPECIFICATIONS
Armament: 90 mm gun M3 cannon, one .50 cal. MG
Crew: 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver)
Engine: 450 Horsepower Ford GAA, 1,100 cubic inch V-8
Range: 150 miles
