The American Heritage Museum will be open 10am to 5pm on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11th. All veterans get free admission through the weekend and Monday. We will host a special veterans day ceremony at 11am on 11/11.
WWII Veteran Bill Purple, dear friend of the Collings Foundation and American Heritage Museum, has flown his last mission into the wild blue. Hard to put together the words of how special Bill was in this short Facebook post. He is truly emblematic of "The Greatest Generation" and will be forever missed. Calling hours will be from 4 to 7pm, Friday, November 1st at Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, 110 New Athol Road, Orange, MA. There will be a short service at 10am, Saturday, November 2nd at the funeral home, with the burial at 11am at the West Street Cemetery in Petersham, MA. ![]()
www.telegram.com/story/news/2024/10/28/wwii-pilot-owner-of-l-p-athol-corp-vincent-bill-j-purple-d...
Today 2 to 3:30 at AHM - Special presentation: Journey through WWII Europe by Vern Chandler. No reservations needed. More information see: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/speaker-series-wwii-european-tour/
Join us this Friday at the AHM, 2pm to 3:30pm, for our Speaker Series featuring Vern Chandler. A compelling talk on his epic journey through Europe as he traces the footsteps of his first cousin; Pvt. Kenneth Miller, who was killed in Germany on October 18, 1944. No reservations needed. For more information see:
Speaker Series: WWII European Tour - The American Heritage Museum
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
Join us at the American Heritage Museum for a compelling talk by Vernon Chandler on his epic journey through Europe as he traces the footsteps of his first cousin; Pvt. Kenneth Miller, who was killed ...
An incredible sight over our hangar as we wrapped up some of the set up for this weekend’s Battle for the Airfield!
Take a Ride on the Famous Iconic Movie Star Medium Tank of WWII
The American Heritage Museum is proud to offer exciting tank rides in the Spring, Summer, and Fall aboard the M4 Sherman Medium tank used throughout World War II. The M4 Sherman is the iconic tank that was used in all theaters of operations, including the offensive campaign that surged toward Berlin in 1944. This M4 Sherman is also a movie star, being the star of the 1982 movie “Tank” with James Garner.
Tank rides on the M4 Sherman are a donation of $595.00 for two (2) persons aboard the tank. One seat is in the hull gunner position and the other is a standing position 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 M4 Sherman Tank Ride Gift Certificate at this link.
Don’t Just Ride – DRIVE the M4 Sherman!
Feel like doing something even more exciting? Learn to DRIVE the M4 Sherman 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 M4 Sherman
One of the most produced tanks of WWII, the M4 Sherman saw its debut storming across the hot sands of North Africa in 1942, and went on to see combat in every theater. M4s could be seen everywhere, from the island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific to the dangerous hedgerows of Normandy, even fighting in the steppes of the Eastern Front. Packing a 75mm main cannon, the M4 was a strong and reliable tank on the battlefield. Through progressive upgrades the M4 remained the definitive Allied tank throughout the Second World War and into Korea. Loved by crews for its ease of use and maintenance, the M4 Sherman remains a symbol of the Liberation of Europe and a testament to the bravery of the crews that fought in them.
SPECIFICATIONS
Armament: 75mm M3 Cannon, one .50 cal. MG and 2x .30 cal. MGs.
Crew: 5, Commander, Gunner, Driver, Loader, Co-Driver.
Engine: 450 Horsepower Ford GAA, 1,100 cubic inch V-8
Range: 130 miles
