Accomplishments 2015 - Oregon Military Museum

BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES B. THAYER
OREGON MILITARY MUSEUM
15300 SE Minuteman Way  Camp Withycombe
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
Phone (503)683-5359  Fax (503)683-4913  DSN 355-5359
www.oregonmilitarymuseum.org
Museum Year in Review 2015
As we look forward now that it is 2016, we want to pause for a moment to reflect on the accomplishments of
2015 and share with you the continuing progress in our renovations and plans for re-opening. As always, we
are very grateful to all who assist us as we transform the Oregon Military Museum. 2015 marked another year
of big changes and big progress! Thank you all so much for your continued interest, support, and guidance.
Revisited Museum Mission and Vision:
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The regulation that pertains to the Museum, ORARNGR 870-1/ORANGI 210-4 Historical Activities:
Oregon Military Museum, was significantly updated and approved.
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To further define what we do and to align our mission statement with national Museum standards, Major
General Michael Stencel, Oregon’s newest Adjutant General, approved a new revised mission statement.
The Oregon Military Museum’s mission is:
 To inspire and educate visitors about Oregon's military heritage and legacy to include the National
Guard, the state's early militia, and all branches of the Armed Forces.
 To meet its professional stewardship obligations for the historical artifacts and archives entrusted
to its care.
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The Museum’s 34-page 2015 Interpretive Plan was also updated to reflect changes and additions to the
entire site. The Plan provides exhibit ideas that represent the conceptual framework for exhibit design.
(Typically, many more ideas are offered than can be accommodated in the available space and additional
ideas emerge during the design phase.) The Plan is an important tool that provides narrative descriptions of
our exhibit approach; it is the vision that guides designers, curators, architects, fundraisers, and others who
are working together to make the new Oregon Military Museum a reality. You can find the updated plan on
our website at http://www.oregonmilitarymuseum.org/exhibits.html.
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An excerpt from the Interpretive Plan:
“The Oregon Military Museum is experiencing institution-wide renewal. New exhibits in the remodeled
Clackamas Armory and the 4-acre site will reflect an expanded, deepened interpretation of Oregonians’
military service and the Oregon National Guard. The Museum’s nationally significant collection will be
the focus of engaging, in-depth exhibits for a multigenerational audience. All friends of Oregon’s military
history are invited to be part of realizing the vision outlined here.
“Approaching and entering the grounds of the Oregon Military Museum, visitors encounter three main
thematic elements that set the stage for a memorable visit: the Central Plaza, the Historic Park, and the
Main Building. Guided by appropriate signage, visitors can explore the entire Museum grounds. During
Living History Day and other special events, when re-enactors and live interpreters are present, these
educational resources will truly come to life….”
MOVING FROM PLANS TO REALITY - CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW AND UPDATE:
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Another round of construction began several months ago, after a 5-month long process of "value
engineering" the designs, reductions in project scope, creating new construction documents, and attorney
reviews of contract modifications with the general contractor.
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To complete the approved buildings and grounds designs, there were 10 major remaining construction
projects identified and given funding authorizations - as funds become available. Of these 10 projects,
number 1-4 are funded and underway! Numbers 5-7 have federal funds obligated, and require additional
funding from our supporting foundation in order to not massively reduce scope. These projects are
currently undergoing the same process of contract modifications and attorney reviews that the first three
underwent. We are optimistic these next three are underway in the very near future, and have an expected
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duration of one year. The total cost of the projects 1 through 7, plus design fees is about $5.8M. The
remaining three (8-10) projects do not have any funding applied to them yet, and are estimated at $2.4M.
In addition to the construction costs discussed
above, there will be significant funding needed
to create educational and exciting professional
exhibits. Private funds are needed for the
exhibits that will instill respect, pride and a
deeper understanding of Oregonians’ military
service. There are 13,438 square feet of
available exhibit space in the main building
alone. Add in three historic structures rescued
from demolition - the circa 1911 Quartermaster
Storehouse, circa 1911 Battery A Field Artillery
Horse Barn, and the World War II Quonset Hut for an additional 7,340 square feet. Further add
in the Historic Park grounds, the Tracks and
Treads Vehicle Pavilion, and the Honor Gardens
for a grand total of 77,000 square feet of pure
potential!
You may recall there were earlier projects also completed – costing about $2M. From 2009-2014, we were
able to fund and complete the removal of four old roofs, re-pitching the new roof so it no longer led to
internal drains on a flat roof (there by eliminating 30 leaks.) We also removed a World War II era boiler, all
the overhead hot water pipes, the radiators that spewed black soot, and ripped out all ceilings to add vents
for modern HVAC with first-time air conditioning and relative humidity control. We now have ten separate
zones of heating and cooling. We also accomplished the relocation of the three historic buildings that will
be part of the Museum experience - the original and first Quartermaster Storehouse (circa 1911), the Battery
A Field Artillery Horse Barn (circa 1911) where the Battery kept their horses here at Camp Withycombe,
and the World War II Quonset Hut used by the Oregon Military Academy.
When projects 4-7 are completed, the goal is to be able to relocate the majority of the museum’s assets one
last final time. We have leapfrogged them four times throughout the facility in order to accommodate
renovations. The completion of projects 4-7 means the areas of collection storage, the library, exhibit
preparation, and some administrative spaces should be ready for occupancy. We can then start the long task
of unpacking most of our 14,500 artifacts, 30,000 volumes of library, 750 cubic feet of archives, then
conducting the required full inventory. Museum day-to-day operations will be moved into the completed
areas as well, opening up the spaces we currently occupy for more renovations.
Moving From Plans to Reality:
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Below are some of the many images of construction progress this year for Projects 1-4. These encompass
substantial site and civil work, soil replacement and grading, utilities, electrical work, and old infrastructure
improvements such as all new sewer lines and storm drains, removal of the parking lot and the original
camp entrance road, and reconfiguration of the museum parking lot and new landscaping.
“BEFORE” IMAGES - Beginning of 2015:
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“DURING IMAGES” of 2015 Construction:
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* With the increased rainfall amounts this fall and early winter, weather played a roll. 
A FEW “AFTER” IMAGES (more below on Barn and Quartermaster Storehouse):
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Progress on the Battery A Field Artillery Horse BARN and QUARTERMASTER STOREHOUSE:
Seismic upgrades, new Barn ADA-compliant access ramps and walkways, and the renovation of the
Quartermaster Storehouse to its original look and feel are all concurrent projects. Both buildings were rescued
from demolition and have been relocated to the Museum’s Historic Park.
The historic 3,000-gallon water tank shown above  is in its original 1909 location while awaiting relocation.
Around 1911, the Oregon National Guard built the Quartermaster Storehouse around the tank so that it was
inside the building. At some point, it was abandoned and walled in place, until it was uncovered in 2012.
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Below, the new foundation is poured and the framing has begun for the breezeway area that once held the
massive, riveted steel tank. And finally, below, Museum Support Council Chair Dan O’Hollaren poses with the
tank after it was craned into its new, final home. 
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Work continues now into 2016. We
can’t wait to share with our future
visitors more about the tank, these
original buildings, and the history of
Camp Withycombe!
Preparatory work also began within the
Main Museum building for the next set
of projects that are currently undergoing
cost benefit analysis, contract
modifications, and legal review. 2015
projects included window removal and
asbestos abatement of the caulk, some electrical work, and more demolition in the old mess hall, kitchen and
restroom area. 
So Who Is Who?
Museum Team:
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Mid-2015, as a result of Oregon National Guard structure reorganization, the Museum began reporting to a
new Officer in Charge, Colonel Leah Sundquist, Chief of Staff, Joint and Domestic Support Command,
Oregon Army National Guard.
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Tracy Thoennes is in her thirteenth year as the Museum Curator / Director.
This year the Museum continued to be supported by a small Oregon National Guard “Museum Detachment”
for events, off-site displays, and macro-artifact maintenance. CW2 Robert Ryan is the Officer in Charge;
SFC Kevin Hollingsworth has retired, SSG Larry Seely has relocated, and we wish them both well. We
hope to augment the detachment with additional support personnel in the coming months.
And last, but by no means least, to our Volunteer Corps, we send hearty and sincere thanks to each
person! The time contributed by these dedicated individuals is approximately 2,912 volunteer hours! This
equates to a donation of approximately $64,064 for in-kind services provided at the philanthropic rate of
$22.00 per hour.
Our three top volunteers (based on volunteer hours) were Dan
O’Hollaren, Phil Richart, Mark Stevens. Our additional sincere
thanks to: Warren Aney, Jason Ball, Kathleen Daly, Vicki
Fisher, Steve Greenberg, Karl Keller, Joel Kinney and the entire
Pacific Northwest Historical Group (PNWHG), Gary Lewis, Art
May, the Military Vehicle Collectors Club of Oregon, Lou
Miller, Steve Preston*, Ricky Rozzell, Alan Scorgie, and Randy
Thies. Additional thanks go to the many kind folks who
provided consultation and generously shared their expertise:
Mike Carrick, Bob Frasco, Mike Howard, Rick Larson, Terry
Popravak, and Dave Webster to name just a few.
*Loss of Museum Friend:
It is with great sadness that we report the October 27, 2015
passing of Museum friend Steve Preston and his fellow armor
enthusiast Austin Lee. Both were killed by an explosion from a
live fire demonstration of Steve’s M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer.
The Museum and its visitors were enriched by Steve’s passion
for history and his expertise. He is sorely missed.
Steve Preston loved sharing his M18 and
enthusiasm for history with visitors of all ages
at our Living History Day events. These
images are from the 2014 Living History Day.
Construction Team:
We gratefully acknowledge the great folks who are working the Museum renovations and construction.
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The Installations Branch (AGI), Oregon Military Department:
 Scott Mansfield, Senior Project Manager
 Jim Willeford, Construction Branch Chief
 Tonya Mattox, Construction Inspector
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Donald J. Stastny, Design Consultant.
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Derek deVille, Lead Architect, Hacker Architects, (formerly THA).
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Precision Construction:
 Dan Nelson, Construction Site Superintendent
 Paul Drew, Construction Project Manager
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2015 Military Museum Support Council
The Museum is also supported by this Oregon Adjutant General-appointed council, and we thank each member
for their guidance and assistance. 2015 members were:
 Major General Dan O’Hollaren (Retired), Chairman
 Colonel Kelly Smothers, Museum Officer in Charge (through May 2015)
 Colonel Leah Sundquist, Museum Officer in Charge
 Colonel Mike Bieniewicz, Air National Guard representative
 Colonel Don Bond (Retired), Army National Guard representative
 Colonel David Stuckey (Retired), Deputy Director, Oregon Military Department
 Major Michael Heinsch, Camp Withycombe Post Command representative
 Alisha Hamel, supporting auxiliary organization, Historical Outreach Foundation Executive Director
Historical Outreach Foundation (HOF):
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In 2015, the Historical Outreach Foundation supported the fundraising activities for the new Brigadier
General James B. Thayer Oregon Military Museum. Our heartfelt appreciation go to the Foundation Board,
staff, many committee members, and advisors. And a GIANT thank you to the many thoughtful and
generous donors and sponsors who contributed to HOF for the Museum!
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In October, Exec. Director Alisha Hamel, who is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, went
on active duty for one year. Board member Don Bond stepped in as Interim Acting Executive Director.
HOF 2015 Activities:
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In 2015, HOF raised more than $500,000 to support the Museum!
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Very special recognition is made to the Safeway Foundation and Albertsons for the month-long
“Register Round Up” campaign in July - resulting in a giant contribution of $342,600. Thank you so much!
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A huge Thank You also goes to these major ($5k and up) 2015 donors:
 Reliable Credit Association.
 The Oregon Trail Chapter, Korean War Veterans Association.
 The Robert D. and Marcia H. Randall Charitable Trust.
 Samuel S. Johnson Foundation.
 Lisa Lucas
 Formations, Inc.
 Vanguard Charitable
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HOF also hosted or participated in several fundraising events benefitting the Museum this year, including:
 June 6 - “Party with a Purpose” hosted Skydiving for Veterans, with a portion of the proceeds
benefitting the Museum. Approximately 50 tandem parachute teams made the 71st D-Day
anniversary jump, among them former Governor and HOF advisor Ted Kulongoski.
 July 18 - Guns and Guacamole at Salute Targets allowed ticket holders to fire privately owned
antique and rare weapons, up to and including Steve Greenberg’s M3A1 Stuart Light Tank.
 August 14 - the 2015 Salute to the Oregon Military: Celebrating the Spirit of 1945 featured guest
speaker Major General (Retired) Fred Rees.
 August 15 - Ribbon cutting ceremony with
dignitaries to dedicate the Historic Park. 
 November 7 - Hood-To-Coast Race Series
conducted the 2nd Annual Veterans Day
5K/10K/Half Marathon Run/Walk cross-country
style race to benefit the Museum.
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In 2015, HOF presented a total of $627,500 in direct
contributions to the Oregon Military Department for Museum capital construction.
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HOF also awarded a $250,000 exhibits contract to the Portland firm Formations. The exhibits are for the
Historic Park area, to include the Quartermaster Storehouse and the Battery A Field Artillery Horse Barn. A
nine month process of design, research, and writing took place, and the exhibits are now in fabrication.
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HOF also helped secure a one-time allocation of $250,000 of State funding to the Oregon Military
Department specifically for Museum construction and exhibits.
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HOF launched the new “Walk of Honor” campaign. Honor bricks may be purchased, and are available in
different sizes and with up to four lines of engraved text. Approximately $5,600 was raised in 2015.
The Oregon Military Museum Also Participated in 11 Events:
These entail table and/or vehicles displays, community parades and events, and presentations. This year
represents a reduction in the number we are typically able to provide, due to reductions in personnel resources.
DATE
EVENT
Jan 27-29
2015 Northwest Ag show at Portland Convention Center.
May 14
Armed Forces Day State Capitol. Vietnam Commemorative Community event.
May 16
19th Annual Living History Day/Armed Forces Day at Camp Withycombe.
May 25
Memorial Day at Willamette National Cemetery.
May 28
Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. 7th Annual Preservation Month Fair at the State Capitol.
July 11
Veterans and Family Center Cruise In, Beaverton, Oregon
July 23-26
Milwaukie Moving Wall - National 50th Anniversary Vietnam Commemorative Program
Aug 1-2
Antique Powerland Steam Up, Brooks, Oregon.
Aug 8
41st Infantry Division Association Reunion Tour.
Aug 15
Spirit of '45 event / Historic Park Dedication.
Nov 11
Albany Veterans Day Parade.
2015 EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS
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Armed Forces Day at the State Capitol:
On May 14th, in honor of Vietnam Veterans, we participated at the State Capitol Mall for Armed Forces
Day celebrations with the Oregon National Guard. The Museum staff, volunteers, two Museum detachment
soldiers, and Vietnam Living
History Interpreters from the
Pacific NW Historical Group
(www.pnwhg.com) provided
displays of Vietnam War vehicles
and equipment, including our
M151A2 “MUTT” (Jeep), a
M274 Platform Truck “MULE,”
our recently fully restored M45
Quadmount 4 x .50 caliber
Machine Gun, and a privately
owned M37 ¾ ton radio truck.
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May 16th Living History Day / Armed Forces Day at CWO:
On Armed Forces Day, we co-sponsored the 19th Annual Living History Day at Camp Withycombe with
the Military Vehicle Collectors Club of Oregon. It was well attended with an estimated 750 people. We
can’t say it enough: thank you to the great folks who created a fabulous display that included: 33
military vehicles, the Huey helicopter, WWII aid station, Vietnam display, 19th century Army blacksmith,
vintage fire arms and demonstration firing, and radio control tank demonstrations. There were 11 additional
booths, to include HOF, Museum, VFW, and American Legion. Visitor surveys rated the event excellent,
with a high likelihood they would recommend the next one to a friend.
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 David Statham flew to the event in
his UH-1 Huey. The aircraft has the
markings of the Vietnam War 7th
Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry known as
the “Ruthless Riders.” For Oregon
Army National Guard MSG (Ret.)
Ricky Rozzell, it was an especially
memorable day. A long time Museum
Detachment member and volunteer,
Ricky served with the Ruthless Raiders
and this was the first time he had flown
in a Huey since his Vietnam War tour as
a door gunner! He is pictured with his
daughter Amanda and grandson
William.
Another exceptional display was the original World War I Marne Taxi. Presented by the Society of Forty
Men and Eight Horses Portland Voiture 25, the taxi is one of only a handful of surviving examples, and is
the only one still operable. In 1914, fleets of Paris taxis were requisitioned by French General Joseph
Gallieni to bring reinforcements to the defending positions protecting Paris from the German offensive. The
resulting stalemate led to the static trench warfare so prevalent during the War. Over two million men
fought in the First Battle of the Marne (1.4 million German and 1 million French and British), with some
6,000 of them transported by taxis in the first large-scale use of motorized infantry in battle.
July 23-27 Milwaukie Moving Wall-National 50th Anniversary Vietnam Commemorative Program:
  This thought-provoking and moving tribute to
Vietnam veterans was a 24-hour-a-day, multi-day
event. It featured the Vietnam Wall replica, displays
and booths of numerous community groups, living
history encampments, and a downtown parade. The
Museum participated with four vehicles, a booth,
volunteers, and Detachment members.
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August 8 – 41st Infantry Division Reunion   World War II 41st Infantry
Division veterans toured the Camp Withycombe building dedicated to them – the 41st
Infantry Division Armed Forces
Reserve Center (AFRC). The
Museum displayed some of the
types of equipment they used,
before we headed inside to see
additional exhibits about their
training and combat history.
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Inductees into the 2015 Oregon Military Museum Hall of Valor:
This year’s recipients were inducted at the August 14th Historical Outreach Foundation fundraiser, the 2015
Salute to the Oregon Military: Celebrating the Spirit of 1945 as part of commemorations occurring nation-wide
in remembrance of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Marion E. Carl
Major General Carl, born in Hubbard, Oregon, is the U.S. Marine Corps' first air ace. His impressive
military career spanned 35 years as a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In World
War II, Carl scored a total of 18 aerial victories.
Carl earned his first Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in aerial combat as
a section leader of a Marine fighter squadron in the Battle of Midway. Later, at
Guadalcanal, he earned his second Navy Cross, and became the first U.S. Marine ace
on August 26, 1942. After World War II, Carl became a test pilot and commenced to
achieve a long list of firsts: he made some of the first aircraft carrier take offs and
landings in the F-80 Shooting Star; he was the first Marine helicopter pilot; he set a
world speed record and an unofficial world altitude record. Numerous assignments
and promotions later, Carl also commanded the first Marine fighter jet unit and
created the first jet aerobatic team. Carl retired on June 1, 1973 with the rank of
Major General. He was tragically killed on June 28, 1998 during a robbery at his
home in Roseburg, Oregon.
Major General Carl’s military medals include: Navy Cross with gold star; Legion of Merit with
Combat "V" and gold stars in lieu of second through fourth awards; Distinguished Flying Cross with four gold
stars; Air Medal with two silver stars and three gold stars; Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star;
American Defense Service Medal with Base Clasp; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars;
American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal with one bronze
star; Vietnam Service Medal; and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
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David R. Kingsley
Second Lieutenant David Kingsley of Portland, Oregon served as a B-17
Flying Fortress bombardier with the 341st Bomb Squadron, 97th Bombardment
Group. On June 23, 1944, Kingsley was killed in action after successfully dropping
his bombs on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. During the mission the aircraft
was badly damaged by enemy fire and forced to drop out of the B-17 formation.
The pilot continued on to the target, the Ploesti Oil Fields, and there Kingsley
successfully dropped his bombs, severely damaging the installation. The aircraft
was unable to keep up with the formation on the return trip and was further attacked
by enemy Me 109 aircraft, additionally damaging the plane and badly wounding
crew members.
Kingsley rendered aid to the tail gunner and then went to give aid to the ball
gunner who had also been wounded. The pilot gave the order to bail out but Kingsley found that the tail
gunner's parachute was missing. With utter disregard for his own means of escape, Kingsley unhesitatingly
removed his parachute harness and adjusted it to the wounded tail gunner, then helped the wounded men bail
out of the burning plane. The last sight of him was as he stood on the bomb bay catwalk while the plane flew
on autopilot until it crashed a few minutes later. Kingsley was directly responsible for saving the life of the
wounded gunner and was awarded this nations’ highest award for gallantry, the Medal of Honor.
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Other Items of Note for 2015:
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From broken heaters, windows, and doors to roof leaks, dangling loose wires, removing poison oak, and
many other issues, our deep gratitude and thanks go to the great State Shop staff for their quick responses to
our many facility maintenance issues. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Typical of every year, we underwent numerous reviews, testing, and inspections, such as safety, fire safety,
active shooter, spill response, and security upgrades. All findings and issues were resolved.
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Museum staff met our regulation requirements for weapons inventories as well as conducted 100%
inventories for those areas that remain accessible during renovations. This comprises approximately 9% of
the collection (approx. 1,300 objects) in areas such as the Restoration Shop, Barn, compound spaces and
other storage buildings (we currently occupy six buildings). All databases were updated.
Wish lists were submitted to begin determining our needs for “FF & E” (furniture, fixtures and equipment).
Exciting work began on our future exhibits. The Historical Outreach Foundation contracted the Portlandbased exhibits company Formations, Inc., to produce exhibits for the park area and the two historic
buildings. Many hours of research, editing, and planning have occurred, and staff and volunteers spent
numerous days prepping and moving artifacts, as well as acquiring “display props.” Final review of the
park’s graphics design package for Formations included 130 acquired images, 210 artifacts and display
props, and 59 graphic panels! We are finally on our way to fabrication of these exhibits.
The exhibits will feature the history of Camp Withycombe, as part of the larger theme of the evolution of
Oregon’s military training sites, the Clackamas Firing Range, the circa 1911 Quartermaster Storehouse, and
the Battery A Field Artillery Horse Barn. The Barn will showcase Oregon Field Artillery history and major
field artillery pieces from the Museum’s collections - from horse-drawn models such as the U.S. Model
1841 6-Pounder Field Gun and Japanese Type 95 75mm Gun to truck-drawn U.S. 105mm Howitzers.
Figuring out how to fit (squeeze) 12 artillery pieces into the post-laden Barn, while keeping them in
chronological order is like fitting 2-ton puzzle pieces together. Getting them there and maneuvering them
into position was just as much fun! What extraordinary and dedicated volunteers we have!
The Barn and Storehouse exhibits require finding hundreds of era display “props”
to augment the 1910s “look and feel.” We especially thank blacksmith Gary
Lewis for his expertise and added objects in setting up the Equipment Room.
Display prep included unpacking, cleaning, and reassembling our Model 1910
portable Schaller forge - the type used by U.S. Army farriers and blacksmiths in
the field, as well as Separate Troop A, Oregon Cavalry and Battery A, Oregon
Field Artillery while they
were deployed on
Mexican Border Service
in 1916 through 1917!
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Pest monitoring and management are very important programs at any Museum for the preservation of paper,
textiles, wood, and leather, and even more so for a Museum in a construction zone. A new pest
management company was contacted this year, and we set up all new procedures and policies. Our monthly
inspections of 150 traps continues, for infestations such as mice, wood-boring beetles, termites, silverfish
(which eat paper and textiles) and malevolent wool-eating moths, with treatment services as necessary.
Master Planning continued identifying the functions, goals, needs, and funding targets of the Museum, with
the goal of producing a final, published document.
Internal controls training, evaluations, and reporting were completed, as were several National Guard
Bureau reports for the Historical Services Department.
We resolved major issues with our Museum software PastPerfect. Permissions to save data were
erroneously removed, so while we thought it
was saving data, it was not. We have reentered the lost data.
Staff development continued as well, with
various online training requirements met, and
curator attendance at the Oregon Museum
Association Annual Training held at
Tamástslikt Cultural Institute in Pendleton. 
Restoration Shop and Museum Detachment:
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Our sincere thanks to all the effort put into the routine maintenance, and event preparation, and event
participation completed by our volunteer restoration crew and the Museum Detachment!
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Out of the Museum’s 50 military vehicles, approximately half of them are operable. Maintenance is always
an issue, whether replacing tires (like the cool new WWII style tires we were able to place on the M20
Scout Car this year), keeping things running, or fixing vehicle break downs at events.
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We tend to have several long term restoration projects going on concurrently….This year, major restoration
work began and/or continued on these Museum artifacts:
 World War II U.S. Willys MB Quarter-Ton Truck aka “Jeep”
 World War II U.S. Studebaker M29C Amphibious Carrier aka “Weasel”
 World War II Japanese Type 96 150mm Howitzer
 Cold War U.S. Hiller OH-23B Raven Helicopter
By the Numbers:
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77,000 square feet of potential interpretive space (includes Park).
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53,348 square feet of building space currently occupied within six buildings.
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Collections Records Totals as of December 31, 2014:
 14,509 catalogued objects records, with 2,000 [+/-] objects awaiting processing from inherited backlog.
 14,529 catalogued library records. With another 15,000 [+/-] awaiting processing.
 12,855 accession records.
 5,522 associated people records (i.e. who used this artifact?)
 1,599 records of individuals and organizations in our donor contacts database.
 1,459 photographs of artifacts have been downloaded in the objects database.
 353 multi-media links (downloaded associated documents).
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36 outgoing loans of the Museum’s historical property were renewed.
31 VIP behind-the-scenes tours were given at the Museum.
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Aiding Researchers
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Annually, we aid 100 to 150 researchers and this year was no exception. These folks are authors, family
genealogists, historians, other museums, military veterans, collectors, and school kids. This year,
approximately 140 research requests, from on-site visitors, phone calls, mail and email were fielded by staff
and volunteers, with hundreds more emails and letters generated relating to them.
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Sincere thanks to all who aid us in answering these questions!
Request questions come in on a very wide variety of topics:
 Many requests were about unit colors and insignia, both U.S.
and Nazi, as well as Oregon-related unit histories, and early
Armories. Our thanks to Warren Aney, who was able to
identify the building in this image for the first time – the 1913
image is of the 5th Company, Coast Artillery Corps Reserves
at the Albany Armory. 
 There were also many biographical questions – about famous
Generals such as Robert Dodson ( at left in image), Jens Doe, George
Marshall, and George White, to Oregon’s most honored, such as two
brothers, Edwin H. and Jonas L. Deetz, Mennonites from the Aurora/Canby
area, who were both killed in World War I. Both were sent overseas with
Oregon’s 41st Division and then sent out as replacement troops. Private
Jonas Deetz died of wounds on June 13, 1918 while with Company A, 23rd
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division at Chateau-Thierry. Corporal Edwin Deetz
was killed in action on October 9, 1918 with Company I, 126th Infantry
Regiment, 32nd Division in the Bois Valoup area of France.
 Many requests about artillery and vehicles in the collection – from
paint colors and “can we come take detail photos?” to how to deal with corrosion issues and replicate
historic parts.
 Did you know the Tigard Armory is named for Major General Harold G. "Fod" Maison? He served
with the 41st Infantry Division from before, during, and after World War II and commanded the 41st
Infantry Division November 1951 to September 1955. MG Maison is not to be confused with Second
Lieutenant Francis W. Mason (there are various spellings of his last name), who was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross during World War I for leading a patrol through the woods to envelope an
enemy machinegun position; severely wounded, he continued to lead the advance and successfully
occupied the woods near St. George, France on 22 October 1918. Lt. Mason was a Corporal with
Salem’s Company M on the Mexican Border and a Sergeant when the unit went overseas to France.
There he was transferred to the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division for front line duty. After the
war he served with the Oregon National Guard’s 162nd Infantry Regiment in Portland.
 More questions on topics such as: Quarters One, Zeiss Aerial Camera Systems, Sibley tents, trapdoor
rifles, Spanish pennants from Second Oregon Infantry days (circa 1898), and all markings relating to
arsenal information, serial number and production date (or Showa) of the Type 96 and Type 99s
machine guns in our
collection (here’s a
few). 

Numerous “Can you
identify this”
questions such as: “I
was visiting one of
your buildings today
and was wondering if it would be possible to identify the soldiers in one of the pictures. The one in the
top left corner looks very similar to my grandfather, who passed away before I was born, and the
information matches his history.” By process of elimination and pouring over records, we were able to
determine he was not among those depicted training at Camp Murray in 1941.
 A favorite this year was when we were contacted by a French woman, whose grandfather possessed a
bracelet he acquired in France in World War I from a U.S. Soldier. The French family wished to see if
the soldier’s family would like to have it, and they did not know where to start. So, research began. The
muster rolls listed Floyd Farley, as being from La Center, Washington, and as enlisting in Company H,
3rd Oregon Infantry on January 10, 1916, and again on March 26, 1917. The 3rd Infantry was
reorganized as the 162nd Infantry for service in France. Further research revealed that Floyd had
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married, and had a son, a U.S. Navy veteran, who passed
away in 2013 and is buried locally. With the help of staff at
the Cemetery, we were able to connect the French family
with descendents of the bracelet’s original 162nd Infantry
Regiment owner.
2015 Collections Highlights:

We gratefully acknowledge the hundreds of kind offers to
donate library, archives and artifact materials, and
appreciate continued patience as we work through making
resources available again in order for us to accept new materials into our collections. The Museum
continues to have a moratorium on new donations, with these few extremely limited exceptions:
 Personal papers of Dr. Charles Zerzan, who entered the Oregon National Guard in 1937 (age 16) and
remained in service until 1968. He was a physician for President Dwight Eisenhower.
 Oregonian Lt. Col. Eugene E. Laird’s wooden POW ID tags, wood spoon and fork, and personal papers.
Laird was a Bataan Death March survivor and subsequent POW until the end of World War II.
 Remote Ordnance Neutralization System (RONS) robot and equipment used by the Oregon Air National
Guard’s 142nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from June 2002 through June 2013.
 See also:
~ http://portlandtribune.com/cr/24-news/249173-117666-bomb-squads-robot-donated-to-military-museum.
~ http://salemnewsjournal.com/news/february-2015/oregon-air-national-guard-explosive-ordnance-unit-donatesbomb-robot-oregon-military-museum.
 Lieutenant Colonel George Vollmar’s framed collage, 
diary, and personal papers from his 507th Parachute Infantry
Regiment service as the unit’s medical Doctor and
Regimental Surgeon. He jumped on D-day, where the unit
experienced 65% casualties. After D-Day came the Battle of
the Bulge, then on March 24, 1945, he was among the troops
that jumped near Wesel, Germany as the spearhead of Operation Varsity. The operation was the last
large-scale Allied airborne operation of World War II. When they arrived in Essen, Germany and were
setting up a medical facility, he acquired the Hitler oil painting portrait that is used as a backdrop for the
collage of his memorabilia shown above.
 1889 pamphlet “First Regiment Infantry, ONG, Historical Sketch and Souvenir of Battalion Drill and
Dress Parade.”
 World War II combat footlocker belonging to Major General Jens Doe. A West Point graduate, Doe
became the Commanding General of the 41st Infantry Division in August 1944. His many
accomplishments and awards can be found here: http://jungleer.com/sunset-division/19-sunsetdivision/24-41st-infantry-division-commanders.
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 We thank the 142nd Fighter Wing EOD team for their second visit this
year. A gentleman wanted to donate two objects that were missing from a
years-earlier donation he’d given - of a very large display of World War II
German booby trap detonators. One of the items was still live however.
 Nazi banner that was the last one still flying when American troops
crossed the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. It was saved from burning
(the usual practice for Nazi flags) by Oregonian Sergeant Leo E. Larsen,
14th Tank Battalion, 9th Armored Division. Sgt. Larsen had members of
his battalion sign the flag.
 The Bridge at Remagen was the last standing on the Rhine, and was captured by the 9th Armored
Division on March 7, 1945, during Operation Lumberjack. Soldiers of the 27th Armored Infantry
Battalion, led by Lieutenant Karl H. Timmermann, approached the bridge and found it standing.
The bridge was the Allies sole method of entry into Germany across the Rhine.
 The significance attached to this bridge by the German Army Command was indicated by repeated
attempts to destroy it - by bombing and having divers mine it. Hitler was so provoked by the loss of
the bridge that he ordered flying courts-martial that condemned five officers to death - four of whom
were subsequently executed, with the sole survivor already having been captured and in Allied
hands. It is said that General Eisenhower declared “the bridge is worth its weight in gold."
 Document presented to Oregonian Lt. Lester E. Anderson, Company I, 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd
Division, surrendering the German city of Hoexter, signed by Burgomeister Franz Hardmann and Chief
of Police Bernhard Kollmann, dated April 7, 1945.
 Personal papers and insignia of Major Clyde A. Curtin, Oregon’s only
Korean War jet ace. Curtin flew three tours with more than 150 missions in
North American F-86 Saber Jets. From Portland, Oregon, Curtin served
with the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter Interceptor
Group/Wing, and shot down five Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s to become
the 38th Jet ace of the Korean War. 
 Personal papers collections of two Boeing B-29 Superfortress veterans:
Martin Spellman, Hollywood child actor whose World War II service was
as a tail gunner; and Marvin Lesser, a B-29 navigator.
A Few Comments and Kudos for the Museum:

Wow, you found way more than I did! Thanks.

You're awesome. VERY helpful.

My family and I had a great time at Living History Day this year. Hat’s off to everyone’s efforts.

I so appreciate you taking the time to research this and provide all this great information. You've been
enormously helpful and kind. I find this history so fascinating and really enjoyed looking at all the images
and displays at Camp Withycombe.

I am absolutely in your debt….I so appreciate you explaining this to me. I have had the hardest time finding
this information. This is just what I needed. Again, thank you so much for your time and effort and if I have
another WWI Oregon question I can't answer, perhaps I can e-mail you again.

Thanks a million! I will view the sites you listed and don't worry, I'm not afraid to ask questions :-)

It was a pleasure meeting you all during the reunion. Your hard work and efforts paid off and enabled us to
have a great time. It was an honor for me to be able to participate…thank you all again for a wonderful
experience.

AWESOME, thank you. Adding it to my info now.

First off "Thank You!" to both you [Mark Stevens] and Phil [Richart], for taking time to get me the details
on the IJ light machine guns. You took some great images and have definitely helped me with some of the
data you got on the barrels….

Thanks Tracy, This will help greatly. Your time researching is much appreciated.

Excellent museum report information! (from the Chief, Historical Services, National Guard Bureau)
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



From the French family: “Many thanks for your phone call to the family, and thousand thanks to all of you,
I can imagine the time spent on researches, I know it was a hard task and I really, really appreciated your
support. My mum reading us in copy, we'll be so happy, she's looking for a way to give back this jewel
[bracelet] for so long time...but it's not easy at all from France and above all without speacking english, so
this message is a real good news, as she just wanted to make a good action....good people fortunatelly still
alive☺!”
Thank you for your email. You have reached out beyond my expectations. I sincerely appreciate what you
have done.
Thanks so much for taking the time to meet with me today. I can't wait till the museum opens! Such great
plans and work!
Reflecting on the year’s successes, I think of the effort you’ve contributed…and your passion for preserving
the artifacts and history and represent Oregon’s veterans. This Museum wouldn’t be where it is today
without your dedication and I wanted you to know how much I appreciate your enthusiasm and
knowledge…Thank you again for the commitment that you exhibit daily.
In the Public Eye:
The Museum was mentioned or featured in several media categories, from newspapers and youtube.com to web
forums and hard back books. Here are a few:

Honoring Marion Carl: http://www.nrtoday.com/news/18024877-113/douglas-county-veterans-viewpointoregon-military-museum-donates

An article by Mike Francis of the Oregonian:
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/expanded_oregon_military_museu.html.

NW Boomer and Senior News:

http://issuu.com/nwboomerandseniornews/docs/mp_web_2015-5

http://www.nwboomerandseniornews.com/news/2015/nov/07/oregon-military-museum/

Portland Tribune article: http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/249129-116174-plans-for-military-museumtake-shape

Listed in Acknowledgements in the new book The Great Call-Up: The Guard, the Border and the Mexican
Revolution by Charles H. Harris III and Louis R. Sadler.

Architectural “fly though” video of the Museum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAz1bx98Aw.

The Clackamas County Government Channel did a wonderful 7-minute video about the Museum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PTrA-j_fhk.
A final note:
I’d like to take this opportunity to say a couple of things. First, thank you all again for your support,
encouragement, and interest. It reinforces my belief that history DOES matter. Why, you might ask, is history
relevant? Because it shapes who we are and how we see and connect with the world now. The Museum strives
to provide connections to what has happened in the past, comparable to a window into how people have lived,
worked, and made important decisions. The Museum recognizes that the military service of Oregonians is an
integral part of our past; it is part of our present lives too, and it will be part of our future. We bring Oregon’s
military history to you, our audience, to gain a deeper understanding of military service and values, to share
knowledge of what has gone before you, and help you realize you are part of history today.
Secondly, I am privileged yet again to present this document detailing another year’s efforts on behalf of all
of us who are working toward the goal to reopen this Museum, and to honor and commemorate Oregon’s
service men and women in even more meaningful ways! ~ Tracy

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