THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE VIETNAM WAR

I have seen The National Vietnam War Museum grow from a vacant lot with a mobile home on it to an impressive complex of weapons, vehicles and artifacts from the Viet Nam War. The museum is located between Mineral Wells and Weatherford near Fort Wolters where helicopter pilots trained. The war was known as the helicopter war. A 20,000 square feet building Is full of exhibits and a similar structure is planned for the future. Ean Tillett is the museum’s first fulltime curator. He brings years of experience with some outstanding museums. A hiking trail surrounds the museum.

Dr. Jim Messinger, a former helicopter pilot duringthewar,hasguidedthe museum’s growth. He says new exhibits in the works include major events during the war such as the Space Race, the Great Society, the civil rights movement, Women’s Liberation, the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, antiwar protests and hippies, yippies and 1968.

The museum was incorporated in 1997 (the board has met every month since then) and had its formal opening in 2007. An annual fundraiser helps provide funds for the museum. This year’s event takes place March 25 at the Parker County Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo Grounds and Event Center in Weatherford.

When visitors walk into the museum they see an amazing display of patches, ribbons, awards. medals and other items that cover the entire history of the US Military. A Vietnam Veteran donated the items. Other veterans have generously donated many of the major exhibits. A library has books about the war and there is a replica of the oval office during LBJ’s presidency. A broadcast booth is where DJs on Armed Forces Radio greeted each day with the phrase Good Morning Vietnam.

“It’s amazing,” says Dr. Jim. “When we need something it shows up. All the guys who started this were helicopter pilot in Vietnam and we learned to fly right across the street at Fort Wolters. We trained about 40,000 helicopter pilots in 10 years and sent them to Viet Nam. Our first board of directors was a girlfriend of a helicopter pilot, and guys who had flown helicopters. We wanted to put up a museum, knowing what needed to be done but we didn’t know how, we didn’t have any money or leadership. We just started one day at a time and we’ve got this far.”

One of the displays honors women. “There were women in Vietnam who were not nurses. There were women who were POWs. Some were tortured. Some were executed.”

Some Vietnam veterans visit the museum and say they have never mentioned a thing to their wives about the war. “They come here and see a piece of equipment, an aircraft or weapon and just start babbling about their experiences. We know that there’s a trigger for these guys’ memories and everybody has a different trigger.”

Jim says his first job in Vietnam was to fly around and get shot at.