BGuthrie Photos: KY -- Fort Knox -- Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (World War I)

KY -- Fort Knox -- Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (World War I):

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. PATTO1_081008_001.JPG: FT-17 recovered in Afghanistan
2. PATTO1_081008_015.JPG: Why Did The War Start? There were many causes for World War I. One was the emergence of Germany as a nation after 1871 when it defeated France in a war. This upset the European balance of power. German Chancellor Bismarck made alliances that transformed the continent into two armed and opposing camps. One camp, France, Britain, and Russia (the Entente) had more people, trade, and industry but Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Turkey (the Central Powers) dominated Central Europe and had larger standing armies. The new prosperity in Europe made it possible for countries to create huge national armament programs. The German army was one of the largest and best-equipped in Europe. Germany's creation of a modern navy and quest for overseas colonies threatened Britain's control of the seas. Both nations were in a naval armaments race in the years before 1914. In response, Britain forged a closer bond with France. By 1914, military alliances bound the countries in each camp to their allies. Each national prepared elaborate mobilization plans to prepare their armies in the event of war. These developments helped create a tense atmosphere requiring only a spark to plunge Europe into war. On June 28, 1914, a Serbian nationalist, Cavrillo Princip, provided the spark. He assassinated the Archduke and Archduchess of Austria-Hungary while they were visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was part of their empire. Austria-Hungary soon declared war on Serbia. The two camps because of their military alliances quickly transformed this regional crisis into a world war that affected Europe and their overseas colonies. The outbreak of hostilities began on July 28, 1914.
3. PATTO1_081008_016.JPG: Machine-guns! The first true shock of the Great War was the machine-gun, an American invention that was at first rejected by the US Army because they said it used too much ammunition. It was quickly adopted by most of the major European powers. The machine-gun was used as a defensive weapon because of its size and weight. Defenders learned to combine their trenches and wire entanglements with the overlapping fire from machine-guns. Even a single machine-gun with crew could blunt an attack by a much larger force. It severely limited the options of the attacking enemy. Thousands of machine-guns were used in WWI. Troops quickly moved into trenches for protection from machine-gun fire. Movement on the battlefield stopped and casualties grew.
4. PATTO1_081008_021.JPG: Artillery! To break enemy resistance and shatter trenches, both sides used artillery. Effectively artillery fire needed an observer who could watch the shells land and communicate changes back to the firing battery by field phone or radio. The French and British used mass barrages over several days in an effort to destroy German trenches and soldiers. Although these attacks created large craters on the battlefield, it destroyed barbed wire and blew up mines, which helped the infantry. The Germans dug deeper and stronger bunkers that protected troops from all but a direct hit. They also withdrew most of their soldiers during a bombardment. When the artillery fire stopped, these troops returned to repel attackers. Infantry soldiers lucky enough to reach their goal often lost the ability to communicate with supporting artillery. It took time to repair wire communications and radio were not common. As a result, they lost their fire support and became exposed to German counterattacks that too often drove them back to their starting point.
5. PATTO1_081008_026.JPG: Stalemate! Both sides of the conflict expected the war to be over quickly. Young men flocked to recruiting stations to join their respective army before the war ended. For them, the war represented a great adventure. They had no idea it would last over four years and become one of the bloodiest conflicts in history. The Germans implemented their plan of attack, which required them to invade Belgium and sweep into northeastern France in an effort to approach Paris from the north. Time was critical to the success of this plan. The Germans wanted to knock France out of the war in a matter of weeks so they could concentrate on fighting Russia. By invading Belgium, they violated an existing treaty, which resulted in the entry of Britain into the war. The Russians, however, mobilized quickly and invaded East Prussia. Germany was forced to pull troops from the invasion of France. The German offensive came to a halt short of Paris. All along the front line from the English Channel to the Swiss border, the armies began to entrench. By the end of 1914, a network of trenches protected by barbed wire and machine-guns supported by artillery became known as No Man's land. Early efforts by soldiers to overcome this deadly combination failed. The war on the Western From became a stalemate. Both armed launched repeated assaults to wear down their enemies and break the trench deadlock. Nothing worked.
6. PATTO1_081008_029.JPG: Grenade! Hand grenades had been in use for centuries, but the modern grenade still in use today was developed for the trench warfare of WWI. The new grenades had the advantage of a self-contained fuse, which meant the position of the thrower was not given away by the telltale glow of a match, a drawback of earlier grenades.
7. PATTO1_081008_034.JPG: Gas! The Germans developed gas as their solution to the stalemate, to try to bring movement back to the front. The Germans first used chlorine gas at Ypres, Belgium in April of 1915, causing over 6,000 deaths in the first ten months. Gas was effective given the right weather conditions, but it proved unreliable. A sudden change in wind could shift the poison back upon the attacker. Even though gas did not prove decisive on the battlefield, chemical weapons continued to be developed by both sides. The Germans introduced mustard gas, a chemical liquid that soaked into clothes and burned everything it touched, in 1917. Gas forced both sides to wear protective equipment, slowing troops down.
8. PATTO1_081008_040.JPG: Return of Mobility: The war dragged on with the only visible results being the casualty lists -- which continued to climb. Efforts to overcome the trench failed. Days of artillery bombardment followed by massed infantry assaults fell apart in the face of machine guns and enemy counterattacks. The Entente and the Central Powers both looked to technology to bring an end to the military statement on the Western front. Mobility had to return to the battlefield and the answer was the tank. The French and British both independently developed tanks. In January of 1915, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill suggested development of "special mechanical devices for taking trenches" to overcome entrenched machine guns. Using the American Holt caterpillar tractor as a model, the first British tank, Little Willie, appeared on September 19, 1915. It was not a success, but a new prototype "Mother" worked, and went into mass production as the Mark I. The Mark I entered combat in September 1916. Symbolic of the tank's naval heritage, the Royal Navy provided the first crews. France undertook a parallel effort to build an armored combat vehicle for trench warfare. They were trying to develop self-propelled artillery. In 1915, Eugene Brillie, an engineer working with Schneider & Company, designed an armored tractor that moved on caterpillar tracks. Brillie returned to France and developed an armored vehicle based on the "Baby Holt." Further development on tanks reflected the views of Col. Eugene Estienne. He believed that the first combatant to field a self-propelled 75mm gun capable of traversing any ground would win the war. Schneider tanks went into production in early January of 1916. They were followed by the development of the Renault light tank, the first turreted tank.
9. PATTO1_081008_045.JPG: Britain and the Leading Tank: The Royal Navy, rather than the British Army, determined the development of the tank in Great Britain. The First Lord of Admiralty, Winston Churchill, set up an organization called the "Landships Committee" in February of 1915. Similar to their French counterparts, early British tanks were unable to cross trenches. The incorporation of Holt caterpillar tracks gave these tanks more mobility than wheels. Lieutenant WG Wilson improved the early tank design by wrapping the track around the side of the vehicle. This improvement allowed the tank to cross trenches and crush barbed wire. The resulting vehicle was the Mark I, sometimes referred to as "Mother." The Mark I became the first production model. It carried two 57mm guns in side-mounted sponsons and three machine-guns. Hardened steel plates riveted to a metal framework provided protection from enemy fire. Its 105-horsepower engine gave it a top speed of 2 miles per hour. The Mark I possessed a short range of just 20 miles. The tank saw its first combat action in the battle of the Somme, September 15, 1916. The British saw the tank as a "leading" vehicle. It was used ahead of an infantry attack to destroy machine-gun nests. The infantry would follow to mop up and occupy the trenches. The Mark I provided valuable on the battlefield as it cleared a path for the infantry and reduced casualties. The British continued to make this tank in a variety of models until the end of the war and beyond.
10. PATTO1_081008_046.JPG: France and the Accompanying Tank: In its early development, the design of the French tank focused on self-propelled artillery. They wanted to use tanks to provide mobile firepower to support the infantry. Their tanks carried a 75mm gun, making them the most heavily armed vehicles on the battlefield. They weight only half as much as the British Mark I. Unlike its British counterpart, the early French tanks were not designed to cross trenches, making them ineffective in trench warfare. In 1917, a third French design, much lighter and smaller than the first two, set the basic design for tanks for years to come. The commander of the French tanks, General Estienne's support of alternate vehicle designs led to the development of the FT-17 by the Renault Company. This vehicle was different from the earlier French tanks, the Schneider and St. Chamond. It was designed to cross trenches. It also carried its main armament in a revolving turret, while the other designs mounted their weapons in the hull. The FT-17 could be equipped with either a machine-gun or a 37mm gun. It was capable of knocking out enemy machine-gun nests. The tank possessed a two-man crew. The driver rode in the front hull, while the tank commander rode in the turret, directing the driver and operating the weapon. These tanks advanced alongside infantry and became known as accompanying tanks. It became the preferred vehicle of the American army when it arrived in Europe, and was widely copied during and after the war.
11. PATTO1_081008_056.JPG: A French FT-17 light tank is shown on the right
12. PATTO1_081008_059.JPG: The Yanks are Coming! The United States remained neutral when the war began in 1914. By early 1917, a combination of actions taken by the German government caused America to abandon neutrality. The first action was the sinking of the British passenger liner, Lusitania, off the coast of Ireland by a German submarine in 1915. Over one thousand passengers died, including 128 Americans. President Wilson protested. In response, the German government stopped U-boat attacks on nonmilitary targets. Other German actions included sabotage. The Black Tom Munitions factory in New Jersey was destroyed. The Statue of Liberty was damaged in this attack. In January, 1917, two events happened that changed America's view of the war. The German foreign minister sent the German ambassador in Mexico the "Zimmerman Telegram." It was intercepted by the British intelligence and decoded. The telegram proposed that Mexico join the Central Powers and make war on the United States. In return, Germany would give lands lost in 1848 back to Mexico. When German began a strategy of unrestricted submarine warfare and sunk several US cargo ships, America had to make a decision. Public sentiment finally swung over to the support of the Entente (Allies). Congress approved a declaration of war on April 6, 1917. The production of war goods began to increase, but it took time to reorganize US industry to support the war effort. American soldiers began to deploy overseas to France as part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) under the command of General John J Pershing. The AEF used weapons and equipment provided by the British and French armies, including their tanks.
13. PATTO1_081008_063.JPG: Discovery: The French Renault FT-17 light tank is considered to be the first modern tank. French army Brigadier General Jean Baptiste Estienne, the French "Father of the Tanks", realized in 1916 the need for a low cost, easily mass produced light tank and supported the development of the FT-17. Like today's tanks, it has a turret on top that turns in a complete circle; the engine is in the rear of the tank; and the driver sits in the front. The FT-17 is equipped with a small turret that turns on ball bearings. The first turrets were made of cast steel and could only carry a Hotchkiss 8mm machine-gun. In 1918, a riveted steel turret was made that could carry either a machine-gun or a 37mm cannon. Such turrets were called omnibus because they could support different weapons. Later the riveted omnibus turret was replaced by a cast steel version, known as the FT-18 tank. By the end of the war, over 3,000 Renault F-17 and F-18 light tanks had been built. How did these tanks get to Afghanistan? No one knows how the tanks ended up in the junk yard outside of Kabul. Parts from a third tank were found there as well. Since their recovery, two additional FT-18 tanks have been found on public display. There is no evidence that the Afghans ever purchased any armored vehicles from the French. Perhaps the tanks were acquired from the Soviet Union in the 1920s as part of a deal for diplomatic recognition. We may never know. Did You Know? One of the great mysteries of this light tank was the meaning of "FT" in the designation. The answer is simple. The Renault Company identified each of their products by assigning them two letter codes. The code "FT" was assigned to the light tank at random, with the design year tacked to the end.
14. PATTO1_081008_069.JPG: Recovery: Recovery of the two light tanks was an international effort. The Afghan Army and American soldiers provided technical support and security. British and Polish Army engineers cleared a lane to the tanks' location, the rigged and loaded them for transport. The tanks and loose parts were loaded onto American trucks and shipped to the airfield at Bagram, Afghanistan. The United States Air Force then flew the two vehicles back to the United States. The small size of the Fort Knox airfield meant the tanks had to be off-loaded at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and then moved by truck to the Patton Museum restoration facility.
15. PATTO1_081008_071.JPG: Restoration: It was decided to begin restoration first on the Renault with the machine-gun turret as it was in better shape. The vehicle was carefully taken apart, and the exterior pieces prepared for painting. Mechanical parts were inspected, cleaned, and lubricated, and the engine carefully disassembled. Because looters in the Afghan scrap yard had stripped the tank, some of the missing parts had to be manufactured. The carburetor and magneto for the engine are missing and at present cannot be replaced. The tank is being painted in the original colors and camouflage pattern used during the "War To End All Wars."
16. PATTO1_081008_076.JPG: FT-17
17. PATTO1_081008_080.JPG: Adversity to Equality: The Journey of the African American Mounted Soldier
18. PATTO1_081008_082.JPG: Adversity to Equality: The Journey of the African American Mounted Soldier: "Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters, US, let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he had earned the right to citizenship in the United States." -- Frederick Douglass The Civil War marked the first effort to recruit African Americans into the US Army on a large scale, train them, and employ them in a variety of combat and support roles. The Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863 declared, "that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons... And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service." African Americans have a proud tradition of service to the United States that includes 86 Medals of Honor. This is their story of military accomplishment and sacrifice.
19. PATTO1_081008_094.JPG: "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free -- honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of earth." -- Abraham Lincoln, December 1, 1862, Second Annual Message to Congress From the very beginning of the Civil War, free African Americans attempted to join the US Army but were rebuffed, as Lincoln initially feared that slave holding Union states such as Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and Missouri would leave the Union and go to the Confederate side if blacks were admitted to the ranks. By July of 1862, the Union was in dire need of soldiers and Congress passed two acts that allowed freed blacks to enlist and for Lincoln "to employ as many persons of African descent as he may deem necessary and proper for the suppression of this rebellion." Within two months of this Act of Congress, the first executive order of the Emancipation Proclamation was issued to take effect in January 1862 and African American soldiers were allowed to enlist in the US Army. By the end of the Civil War, almost 200,000 African American soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom, but it was not until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution that slavery was abolished in the United States.
20. PATTO1_081008_100.JPG: African American regiments had difficulty finding white officers to serve in their units, yet there was a core group of officers who willingly served with these regiments for the majority of their career. Stevens T. Norvell was such an officer. Born in Michigan on February 14, 1835, he was one of five sons of Michigan Senator John Norvell, himself a native of Danville, Kentucky. In January of 1858, Stevens enlisted in the 5th US Infantry and was assigned to Company A. During the Civil War, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant with the 13th US Infantry Regiment. President Abraham Lincoln signed his commission. In 1871, he transferred to the Cavalry branch, joined the 10th US Cavalry Regiment as commander of Company M. During his tenure with the 10th Cavalry, he spend [sic] years leading his company against the Indian threat in the southwest, participating in several actions before finally being promoted to major in March of 1890. With the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the 10th Cavalry was deployed to Cuba where, as commander of the 1st Squadron of the 10th Cavalry,. Major Norvell lead [sic] his four companies of African American cavalrymen up San Juan Hill, where he earned a commendation. He was 64 years old at the time. After this historic battle for San Juan Hill, Lieutenant Colonel Norvell was placed in command of the 9th Cavalry Regiment.
21. PATTO1_081008_117.JPG: Thomas Shaw was born into slavery in 1846, in Covington, Kentucky. During the Civil War, Shaw escaped slavery to enlist in the Union army in Missouri. As a member of the 9th Cavalry, he was considered one of the best marksmen in the regiment. For his bravery at Carrizo Canyon in 1881, Shaw earned the Medal of Honor. His citation reads: "Forced the enemy back after stubbornly holding his ground in an extremely exposed position and prevented the enemy's superior numbers form surrounding his command."
22. PATTO1_081008_118.JPG: "Colored troops will hold their place in the Army of the United States as long as the government lasts." -- Col. Benjamin Grierson, organizer of the 10th US Cavalry, May 24, 1867. In July 1866, Congress, recognizing the gallantry of African-American troops during the Civil War, created two Cavalry and four Infantry Regiments composed of African-American enlisted soldiers. Fifty percent of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments were recruited from soldiers who fought in the Civil War. These units were often equipped with poor mounts, equipment and rations yet the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments were required to patrol enormous tracts of land spanning from the Rio Grande to Minnesota, consisting of millions of square miles of largely uncharted land. They were also tasked with subduing the native tribes who resented the American expansion into the West. Despite the enormous physical hard work and tremendous danger, the 9th and 10th Cavalry had the lowest desertion rate in the army. The 9th and 10th Cavalry participated in the following Indian War Campaigns: Comanches 1867-1875 Little Big Horn 1876-1877 Cheyennes 1878-1879 Modocs 1872-1873 Nez Perces 1877 Utes 1879-1880 Apaches 1873, 1885-1886 Bannocks 1878 Pine Ridge 1890-1891 The soldiers soon earned a nickname from the Native Americans. "Buffalo Soldiers" and the symbol of the buffalo was added to the 10th Cavalry Regimental Crest. The 9th and 10th Cavalry had 11 soldiers who won the Medal of Honor including Thomas Shaw and Brent Woods, both from Kentucky.
23. PATTO1_081008_123.JPG: "Where did my courage come from? It came from our 'war chief' Captain Ayres. ... I took the two sets of colors and ran, calling as I ran "Dress on the colors, boys! Dress on the colors!" -- Color Sgt. George Berry, Troop G, 10th Cavalry, 1898 who carried the colors of the 10th Cavalry and the 3rd Cavalry after their color sergeant was shot in the stomach, in the charge up San Juan Hill. Over 3,000 African-American soldiers fought in Cuba, but not without controversy. The African-American community at large was experiencing significant discrimination in the North, and segregation, intimidation, and death by lynching in the South. The following editorial summarizes African-American community feelings just prior to the war: "If the government wants our support and services, let us demand and get a guarantee for our safety and protection at home... When we are guaranteed freedom and equality before the law, as other American citizens, then we will have the right, as such, to take up arms in defense of our country." -- The Indianapolis Freeman, March 18, 1898 Despite the equality issues on the home front, Troopers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry went on to fight in the battle of San Juan Hill, alongside Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, in Santiago, Cuba. The conduct of the soldiers was so heroic nine soldiers from the 10th Cavalry were recommended for the Medal of Honor, including 1st Sgt. Adam Houston and Sgt. Maj. Edward Lee Baker, Jr., who in time attained the rank of Captain in the US Army.
24. PATTO1_081008_129.JPG: Charles Young. "America is the land of my race's forced adoption... the house is none the less loved and cherished by me. In that house, the love of liberty, of the highest freedom, and of independence and fair play for all men, and the love of all men as such without distinction of race, color, or condition, entered into my heart. No greater spiritual revolution than the fact of universal brotherhood can come to a man here in this fine old world." -- Major Charles Young, 1914 Charles Young was born March 12, 1864, in Mays Lick, Kentucky, the son of Gabriel Young and Arminta Bruen, both slaves. His father ran away to enlist as a private in the Fifth Regiment of the Colored Artillery (Heavy) in the Civil War. His father's service as a soldier shaped Charles' life. As a young man living in Ohio, he competed for appointment as a cadet to the US Military Academy in West Point. Young succeeded and reported to the academy in 1884. He graduated with his commission in 1889, the third African American man to do so after Henry O. Flipper and John Alexander. Assigned to the 10th US Cavalry, he soon achieved the rank of first lieutenant. His career spanned 28 years spent in three of the Army's four African American Regiments -- the 25th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry. In 1916, Young participated in the Mexican Expedition against Pancho Villa. His leadership during the operation led to his promotion to lieutenant colonel, making Young the first African-American to reach that rank. In 1917, the Army retired him for health reasons. Young protested this action, riding 497 miles from Ohio to Washington DC to demonstrate his physical fitness. he was reinstated into the Army five days before the end of WWI at the rank of colonel.
25. PATTO1_081008_135.JPG: John J. Pershing: When General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing was chosen as the Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in 1917, he had already led troops in the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War, the Philippines and the Mexican Expedition. He earned the nickname "Black Jack" because of his service with the African American 10th US Cavalry. He was noted for his bravery in combat. President Theodore Roosevelt was so impressed with Pershing's coolness under fire that he convinced Congress to promote Pershing to Brigadier General in 1905. The allies in Europe expected the AEF to serve as replacements, filling in the holes in the depleted French and British armies. Pershing did not let that happen. He kept American troops, referred to as "doughboys," together under American commanders. Pershing believed the best way the US could help the allies was with an independent American Army, including an independent Tank Corps. Pershing wanted to show Europe that the United States was a military power in its own right. At first, the doughboys' inexperience with trench warfare resulted in heavy casualties. That soon changed. The Meuse Argonne Offensive in the fall of 1918 showed the strength of the American Army and the usefulness of tanks.
26. PATTO1_081008_136.JPG: Samuel D. Rockenbach, First Chief of Armor: Before American entry into WWI in 1917, General "Black Jack" Pershing had been advised that the Army should add tanks as part of their forces. General Pershing needed leaders who knew motorized tactics. Colonel Rockenbach was just such an officer. Rockenbach, Pershing, and Patton had all served together in the Mexican Expedition in 1916. Rockenbach also impressed General Pershing with his organizational skills when the two had served together as Lieutenants in the mid-1890s. The first Chief of the Tank Corps, Brigadier General Rockenbach was responsible for creating a new branch of the Army. The US Army only had direct control of the Renault designed FT-17 light tanks [sic] units. Rockenbach successfully organized, equipped, and trained Army tank crews in a matter of months. Within a year, Patton's 304th Tank Brigade was helping allied forces win the battle of St. Mihiel. For the British heavy tanks, Rockenbach was the key decision maker for the join development of the new Mark VIII heavy tank. This tank, although completed too late for combat, used US Liberty aircraft engines. With improved armor and speed, the Mark VIII would have been available as a standard "heavy tank" for both nations to use. In 1920, Congress dissolved the Tank Corps as a separate branch and placed tanks under the control of the infantry. Rockenbach continued to serve as the Chief of the Tank Corps until his retirement.
27. PATTO1_081008_142.JPG: "But in the view of the Constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens. There is no caste here. Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. in respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law." -- John Marshall Harlan, 1896, in his dissent on Plessy Vs. Ferguson. In 1892, Homer Plessy boarded a "white" train car in Louisiana. Although he was only one-eight black, it was still illegal under Louisiana state law. He was arrested and his case appealed to the US Supreme Court. The Court ruled in 1896 that the state law did not violate the equal protection provided by the Fourteenth Amendment, as long as separate accommodations were equal. This decision allowed for the legal segregation of the races in most spheres of public life, including transportation, public accommodations, and public schools. The impact on the US Army resulted in the retention of segregated regiments and the exclusion of African Americans from the US Military Academy at West Point, often seen as the first step toward achieving senior leadership positions in the Army. The Medal of Honor was also denied to African American soldiers in World Wars I and II, despite their service and sacrifice, until the 1990s.
28. PATTO1_081008_143.JPG: Training of Black Officers: With the Negro soldier making up 9 percent of the Army, Negro leaders expected the number of Negro officers be a proportionate number. Likewise, it was expected that the Negro officers would eventually make up the commanders and staffs of the Negro battalions. A major obstacle to this approach was that of the 1,997 officer candidates, only 17 were Negroes (1 at the Cavalry School). The slow rate at which Negro officers were being developed caused Edgar Brown, a prominent Negro legislative lobbyist, to call for a separate officer candidate school for Negroes. When radio stations broadcasted that responsible Negro leaders were opposed to the President's plan of training Negro and white officers together, the NAACP replied -- "We respectfully submit that no leader considered responsible by intelligent Negro or white Americans would make such a request." The Army, concluded [sic] it was not cost effective to build a separate school, continued training the two races together.
29. PATTO1_081008_146.JPG: Formation of the Black Armored Units: The office of the Chief of the Army Ground Forces had been debating the question of including Negro soldiers in the Armored Forces. The staunchest supporter was LTG Leslie J. McNair, the Chief of the Army Ground Forces. Although met with opposition from everywhere, McNair won out. In March 1941, a group of 98 Negro soldiers arrived at Fort Knox, Kentucky for armor training. The War Department had considered creating an Armored Division, but McNair limited his acceptance to separate Negro battalions for attachments to other units of similar types. In June 1941, after additional personnel arrived, the first tank battalion in the Army with Negro enlisted personnel was officially designated as the 78th Tank Battalion (Light). In December 1941, the Army began redesignating antitank battalions as tank destroyer battalions to which two Negro battalions were activated, the 846th and the 795th. On April 1st 1942, the 761st Tank Battalion (Light) was formed at Camp Claiborne, LA. One year later, the 784th Tank Battalion was formed. All three were assigned to the 5th Armored Group with the 78th Tank Battalion being redesignated as 758th. By the end of 1943, there were 14 battalions of Negro soldiers operating complex armored war machines (3 Tank and 11 Tank Destroyer Battalions).
30. PATTO1_081008_151.JPG: General George S. Patton Gave Rousing Speech to the 761st Tank Battalion, October 10, 1944: "Men, you're the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don't care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sonsabitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you. Don't let them down, don't let me down!"
31. PATTO1_081008_153.JPG: The St. Mihiel Offensive: Light tanks were used to destroy machine-gun positions so the infantry could advance. The Renault FT-17 was the first tank designed to go in and out of a trench. The "tail" on the back is used to help the tank get out of the trench. Tankers of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) were in their first battle during the St. Mihiel offensive of early September 1918. This model shows light tanks of the 327th Tank Battalion supporting the infantry in an attack on German trenches between Pannes and Beney France, September 12, 1918. The 327th, along with the 326th Tank Battalion, were part of the 304th Tank Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton, Jr. Equipped with French Renault Ft-17 and FT-18 light tanks, the brigade played an important part in the capture of the St. Mihiel salient in the closing days of the Great War.
32. PATTO1_081008_158.JPG: The St. Mihiel Offensive: This model shows light tanks of the 327th Tank Battalion supporting the infantry in an attack on German trenches between Pannes and Beney France, September 12, 1918. The 327th, along with the 326th Tank Battalion, were part of the 304th Tank Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton, Jr. Equipped with French Renault Ft-17 and FT-18 light tanks, the brigade played an important part in the capture of the St. Mihiel salient in the closing days of the Great War.
33. PATTO1_081008_165.JPG: American Tankers: When the US entered the war in April 1917, the Army created a tank corps. At first, it possessed no tanks, no training facilities, and no doctrine. To overcome these problems, the Army relied upon British and French support. Most American tank units entered combat with the French FT-17, while a small number served in British heavy tanks, supporting British operations. Colonel S. Rockenbach, first commander of the Tank Corps, wanted to have both leading and accompanying tanks. He relied upon the British to provide leading tanks and training to American tankers in England. There they learned how to employ the heavier British vehicles. In France, the Americans started a light tank training school under the leadership of Captain George S. Patton, Jr. They used the French Renault FT-17. The Army established a network of training camps in the United States, including one at Camp Colt, Pennsylvania, headed by a young officer named Dwight D. Eisenhower. The battle of St. Mihiel on September 12, 1918, was the first time American tanks were deployed in combat. Lieutenant Colonel Patton was in command. Rain had made the ground muddy and the tanks ran out of fuel. The tanks were difficult to drive so some unit commanders, including Patton, led their units from on top of their tanks. Other commanders led their tanks on foot. Within the tanks, the crews could not see very well, were hot, and breathing engine and machine-gun fumes. In spite of the horrible conditions inside the tank, the American tankers were successful in battle. Only three tank battalions entered combat in World War I, but their hard work established the need for a permanent American tank force.
34. PATTO1_081008_167.JPG: The American Expeditionary Force: The soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces were a cross-section of the American population, coming from all walks of life with varying levels of education and economic status. Regular Army officers commanded the force with support from a large number of amateur officers appointed for the duration. The experience of the war was common to all. First trained by the army, troops were then shipped by rail to a seaport for embarkation. The long voyage on a ship across the Atlantic was both dangerous and boring. Living conditions were cramped, the food poor, and there was a chance of being sunk by a German U-boat. Soldiers were cheered when they arrived in England by the war weary British. Then the men were sent to France, a place where no one spoke English. They were shipped in crowded cattle cars or muddy trucks to behind the lines. Hard bitten soldiers in worn uniforms and odd accents gave the new soldiers an idea of what would be required to survive at the "real" front. Whether you were infantry or tanker; quartermaster or artilleryman, the experience was the same.
35. PATTO1_081008_173.JPG: AEF Tank School -- France: Captain George S. Patton Jr. became the first American officially assigned to serve with tanks in November 1917. Patton could read and speak French, knew cavalry tactics and had worked with both machine-guns and vehicles. He was asked to create the AEF light tank school. After a short period of training at the French Tank School, Patton went to work. From January to May 1918, Patton wrote instructional and tactical manuals. He also managed the founding and operation of a tank school. Men who had no previous experience in tanks were trained as mechanics, tank drivers, and gunners. By the end of July 1918, two American light tank battalions had completed their training in France and were waiting for enough tanks to arrive so they could go into combat. In August 1918, Lieutenant Colonel Patton was given command of the 1st Tank Brigade, which would be part of the assault on the St. Mihiel salient. General Pershing had identified the salient as the best place to push the Germans out of the area. On September 12, 1918, in heavy mud, the American tankers went into combat. Within two days, they had achieved their goal.
36. PATTO1_081008_225.JPG: The Beginning of Anti-Tank Warfare: British tanks caught the German Army by surprise. There was little the Germans could do to stop these armored monsters. They soon discovered that artillery was the best weapon against tanks. However, tanks were very hard to hit with indirect fire. Artillery placed at the front lines could be easily knocked out during enemy tanks. Artillery guns require a large crew and were expensive to replace. What Germany needed was an inexpensive weapon that could be fired by one or two men and was able to penetrate a tank's armor. The answer was the "T"-Gewehr, or Tank Rifle. It looked like a giant hunting rifle and fired a single 13mm steel projectile, which could go through 21mm or armor at 200 meters. They were very effective against the French light tanks. They were less effective against the large British tanks, but could still cause casualties and the loss of a vehicle. The Germans built over 16,000 of these weapons. Anti-Tank Artillery: The only sure way to stop a tank was with artillery guns. The German Army's solution was their Model 1896 77mm gun, which was the perfect weapon. Unlike older cannons, the 77mm gun was small and easy to move. These guns, kept close to the front, were brought forward when tanks appeared or they were hidden in special trenches. The crews stayed in protective bunkers until they were needed. A new high explosive round was even created with a hardened steel nose, which could go through the armor and let the shell explode inside the tank. A number of American and British tanks were lost to direct German artillery fire.
37. PATTO1_081008_231.JPG: Training at Wool: The first American heavy tank unit was created at Camp Meade, Maryland in early February 1918. On March 5, 1918 the unit was detached from the Engineer Corps and renamed the 1st and 2nd Separate Battalions, Tank Service. The men who joined the regiment took their basic training at Camp Meade. The 1st Battalion went to England in march to a training camp near Wool, England. The British Army trained them to operate heavy tanks. American soldiers enjoyed learning how to drive "the armored behemoths." The tank needed two gear men and a driver to make it move. "... the thrill of pulling a monster out of a deep trench, nose pointing to the sky with the engine's deafening roar, the acrid, never-to-be-forgotten smell of exploding gas, scorching oil and grease, and hot steel..." But living in England was hard. Soldiers found the British physical training harsh and the rations awful. They were often hungry. Soldiers often bought extra food to fill their stomachs. The battalion was renamed the 301st Tank Battalion in June 1918. When their training was complete, the battalion was shipped to France in late August. On August 30th, they were issued used Mark V and V* tanks. The men spent a week servicing and repairing the vehicles. On September 21, trains took the men and their tanks to the front. They were about to experience their first taste of combat against the Germans at the Hindenburg Line.
38. PATTO1_081008_233.JPG: The Hindenburg Line: The Germans had been preparing for an Allied attack on the Hindenburg Line for a long time. The Line was based upon the St. Quentin Canal. The Canal was an underground tunnel system that provided the Germans with a large bomb-proof staging area to wait out enemy artillery. The main German defensive lines were three lines of trenches in front of the Canal. The trenches were connected to the Canal by additional tunnels. The tunnels let the Germans move around without being seen. The trenches were protected by barbed wire obstacles. Many were 100 yards deep. Strong points, including concrete machine-gun bunkers, were built into the line. The 27th Infantry Division and 301st US Heavy Tank Battalion were given the task of breaking through the Hindenburg Line. The 301st US Heavy Tank battalion had not been in combat. The 27th Infantry Division had not worked with tanks. They only had a few days to train together before the assault on the Hindenburg Line. Major Sasse, Commanding Officer of the tank battalion, came up with a simple attack plan. The tanks would lead the attack and clear the obstacles. they would destroy the machine-gun and artillery positions. They infantry would follow 100 yards behind the tanks and clear the trenches. Despite the simple plan, Major Sasse had concerns, noting that the command of the 27th Division "did not seem to grasp the concept of tanks cooperating with infantry." Unfortunately, his concerns proved to be right.
39. PATTO1_081008_238.JPG: September 29, 1918: Confusion on the Battlefield: May things went wrong for the 301st Tank Battalion during its first battle. The attack start line turned out to be right on top of an enemy strong-point. The day before, the 27th division had lost nearly an entire infantry regiment trying to capture the start line for the attack. The decision was made to start the attack without an artillery barrage because of the wounded American soldiers still on the field. When the attack started, the wind changed direction. The protective artillery smoke screen was blown back onto the American lines. The tanks and infantry were blinded. The infantry could not keep up with the tanks. The inexperienced soldiers fought their way forward, but they failed to clear out the pockets of German resistance they bypassed. Many of the Germans escaped into the St. Quintin Canal tunnel. They came back out onto the battlefield after the Americans passed by. Because they had no experience in working with tanks, the soldiers of the 27th Division did not known how to take advantage of the tank's strengths. The German artillery was more accurate than expected. Sixteen tanks were hit by artillery fire and the rest either broke down or got stuck in holes or trenches. Nearly all of the 40 tanks that were in the assault were damaged. The only tank to survive unharmed was the wireless (or radio) tank. The 301st Tank Battalion lost 112 men, killed, wounded or missing, which was over 50% of their soldiers. The damage of so many tanks meant that the men of the 301st Tank Battalion had to work long hours to repair their vehicles for the next battle. LTG Sir John Monash, the Australian Corps Commander pulled the badly hurt US division out of the line. The 301st went back into combat a few days later.
40. PATTO1_081008_245.JPG: September 29, 1918 This diorama shows the 301st Heavy Tank Battalion crushing the barbed wire defenses of the Hindenburg Line. As the tank slowly advances, German soldiers with their machine-gun are attempting to disable the tank. Their ammo bearer has been killed before he could reach the safety of the shell hole. The German soldiers are targeting the tank's vision slits, hoping to injure or kill the tank crew. The tank gunners are using their British Portative six pound cannons are firing at the distant concrete bunkers of the Hindenburg Line.
41. PATTO1_081008_268.JPG: Another Way To Get Across a Trench: Tanks weren't the only way to get across a trench in World War I. Many different ways were attempted, some successfully and others not. Gas had proven ineffective. The rolling or creeping artillery barrage proved successful in crossing trenches. A rolling or creeping barrage was an artillery bombardment that moved forward slowly, keeping pace with the infantry. The infantry would walk 50 yards behind the bombardment. Infiltration tactics were another way to successfully cross a trench. Used by the French, Russian, and German armies the attack concentrated on the destination of enemy forces rather than capturing a piece of ground. Using speed and surprise, a mixed team with many different weapons would bypass enemy strongholds. Instead, they would attack isolated rear areas. Their targets were communication and command posts, as well as artillery positions. The success of these mixed teams, the German "Strosstruppen," led to the creation of "Storm" units and battalions. After World War I, Germany rebuilt its Army. They combined "Strosstruppen" tactics with the speed and the maneuverability of tanks. By the end of the 1930s, Germany was ready to unleash this new form of tank warfare on the world.
42. PATTO1_081008_269.JPG: The End: By 1917, all of the countries involved in the war were exhausted. The first of the major players to drop out was Russia. A revolution in March of 1917 had removed the Russian Czar from his throne. A democratic government took over but continued fighting. In November, a second revolution placed a communist government in control. The Communists, lead [sic] by Lenin, agreed to an armistice in December of 1917 and signed a peace treaty in March of 1918. In the fall of 1918, it became obvious that the end of the war was near. The arrival of large numbers of American soldiers in 1918 gave hope and support to the depleted Allied armies. Germany and its allies had no such support. They began to sign treaties to end the war. Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria-Hungary all asked for armistice before Germany. In Germany, revolutions took place at home and on the front lines. The Allied advances of September and October threatened to completely destroy the German army. On November 8th, the Germans requested talks to discuss an armistice. The formal armistice was signed in the early morning hours of November 11th. The guns fell silent at 11am that same day.
43. PATTO1_081008_273.JPG: Peace: Another word for armistice is truce. Although the fighting had stopped, it was only temporary. A formal peace agreement had to be signed. A peace conference was held in Paris in January of 1919. The Allies decided how the new map of Europe would look. Germany was held responsible for starting the war. Germany and its allies did not get to discuss the treaty. They felt the treaty was unfair and they were not the only ones to blame for the war. Germany was forced to sign the treaty or the Allies threatened to invade. The results of this conference changed the maps of Europe and set the stage for the next year.
44. PATTO1_081008_286.JPG: Major General Daniel Van Voorhis (1878-1956) Often considered the "Grandfather" of American Armor, MG Van Voorhis began his association with armor as commander of the experimental Mechanized Force at Fort Meade MD from 1930 to 1931. He was then ordered to Fort Knox as commander of the Detachment for Mechanized Cavalry, which became the 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized). In 1936, he assumed command of Fort Knox and in 1938, he was elevated to command the V Corps Area, which included Fort Knox. In 1940, he was given command of the Panama Canal Area -- which later became the Caribbean Defense Command and retired from active service in 1942.
45. PATTO1_081008_303.JPG: General Jean-Baptiste Estienne (1860-1936) Father of French Tanks Jean Estienne was the first of his countrymen to propose the construction of an armored assault gun mounted on a Holt tractor chassis that would enable direct fire power to be directed against the enemy. Although the British were the first to use tanks in combat, the French actually preceded them in development. Initial French experiments were merely attempts to overcome barbed wire, but development diverged in several directions. Estienne, working with Eugene Brille, a Schneider engineer, developed what would become the Schneider tank. In June 1916, the French learned of British tank development and followed the use of British tanks in the Somme. Estienne decided to re-evaluate the proposed use of tanks. In the autumn of 1916, Estienne had an idea that was to have a profound influence upon tank philosophy and design in the future. It was recorded that Estienne saw the need for battlefield waves of skirmishers, in open order; each skirmisher to be clad in armor, possessing a rapid fire weapon which could be used in all directions with uninterrupted vision. Estienne's suggestion led to the development of the Char Schneider and Renault FT-17 tanks. His concept took the cavalryman off his horse and placed him into a vehicle.
46. PATTO1_081008_306.JPG: Ernest Swinton (1868-1951) Inventor of the Tank Ernest Swinton, seeing the American Holt caterpillar tractor being used as heavy artillery tractors, developed the concept of a "Land Battleship". The British War Minister rejected the concept. Winston Churchill, the only minister who voted for the concept, decided to develop it under Admiralty sponsorship. It is because of this beginning that tanks today have so many nautical terms applied to them. Swinton is also credited with the name "tank", which was used as a cover for the parts being assembled secretly in different shops. Swinton's Notes on the Employment of the Tank provided the basis for British armor development and use. Swinton became heavily involved in the production of tanks. Against his objections, the British used the new Tank Corps to bolster a failing offensive on the Somme -- using them in driblets to little effect.
47. PATTO1_081008_309.JPG: John Fredrick Charles Fuller (1878-1966) Founder of Modern Armored Warfare JFC Fuller is considered to be the founder of modern armored warfare, and a supreme military theoretician. During World War I, he planned the surprise attack at he battle of Cambrai on November 20, 1917, initiating the first massed tank assault in the history of warfare. Cambrai was a success because Fuller insisted that the tanks be massed for attack. After World War I, it was discovered that Swinton had conceived of the use of tanks in much the same way as Fuller had employed them -- but Swinton's concept had been lost in the rush to employ tanks. Fuller's contribution was to define the tactics and to have them obeyed by Corps and Divisional commanders. After Cambrai, Fuller launched a crusade for the mechanization and modernization of the British Army. Through the interwar period, Fuller wrote voluminously and his doctrine on employment of tanks adopted by German pioneers or armored warfare and became the basis for the "Blitzkrieg" warfare, through which the German Armies mastered the continents in 1939-1941.
48. PATTO1_081008_312.JPG: General George S. Patton, Jr. (1885-1945) As on of the first officers assigned to the fledgling US Tank Corps, Patton saw the potential for cavalry tactics as a basis for tank warfare. Ordered to organize the AEF Light Tank School, Patton attended the French Light Tank Training School and had the opportunity to observe the British use of tanks at Cambrai. Borrowing from the British and the French, Patton developed the concept of using heavy tanks for the breakthrough and the light tanks to assist the infantry in breaking through the enemy's forward positions. Once this was completed, the light tanks could "assume the role of pursuit cavalry." He pioneered the concept of using light tanks in depth and maintain a reserve. Patton's 58-page report to BG Rockenbach on 12 December 1917 provided not only the basis for the Tank Corps, but also became the foundation upon which US armor developed. As recently as Desert Storm, one of Patton's concepts proved valuable. Patton preferred the light tank for the advantage that it could be moved by truck -- and was not dependent on rail. A key element of Desert Storm planning was for a last-minute shift of an entire Corps several hundred miles to the west. The heavy equipment transporters ran day and night delivering Abrams tanks to the new line of departure.
49. PATTO1_081008_315.JPG: Basil Henry Liddell-Hart (1895-1970) Basil Liddell-Hart, as a military writer, was considered to be one of the most creative and influential strategists of the 20th century. During World War I, he served in the infantry and was twice wounded. While redrafting Britain's official infantry training manual in 1920, he evolved the "expanding torrent" method of attack, based on wartime infiltration tactics. He pressed for Tank Corps autonomy as well as advocating surprise and mobility, mechanization, armored warfare, and air power. Liddell-Hart's ideas were quickly adopted by the Germans, especially by General Heinz Guderian in evolving the "Blitzkrieg." However, it was only after much opposition that it was adopted by the British. He is reported to have had influence in determining British strategy at the outbreak of war against Germany in 1939.
50. PATTO1_081008_318.JPG: General-Lietnant Heinz Guderian (1888-1954) Although Heinz Guderian witnessed the tank actions in World War I, he had no role in the development of armor. In 1923, he was assigned to the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Transport Battalion. Appalled by the German casualties during the war, Guderian began to look at armor protection as a way to reduce future casualties. By studying JFC Fuller, Guderian became the German expert in "Combined Arms" and he did much to build up German armor strength between the wars. He was also responsible for the development of the "Blitzkrieg" tactics used by the army. Guderian was the first of the "Combined Arms" advocates to put the theory to the test -- first in Poland and then in the lowlands and France. These successes were the impetus for the creation of Chaffee's armored force in July of 1940.
51. PATTO1_081008_322.JPG: Major General Adna Romanzo Chaffee Jr. (1884-1941) Father of American Armor Adna Chaffee's early career was a series of cavalry assignments and his reputation grew until he was recognized as "America's finest horseman." In the First Wold War, he served in a series of staff assignments with the AEF, but had no real contact with tanks. However, he did become convinced that the days of the horse were numbered. In 1927, Secretary of War Dwight Davis directed that the US Army experiment with mechanization -- and Adna Chaffee was given the task of planning the experiment. Chaffee's plan incorporated much of JFC Fuller's planning and added the concept of "Combined Arms" -- infantry and artillery mechanized alongside the tanks and moving together utilizing the Patton plan of World War I. From that point on, Chaffee was the foremost proponent of an armored force and was almost continually involved in its evolution. His final and greatest success came on 10 July 1940, with the creation of the Armored Force with himself as the first Chief of Armor. Chaffee died in the summer of 1941 before getting a chance to see his dream in action.
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Wikipedia Description: General George Patton Museum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The General George Patton Museum (formerly the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor) is a museum in Fort Knox, Kentucky dedicated to General George S. Patton, Jr's life and the history of armoured warfare, from World War I through the present day. The museum is administered by the U.S. Army Armor Center, Fort Knox, and is one of the largest in the U.S. Army Museum System.

The original museum was dedicated on May 30, 1949. The present building was constructed between 1972 and 1992 without cost to the U.S. Government by the Patton Museum Foundation, Inc. with funds donated by thousands of individuals and organizations from around the world.

There are static displays of various tanks, other armour and a few helicopters. The museum also includes a number of Patton's personal effects, dating from the World War II, including his office van and touring car.

Other historically significant vehicles and equipment are located in Keyes Park, adjacent to the Museum. In Keyes Park, you can see the history of Armor up close.

Vehicles in Keyes Park:

* World War I: the French Renault FT17, the U.S. version of the FT-17, and the British Mark V.
* World War II: the U.S. M4 Sherman tank, the Soviet Union T-34, and the German Tiger II.
* Vietnam: The M48 Patton tank and M551 Sheridan tanks.
* Desert Storm: is represented with the U.S. M1 Abrams tank and the Soviet built T-72 tank.

On December 12, 2005, museum officials announced that the museum will remain at Fort Knox, despite the fact that the Army's Armor Center is moving to Fort Benning, Georgia as part of a major realignment of military bases. The Army will build a new museum at Ft. Benning to be named "The National Armor and Cavalry Museum".
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- 2008_KY_PattonP: KY -- Fort Knox -- Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (Patton room) (43 photos from 2008)
- 2008_KY_PattonO: KY -- Fort Knox -- Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (outside yard) (44 photos from 2008)
- 2008_KY_Patton: KY -- Fort Knox -- Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor (main) (164 photos from 2008)
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2008 photos: Trips this year: (1) Civil War Preservation Trust annual conference in Springfield, Missouri , (2) a week in New York, (3) a week in San Diego for the Comic-Con, (4) a driving trip to St. Louis, and (5) a visit to dad and Dixie's in Asheville, North Carolina. Ego strokes: A picture I'd taken last year during a Friends of the Homeless event was published in USA Today with a photo credit and everything! I became a volunteer photographer with the AFI/Silver theater. Equipment this year: I was using three cameras -- the Fuji S9000 and the Canon Rebel Xti from last year, and a new camera, the Fuji S100fs. The first two cameras had their pluses and minuses and I really didn't have a single camera that I thought I could use for just about everything. But I loved the S100fs and used it almost exclusively this year. Number of photos taken this year: 330,000.
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Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].