From Flying Tigers to Delta Airlines: Our Day of Adventure at the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum!
Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey
Recently, Terri and I decided to take the day off and travel up Monroe for a day of antiquing and sightseeing. After we had taken in all the wonderful shops in West Monroe, we decided to travel across the river and check out the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum. A local friend of ours highly recommended it, so we thought that we couldn't pass it up.
The museum is housed in the last remaining classrooms of the Selman Field Navigation School, the largest navigation school in the U.S. during WWII. The Museum honors the story of General Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers during WWII and how one man helped change the war in China. The bilingual “Way of a Fighter” exhibit is based on General Chennault’s book, written in 1949. The museum also tells the story of how a small crop-dusting business evolved into the second-largest airline in the world, Delta Airlines.
Opening its doors in 2000 with 3000 square feet, its expanded galleries have grown to 10,000 square feet, providing over 11,000 artifacts and several veteran outreach programs. The aircraft restoration park will soon offer visitors a modern-day outdoor facility with paved walkways, covered pavilions, and restored military aircraft. - Source
One of the things that Terri and I really found cool was the fact that placed all around the museum are boxes with military uniforms, helmets, hats ant other items for kids to put on and play with. One of the staff told us that kids just love to put on the stuff and have their picture taken. I think it's great that the museum goes out of its way to make it fun for younger visitors.
About Major General Claire Lee Chennault
Chennault went to China shortly after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War to train pursuit units of the Chinese Air Force. In the summer of 1941, he was made a brigadier general in the Chinese Air Force and put in charge of recruiting pursuit pilots for the American Volunteer Group, who became famed as the Flying Tigers.
Chennault was recalled to active duty by the Army Air Forces on April 15, 1942, as a colonel and was promoted to brigadier general a week later. In July, he became commanding general of the U.S. Air Force in China and in March 1943 was promoted to major general and named to command the 14th Air Force in China. He spent the rest of World War II in this key combat role. He came home in July 1945 for a brief assignment to Headquarters Army Air Force, and he retired from the service on Oct. 31, 1945. - From the US Air Force
Website:chennaultmuseum.org
Phone:(318) 362-5540
When all was said and done, we were very happy that we did.
Housed in the last remaining structure of the once vast Selman Field Navigation School that trained many an airman to fight in the Second World War is an enormous amount of military relics from every conflict from World War I to the recent wars in the Middle East. A large portion of the collection, as you would expect, is dedicated to memorabilia from the career of the museum's namesake, Major General Claire Lee Chennault, who led the famed 'Flying Tigers', who were a group of volunteer US pilots who flew missions in China to help repel a Japanese invasion.
About the museum:
The Chennault Aviation & Military Museum honors veterans and soldiers from WWI through the Iraq War. Through expansive collections of artifacts and compelling stories of the men and women who have served our country, the visitor receives a captivating insight into why we honor our history and our heroes.The museum is housed in the last remaining classrooms of the Selman Field Navigation School, the largest navigation school in the U.S. during WWII. The Museum honors the story of General Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers during WWII and how one man helped change the war in China. The bilingual “Way of a Fighter” exhibit is based on General Chennault’s book, written in 1949. The museum also tells the story of how a small crop-dusting business evolved into the second-largest airline in the world, Delta Airlines.
Opening its doors in 2000 with 3000 square feet, its expanded galleries have grown to 10,000 square feet, providing over 11,000 artifacts and several veteran outreach programs. The aircraft restoration park will soon offer visitors a modern-day outdoor facility with paved walkways, covered pavilions, and restored military aircraft. - Source
There is also an exhibit featuring items from the early days of Delta Airlines, which started off as a local crop dusting company here in Monroe.
I bet you didn't know that!
One of the things that Terri and I really found cool was the fact that placed all around the museum are boxes with military uniforms, helmets, hats ant other items for kids to put on and play with. One of the staff told us that kids just love to put on the stuff and have their picture taken. I think it's great that the museum goes out of its way to make it fun for younger visitors.
On that note, the staff is friendly and more than willing to share information on any object in the collection that you may want to know more about.
It's an impressive collection to say the least. There is so much history stored inside these walls that one afternoon, just simply enough time to see and learn about everything, so Terri and I will definitely be back.
Chennault was recalled to active duty by the Army Air Forces on April 15, 1942, as a colonel and was promoted to brigadier general a week later. In July, he became commanding general of the U.S. Air Force in China and in March 1943 was promoted to major general and named to command the 14th Air Force in China. He spent the rest of World War II in this key combat role. He came home in July 1945 for a brief assignment to Headquarters Army Air Force, and he retired from the service on Oct. 31, 1945. - From the US Air Force
Chennault Aviation and Military Museum
701 Kansas Ln
701 Kansas Ln
Monroe, LA 71203-4775
Phone:(318) 362-5540
Here is the really cool part: admission is FREE!
Here is what you will see at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum:
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