Awesome!

I went to Carlisle Barracks maybe half a year ago for research on my book at the Army War College Archives. They have a very cool museum there and outside a lot of equipment your daughter can climb on.

Definitely visit Antietam before you leave PA -it's not too far from Gettysburg

also Monocacy National Battlefield just south of Frederick MD has several good trails and 6 cannon at three locations of the battlefield. also a cute museum.

If you stay over night in Sharpsburg stay at "The Inn at Antietam". Wonderful B&B, the hosts are amazing.

JABQ04 said:

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If you stay over night in Sharpsburg stay at "The Inn at Antietam". Wonderful B&B, the hosts are amazing.

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will check it out thanks

Was down at the National Archives doing research this morning so this may be of interest:

The actual handwritten Circular Order put out by Major General William Emory of the 19th Corps, Army of the Middle District, discussing their victory with General Sheridan's at Third Winchester the day before.

Back from a weekend at Chickamauga!

I've seen those tours advertised, are they worth it?

mullokmotx said:

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This past spring I was on a Normandy tour with Stephen Ambrose Tours. It was interesting to see how important the high ground was around Caen. Visited Hill 314 at Mortain, Hill 262 where the Polish Armored Division helped close the Falaise Gap, and the road near Vimoutiers where Rommel's car was shot up by some Canadian Spitfires.

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does not exist unless photos are provided!

Son in law (Major, USAFR) is passing through Bastogne today,

Up in the Baltimore area visiting family this weekend. Toured Fort McHenry and Gettysburg. Wow. Gettysburg was mind blowing and sobering.

Kwajelein, Pearl Harbor.

just did a spring break in Gettysburg with the kids. I'm a huge history nut and this was like Christmas for me.



my youngest reenacted the dead soldier:


I was disappointed little round top was closed off. I was particularly interested to see where the 20th main fought on the far left flank.

Culps hill is an aspect that isn't covered much in a lot of what i read, but the tree from that battle that they saved was absolutely littered with shot and canister.

A random one I stumbled on was Mackinac Island. I was going for relaxed summer fun and found a small but interesting section of the War of 1812 where the Americans got beat pretty good.

It was initially captured by a combined Brit/Native American force in 1812 before the Americans manning the Fort even knew war was declared. Snail mail was really slow I guess.

It remained occupied and uncontested until Oliver Hazzard Perry recaptured control of the Great Lakes. Small side note on that . . .the British Commander Captain Barkley had already lost an arm in naval engagements and proceeded to lose a leg and his remaining arm in this battle.

Detroit was subsequently freed and American gunboats bombarded the island for days until attempting an beach invasion. They had a good flanking plan of distracting the British guns and rifle with a small contingent while larger forces crept in from the sides through woods. They encountered native American opposition hiding in wait, however, and pretty much everyone was routed at that point. All officers killed and the Americans retreated.

Shoot. You're about 2-4 months early for LRT to open. Go back again when it's open. I'm thinking of heading back again late this summer.

Heading to Middleburg, VA. in July.....7 days of battlefields on the agenda plus driving to and from. I don't think I will add to my list but certainly will revisit many that are.

Just came back from a tour that included Saipan, Tinian, Guam and Peleliu.

Pics or I won't believe you

JABQ04 said:

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I've seen those tours advertised, are they worth it?

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I do not know anyone who has been on an Ambrose tour, but I have been on three tours with a company called Valor Tours out of California, and will be going on more of them. Went to Tarawa twice, and France and Belgium once. Despite being in a pretty remote part of the South Pacific on the former, things went off without a single hitch.

The tour guides were excellent (the tour guide for Tarawa was the grandson of Sandy Bonnyman, one of the four Medal of Honor recipients, but think he is through doing the tour guide thing, and the tour guide for the Great War tour was Mike Hanlon, an expert on that war, but now retired. A guy by the name of Mike Grams will be taking over that tour.)

The accommodations in Europe were great (Tarawa is nothing to write home about, but about all you can expect there, is like being in another world and in another time). Tour buses were very nice. Some meals provided, others are on your own. Nice to sit on the bus and see the countryside.

A large part of any history tour is the tour guide and also others on the tour with you. For Tarawa, the group was about 10 people each time. For the Great War tour there were 38 of us.

Valor Tours is run by a girl named Vicky Reynolds-Middagh and she is sweet as can be. Her father started the company, he flew Lancasters during WWII. They are doing a memorial tour for him in 2025. They offer 10 to 15 tours per year.

To me, the tours are worth the cost. Sorry I have no information on Ambrose tours though.

If I knew how to post a photo I would. They are on my iphone.