Bug's Guidebook to Texas.

[Bugman]

Today I visited historic Camp Mabry. Established in 1892 and named for Brigadier General Woodford H. Mabry, who served as Adjutant General of Texas 1891-1898, Mabry sits just west of the bustling Mopac Expressway. Mabry is home to the Texas Forces Military Museum, the reason for my visit. Camp Mabry is the third-oldest active military base in Texas, behind Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio and Fort Bliss in El Paso. Pictures coming up next. I have to apologize, some of them are not very good. Many of the inside exhibits are so close togeather it's difficult to find a good angle.

http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/mabry.htm

 

[Bugman]

From right to left.

Quad-mount Browning .50 caliber machine guns. In 1919 John Browning designed the M1919 machine gun for the military and variations of the weapon are still used today.

An M2 60mm Mortar. This weapon saw service in WW11, Korea and Vietnam.

A Type 98 20mm Machine Cannon. Introduced in 1938, the Type 98 was the most common light anti-aircraft gun used by the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII.

 

[Bugman]

First two pictures: An Sd.Kfz. 251C halftrack. The vehicle in my pictures belonged to the 10th Panzer Division. It was captured by American forces during fighting in Tunisia in 1943.

A Volkswagen Type 82 Kubelwagen, the German version of an American jeep.

An iconic Ford GPW Jeep. The workhorse of the American military for decades, the jeep has been called the most versatile military vehicle ever by some.

 

[Bugman]

This is an M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzer. The M1A1 first saw combat in the Philippines in 1941 and was also used in Burma, China and Italy.

An M135 Truck. Introduced in 1951, the M135 was still in service into the 1970s. A very versatile truck, it could be equipped to carry fuel, water, ammunition and other supplies. Some served as mobile machine shops. This one was a field kitchen.

An M1897 A4 75mm artillery piece. A variation of a French field gun used in WWI, the M1897 saw extensive action in WWII.

 

[milagros317]

Very interesting, Bugman. Thanks for the link and the photos. 😀

 

[Bugman]

Very interesting, Bugman. Thanks for the link and the photos. 😀

Thanks Mils, I'm glad you have enjoyed it. The rest of my pictures will be up tomorrow.

 

[General Zod]

Thanks for the link and Pix Bugman.

 

[Bugman]

Thanks for the link and Pix Bugman.

Camp Mabry has a large collection of armored vehicles. Check back tomorrow, I have some tank pictures I suspect you will like.

 

[General Zod]

Camp Mabry has a large collection of armored vehicles. Check back tomorrow, I have some tank pictures I suspect you will like.

10-4. 🙂

 

[Bugman]

An M4A3 Sherman Tank. The early Shermans were no match for German Panzers. Production contined through-out the war, with improvements made to the armor and cannon.

An M26 Pershing. The Army hoped to have large numbers of the M26 in the field by late 1944 but design problems delayed production and few were delivered to Europe.

An M48 Patton. The M48 was the main battle tank of American forces in Vietman, and was still in service into the 1990s.

An M60 Patton, with improvements made over the M48.

The last tank picture, an M1 Abrams. Introduced in 1983, some armies still have the M1 in service.

 

[Bugman]

An M29 Weasel. Conceived by British inventor Geoffrey Pike as a way to insert small bands of commandos behind German lines in the snows of Norway and built by Studebaker, the M29 soon proved to be ideal for transporting men and supplies in most types of terrain and environments.

An M113 A2. The M113 first saw service in Vietnam, in April 1962 and was the main armored personnel carrier in that war.

Arriving at the museum and walking in the front door I was greeted by an elderly gentleman at the visitors desk. One my way out I mentioned that I was glad to see the exhibits of Leyte and Luzon, as my father was part of those battles. He was also an Army veteran of the Pacific Theater and I asked him to tell me something of where he was December 7, and his service. He shared some memories with me, then fell silent. Then, with a distant look in his eyes he said, "If you weren't there, you can't understand what it was like". I shook his hand, thanked him for his service and walked out the door.

 

[milagros317]

Fine collection of tanks. Thanks for posting all the photos, Bugman. 😀

 

[General Zod]

Bugman
Thanks for the pix.

 

[Bugman]

Fine collection of tanks. Thanks for posting all the photos, Bugman. 😀

Bugman
Thanks for the pix.

Thanks Mils and Zod, my pleasure. I'll throw out a little teaser. I think you will both enjoy the next thread in the series, coming up in a few weeks.

 

[SamuelKhan]

I want a M-1 for Xmas to see what Genghis Khan would do with armor.