1.) Pensacola, Fla.
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Offers:
-Guided tours revealing long history dating back to a 16th century Spanish colony
-Opened in 1826 as naval station and later became naval air station
-Historic sites such as the Aviation Memorial Chapel, 1837 Old Entrance Gate and 1917 Chevalier Field, originally used for balloons and early aircrafts
2.) Fort Sill, Ok.
Offers:
-Tours of site stop by burial place of Chief Geronimo
-Fort Sill National Historic Landmark Museum
-Historic facilities open to public including the Museum Interpretive Center, the 1911 School of Fire for Field Artillery and the Chapel
-The Warrior’s Journey Exhibit Gallery showcases 30 exhibits revealing the Native American warrior tradition through history
-Rare Native American artifacts
3.) Fort Knox, Ky.
Offers:
-Maintains the U.S. Gold Bullion Depository, although visitors are not allowed inside
-The 1949 Patton Museum of Calvary and Armor
-Historic artifacts and information relating to mechanized calvary and armor
-Exhibits on General George S. Patton Jr.’s military career
-Artifacts from Patton, including his trademark ivory gripped Colt pistol and Cadillac staff car in which he was fatally injured
4.) Alameda, Calif.
Alameda Point (former U.S. Naval Air Station)
Offers:
-U.S.S. Hornet docked on San Francisco Bay and open for tours
-World War II carrier now part of the U.S.S. Hornet Museum
-Exhibits from NASA Apollo moon explorations and retired aircrafts
5.) White Sands, N.M.
White Sands Missile Range
Offers:
-Next to White Sands National Monument
-Largest military installation in the U.S.
-Oscura Range, Otera Mesa Bombing Range and 600,000-acre Fort Bliss Range Complex
-White Sands Missile Range Museum traces origins of America’s missile and space activity
-Exhibits on atomic age, prehistoric cultures and New Mexico
-Missile Park displays missiles and rockets tested at the site
www.wsmr-history.org
6.) Vancouver, Wash.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Offers:
-Fewer restrictions since no longer an active military town since 1946
-See historic army base up close
-Oldest army post on the West Coast and in the Northwest
-Historic structures and museum exhibits on the former major military installation that served in the Indian Wars, Spanish-American Wars, World War I and II
-Cultural demonstrations and Historic Weapons Program
www.nps.gov/fova
7.) Clarksville, Tenn.
Fort Campbell
Offers:
-Tours for groups around fort to historic sites
-Donald F. Pratt Museum archives every Army unit assigned to the fort and other exhibits about the fort’s history
-Can organize a Blackhawk Helicopter Simulator
-Engagement Skills Trainer features a 10-land computer-based weapons firing range
-Sabalauski Air Assault School allows demonstrations of school’s obstacle course
8.) Charleston, S.C.
The Citadel
Offers:
-Historic tours of 1842 military college
-Citadel Museum chronicles history and heritage of military college
-Stark off-white fortress buildings
-Photographic exhibits of early college life
-Artifacts such as a cannonball fired at Fort Sumter, muskets from early cadets and recreated college living quarters
www.citadel.edu
9.) San Antonio, Texas
Fort Sam Houston
Offers:
-Tours of 1876 fort with focus on its reputation as birthplace of military aviation and site of first flight of military aircraft in 1910
-The Quadrangle is the oldest building on the base
-Apache Chief Geronimo was imprisoned in the Quadrangle in 1886
-Peacocks, deer and rabbits roam free around area
10.) Dayton, Ohio
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Offers:
-Tours of largest base in Air Force
-Air Force Research Laboratory
-Air Force Museum receives 1.2 million visitors a year
-Museum displays historic aircrafts with information on the people who built and flew them
-Museum is also the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world
-10 acres of indoor exhibits, 400 aircraft and missiles, and thousands of artifacts
For more on military towns:
Military towns inspire patriotism
WEB EXCLUSIVE! 10 more military towns
