Camp Blanding Museum and Memorial Park, Florida, United States

4raj0302 5:00 PM Mar 13, 2015

Nice, small museum (primarily with WW II artifacts) and outdoor exhibits: vehicles, tanks, artillery, aircraft.
1. Background information. This is my second review of this attraction. I originally visited two years ago; I recently re-visited the museum and have since perfected my method of writing reviews. 2. Expectations. As a retired Marine Corps Infantry Officer and history buff, I have had the privilege of visiting quite a few museums of this type in the United States and abroad so I tend to be very critical and have high expectations. The indoor portion of the museum is relatively small and primarily contains exhibits (in very good/excellent condition) pertaining to World War II. The outdoor exhibits are exposed to the elements and not in pristine condition but are worth stopping for. 3. Operating Hours. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm daily; however, I would recommend confirming the hours prior to visiting: (904) 533-3196. 4. Length of visit. It takes approximately 1 1/2 hours to negotiate the indoor and outdoor portions of the museum. 5. Location/restrictions. The museum is located aboard Camp Blanding near the town of Starke, Florida. The museum is located aboard the installation but is outside of the security gate, so visitors do not need to go through any special procedures. 6. Directions. The museum is located at 5629 Florida Highway 16 Starke, Florida. 6a. From the intersection of US Highway 301 and Florida Highway16 in the town of Starke, drive 8 miles eastward to the main gate of Camp Blanding (on the right side of the road). 6b. From the intersection of Florida Highway 15 and Florida Highway 16 in the town of Green Cove Springs, drive 19 miles westward to the main gate of Camp Blanding (on the left side of the road). 7. Parking 7a. Access. There are approximately 35 parking spaces in the parking lot and it is accessible to any type of passenger vehicle. 7b. RV parking. I think it would be somewhat difficult for RVs or vehicles pulling a trailer to access/negotiate the parking lot. However, I think civilians may be able to park in the large lot immediately inside the security gate by showing an ID and proof of insurance. I would recommend looking at an aerial view of the museum on Bing or Google to determine accessibility or by calling the museum (904) 533-3196. 8. Admission. Free; but donations are accepted. 9. Staff. On the day that I visited, there were two employees and two volunteers present; they were very courteous and knowledgeable of all aspects of the museum. 10. Indoor exhibits. Most of the indoor exhibits pertain to World War II. There are a great deal of items such recruiting posters, propaganda posters, ration cards, etc. The other major indoor exhibits are listed below. 10a. Photos, documents and diagrams explaining/depicting the establishment and history of Camp Blanding as well it's namesake (Colonel Albert H. Blanding). 10b. Uniform, equipment and weapons - pre World War II U.S. male Soldier. 10c. Uniform, equipment and weapons - World War II U.S. male Solder (European Campaign). 10d. Uniform, equipment and weapons - World War II U.S. male Soldier (Pacific Campaign). 10e. Uniform - World War II female Soldier. 10f. Uniform, equipment and weapons - World War II Japanese Soldier. 10g. Uniform, equipment and weapons - World War II German Soldier. 10h. U.S. small arms-World War II; all are in very nice condition. - U.S. M3A1 .45 cal submachine gun (Grease Gun). - U.S. M1A1 .45 cal submachine gun (Thompson). - U.S. M1 .30 cal Carbine. - U.S. M1 .30 cal Garrand Rifle. - U.S. M1918A2 .30 cal Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). - British Mark III 9mm Sten Submachine Gun. - British No 1, Mark 4 .303 cal Lee-Enfield Rifle. - German Sturmgewehr 43 7.92 mm Assault Rifle. - German MP-40 9mm Submachine Gun. - other German, Italian and Japanese carbines and rifles. 10i. Diorama of Camp Blanding's German POW compound (approximately 4 ft x 4 ft). There is also a display case depicting the uniform of German POWs and photos of POW camp life. 10j. Multiple scale models of jeeps, tanks, armored personnel carriers and aircraft. 10k. "Complex" display depicting barracks life at Camp Blanding: Bunks, wood burning stove, weapons rack, foot lockers, playing cards, etc. 10l. "Complex" display depicting a World War II Aid station. 10m. "Complex" display with staff car (Jeep), driver, Aide de Camp and Major General Kennedy C. Bullard (Adjutant General of Florida National Guard). 10n. Displays depicting women in the Army and "Pin up" Girls of World War II. 11. Outdoor exhibits. 11a. Helicopters - OH-58 Kiowa Observation helicopter (1960s-1990s) - UH-1I Huey Utility helicopter (1960 - present) 11b. Fixed Wing Aircraft. - A-6 Intruder ground attack aircraft (1963-1997) - A-7 Corsair ground attack aircraft (1967-1991) 11c. Trucks/Utility vehicles. - M274 4-wheel drive Mechanical Mule (1960s-1980s). This is a very unique, interesting vehicle that was used as a smaller, cheaper version of a Jeep in some places. - M151 4-wheel drive "Jeep" (1960s-1980s) - M-29 Weasel tracked amphibious utility vehicle (WW II). This is another very unique vehicle that performed specialized functions on the battle field and was phased out of the mainstream inventory not long after WWII. - GMC 6-wheel drive amphibious truck "DUKW" (WW II). Yet another unique vehicle that was introduced during WWII and phased out shortly after the war. - Dodge 4-wheel drive 3/4 ton ambulance (WW II) - Chevy 4-wheel drive 1 1/2 ton Cargo Truck (WW II) 11d. Tanks and Armored Personnel Carriers - M3 Half-Track Personnel Carrier (WW II) - M113 tracked Armored Personnel Carrier (1960s-1980s) - M4A1 Sherman Tank (WW II) - M60 Patton Tank (1970s-1990) 11e. Artillery - M1897 75mm towed Anti-tank Gun (1937-1940) - M5 3-inch towed Anti-tank Gun (1942-2944) - M101 155mm towed Howitzer (1940s-1980s) - M110 8 inch self-propelled Howitzer (1962-1980). - Two German and Russian towed artillery pieces. 12. Handicap access. I am not handicapped but understand that this can affect someone's decision whether or not to visit a site/attraction. Visitors who are wheelchair-bound or have difficulty walking can easily access the museum. There is a ramp to access the indoor exhibits; there are paved and/or crushed gravel sidewalks leading to all of the outdoor exhibits. There are benches scattered throughout the outdoor portion of the museum. 13. Child friendliness. I do not have children, and on the day I visited, there were no children in the museum (Friday afternoon in March). While the museum is child-friendly, I would recommend that teachers and parents exercise control of their children and understand that this is a museum/not a playground and that the majority of the items on display are there at the expense of the lives of others. 14. Amenities/creature comforts. There are restrooms and water fountains in the museum. The nearest food is available in the town of Starke (8 miles to the west). 15. Gift shop. There is a small gift shop inside the museum; they carry a limited selection of items oriented towards adults and children: books, toys, t-shirts, ball caps. 16. Other similar attractions nearby 16a. I have not visited it, but the Armed Forces Military Museum is located in Largo, Florida (185 mi / 3 hrs to the south/southwest). 16b. I have not visited it, but the U.S. Navy SEAL and UDT Museum is located in Fort Pierce, Florida (235 mi / 3 hrs 45 min to the south/southeast). 16c. I have not visited it, but the Air Force Armaments Museum is located near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (315 mi / 5 hrs to the west); their website indicates that they have over 25 aircraft on display. 16d. The Naval Aviation Museum is located aboard the U.S. Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida (345 mi / 5 hr to the west). This is a very large museum with a large number of beautifully-restored aircraft (all indoors).

4RLWOrangePark 5:00 PM Jan 11, 2012

Tribute to Those Who Fought in World War II
This is a hidden secret located just south of Jacksonville. Its located at the entrrance to Camp Blaning National Guard Base and is free to the public. It provides a very good history of World War II and the military personnel who fought in it, especially the more than 50,000 soldiers that trained at Camp Blanding prior to going into battle. The museum includes uniforms, equipment, weapons and historical artifacts from WWII, Koea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. One exhibit provides a mock-up of the major German POW camp that was built at Camp Blanding during WWII, complete with photos and historical details of the time. Its Memorial Park includes aircraft, tanks, artilliary and other equipment on display in an outdoor setting. During my visit their was a WWII veteran that guided us through the exhibit and reflected on his experience fighting in the war. I highly recommend it for a few hour visit, especially if you or your children are interested in the historic aspects of military life and the war.