General Patton Memorial Museum, California

During our recent road trip to California, I chanced upon this unique Museum on the freeway. Sited in Chiriaco Summit, California this museum has been put in place in association with the bureau of land management. The General Patton Memorial Museum was established in 1988 to honor all Vietnam War veterans. This unique monument serves multiple purposes for the US government. First the monument sited in the middle of nowhere amidst vast waste lands of US serves as a national tourist attraction and attracts people to stop in this small town. Otherwise nobody would have bothered to stop and take a look at the arid countryside here.

The General Patton Museum

Second since the museum celebrated veterans, the monument holds a special place in the hearts of those with families and friends in the forces. And most of all through this token gesture the government has ensured that war heroes are recognised and honored. This instills a sense of national in the people who visit the place. And every year on the Veterans Day the museum has a big celebration. Entry is free for all veterans that day and all outside entertainment is free for everyone.

Another view of the exterior of the museum

The museum contains two vast indoor exhibit rooms with memorabilia. One dedicated to the US Civil War and the other to the Iraqi Freedom (of course I'd call it US Destruction of Iraq). The museum's media room also shows a 26 minute movie which talks about desert training, General Patton’s life and WWII. Then there is the tank yard outdoor exhibit which displays several tanks and heavy artillary equipment. Notable among the exhibits are a Sherman Tank and Stuart Tank from WWII. And of course in line with US' commerce orientation the museum has a gift shop which sells books on Patton, T-shirts, caps, hats, coins, toys, magnets, patches, pins and more... all made in China.

Patton Tanks on display

The Museum is open on all days between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm; entry costs $4 (12-61 yrs) $3.50 (62 yrs and up). Military personnel in uniform are allowed inside free.

Who is General Patton?
Major General George Smith Patton Jr. U.S. Army, found the inhospitable landscape of Mohave desert enchanting and in early March of 1942 he surveyed the area and decided to establish a training center for desert warfare here. The Army’s rationale was that American forces soon would be required to fight the German enemy in North Africa.

So, Patton, enamored with the area’s endless terrain and superb suitability for armored combat training, established the Desert Training Center in late March, 1942, making his headquarters at Camp Young, near Shavers Summit, (now known as Chiriaco Summit), which today is the locale of the Patton Museum.

The Camps trained nearly 1 million American servicemen and women and was the world's largest military installation in both size and population. But two years after commissioning, on April 30, 1944, camps were ordered to be abandoned. But the legacy of General George S. Patton remains, as manifested in the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum.