Military Officer - November 2006 - (Page 87)

pagesofhistory Monument to Marines A new museum in Quantico, Va. — with a soaring metal and glass design that evokes the Iwo Jima ﬂag raising — pays tribute to the 231-year history of the Marine Corps. I t’s hard to miss when you’re driving down Virginia’s Interstate 95 — a large, sail-like glass structure rising above the treetops. Beginning Nov. 10, visitors will be able to tour the new National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center located in Quantico, Va. The museum sits on a 135-acre site adjacent to the Marine Corps base in Quantico. The design of the 100,000-square-foot structure features a 210-foot tilted mast and large glass atrium. The atrium houses the Leatherneck Gallery, which contains suspended aircraft and other large artifacts, including tanks, landing vehicles, and artillery pieces. Era galleries showcase the 231-year history of the Marines, including pivotal battles from the landing on Iwo Jima in 1945 to the Khe Sanh siege in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Hightech, interactive exhibits will immerse visitors in the sights and sounds of Marines in action, allowing them to experience the intensity of boot camp or test their riﬂe skills with an M-16. The museum’s opening will be kicked off with a number of weekend events, including a dedication ceremony and tours of the museum. One group of veterans participating is the U.S. Seagoing Marine THIS MONTH IN HISTORY ■ On Nov. 18, 1863, President Lincoln traveled Association Inc., which will present a memorial monument to the center to commemorate the sea duty of U.S. Marines in the service of the capital ships of the ﬂeet from 1775 to 1998. The museum is expected to draw 200,000 to 600,000 visitors a year. M Diving Pioneer Dies aster Diver Carl M. Brashear, the Navy’s ﬁrst black master diver, was laid to rest this summer in Virginia Beach, Va. Nearly 800 family, friends, and servicemembers gathered to pay tribute to Brashear, who died July 25 at the age of 75. A sharecropper’s son from Kentucky with little formal schooling, Brashear joined the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17, shortly after the Navy had desegregated. In 1954 he was accepted into and graduated from the diving program. After a 1966 injury on board the salvage ship Hoist cost him his left leg, Brashear became the ﬁrst Navy diver to be restored to full active duty as an amputee. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1979. Brashear’s life was portrayed in the 2000 ﬁlm “Men of Honor,” starring Cuba Gooding Jr. During the funeral, Brashear was honored for breaking racial barriers and changing attitudes toward the disabled. MO NOVEMBER 2006 The National Museum of the Marine Corps will be dedicated Nov. 10, the 231st birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. to Gettysburg, Pa., to speak at the cemetery of soldiers killed during the battle there July 1-3, 1863. The address he delivered there has become one of the most famous in American history. PHOTO: ERIC LONG MILITARY OFFICER 87

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From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Financial Guidebook Got (the right) Insurance? A Penny Saved, a Degree Earned The “Y” MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Information Exchange Member Books MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Member Services Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2006

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