45th Infantry Division Museum

General George S. Patton once said, "Wars may be fought with weapons but they are won by men". That is exactly what the men and women of the 45th Infantry Division (now the 45th Infantry Brigade) did in WWII and the Korean War.  But to understand the history of the 45th, we should start out with how they first started as a division. From the Indian Territory, to Anzio and Dachau, to the mountains of Afghanistan, the 45th Infantry Museum will take you through the journey of how they came to be, how they brought down the 3rd Reich, and into modern history.  Now when people think INFANTRY division, they think of a mass amount of troops dedicated to just infantry. But a division is the second largest size in terms of military organization. Each division consists of several regiments which break down further into battalions, companies, and then finally, platoons. The 45th Infantry division consisted of several battalions that were not dedicated to infantry. Some were dedicated to artillery, support, logistics, medical, etc. However,  each of these battalions form the support structure to keep the division running smoothly. Now that we have that out of the way, lets get into the history. As you enter the museum, you will first start off with the beginnings of the 45th before it was known as the 45th, all the way back into Indian Territory. Note that all items in the museum are authentic with the exception of a handful of items. From there, you will journey into the American Civil war, the Spanish American War, and then into WWI where the art of warfare became exceptionally brutal with the introduction of new weapons such as Mustard Gas. Before moving into WWII take a moment to learn about the history of the original 45th Infantry Division Emblem, the Swastika.

A lot of people might come to think of the Swastika as symbol of evil that Hitler had created for the Nazi Party. However, the Swastika was an ancient Hindu emblem meaning good luck. It wasnt until Hitler took the symbol and tilted it so that it became the evil symbol we know today. After learning this interesting fact, take a journey into the artwork of 45th Infantry Division veteran Bill Maulden. Many of his comics were funny and in some cases, close to reality. Bill Maulden was also friends with famous actor and Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy. Even Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Schulz paid a tribute to Bill Maulden in one of his comics, which is seen in the exhibit as well. From the cartoon strips, back to the war we go. Enter the WWII section where some fascinating Nazi memorabilia is located.  Here you will find the funeral robes of Erwin Rommel, a.k.a The Desert Fox, and a mirror from one of Hitlers lavish retreats.

From this area, see the Reaves Military Collection which include guns and ammo of every era from the Revolutionary War to today. You will see some familiar weapons that you might have seen at reenactments or on movies, and then some you might have never seen, let alone heard of. One of the rarest items is the very first Sniper rifle. It was used very briefly in The American Civil War.

A small little detour from the Reaves Collection into a area that reveals a set up of what a base camp would look like in the field, complete with medical truck and field mess hall. Close to the set up tents are various forms of artillery and vehicles, including one that was made famous in WWII and still widely used in the civilian world today...the Jeep.

Going back into the Reaves collection and past the sniper rifle, you will see guns used in the wild west, WWI, WWII, and Modern Day. In the last area of the museum, you will see the room of the 45th Infantry Medal of Honor recipients and you will travel back to WWII one last time when the 45th liberated the dreaded Dachau Concentration camp. WARNING!!! If you have a weak stomach, this part of the exhibit is probably not for you. This part of the museum shows actual pictures of Dachau when it was liberated. It shows some rather gruesome scenes and is NOT for the faint of heart.

Outside of the museum you will find many static displays of vehicles that once called the 45th home. These displays can range from the tank repair vehicle, to several ranges of artillery guns, to the mighty M-60 Battle Tank.

Before you leave, be sure to stop by the gift shop for some 45th patches, some build it yourself models, shirts, cups, and even some books. If you're a student, or an officer going through military training, stop by the library for some really good research material. Note however that unless the curator is there, you will be unable to access the library since some people have taken books from there and have yet to return them.

Entertainment: 3
Educational: 5
Price: 5
Cafe: N/A
Gift shop: 4
Overall: 4

Additional Information

Address
2145 NE 36th St. OKC OK, 73111

Hours of Operation
Closed on Mondays
Tues - Fri.: 9 AM - 4:15 PM
Sat:  10 AM - 4:15 PM
Sun: 1 PM - 4:15 PM

Price
Free (donations welcome)

For additional Information: http://45thdivisionmuseum.com/