In our travels, we’ve seen a lot of Veterans of Foreign Wars posts that had an Army tank or an artillery piece out front, but in the little town of Marcellus, Michigan, VFW Post 4054 has a tank, and a whole lot more!

Located on State Route 40, a couple of miles south of town, the VFW post has an awesome collection of military equipment outside of  their building, and a museum of military weapons, uniforms, and artifacts inside, to honor our nation’s veterans.

The formidable M-60 tank was used by the military from about 1960 to the early 1990s. During the Cold War, Vietnam, and even in the early days of our involvement in Iraq, this was the Army’s main battle tank. Weighing 52 tons, and powered by a 750 horsepower engine, the M-60 was armed with a 105mm cannon and a .50 machine gun. You definitely didn’t want to face off with this big guy!

Next to the tank, mounted on a tall column, is an UH-1 Iroquois  helicopter, better known as a Huey. This was a workhorse during the Vietnam war, used to ferry troops into landing zones, as a med-evac aircraft to get the wounded out, and as a gunship to provide fire support to troops on the ground. A lifetime ago, I spent a lot of time riding in these fine machines.

Burglars beware, somebody may be watching you!

In the rear of the building, flags honor the different branches of the military, as well as our POWs and MIAs.

There is also an M-56 Scorpion self-propelled 90mm anti-tank gun, which was first introduced in the 1950s, and saw a lot of action with airborne and infantry units in Vietnam. Soldiers always slept a little better at night if there were a couple of these weapons on hand.

A sidewalk leads from the VFW post’s parking lot to a shrine in the rear that honors our fallen troops, and includes monuments to the Marine Corps and Navy.

About halfway down the sidewalk, a sign warns you that you have entered an ambush site, for unwary visitors who did not notice three hidden gun positions.

If you’re a military history fan, and/or appreciate the men and women who serve our nation, the next time you’re in the area, stop and check out the displays at the Marcellus VFW post. If any of the post members or maintenance crew is around, they’ll be happy to take you inside and show you the displays in the museum as well.

Thought For The Day – If you love your freedom, thank a vet!

Click Here To Register For Our Eastern Gypsy Gathering Rally!

Yesterday our friends Tim and Ann Moran played tour guide, showing us around Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach, Florida. Usually when we are visiting a new area, Terry or I are driving, so it was a real treat to just sit back and watch the scenery and not have to worry about traffic.

We saw some beautiful homes along the Indian River that must easily cost a king’s ransom, and while they were certainly impressive, I didn’t see one that I’d trade our Winnebago motorhome for. I did see several whose garages probably had more square footage than our diesel pusher has.

We then drove through Port Canaveral, where two huge Carnival cruise ships were docked. Terry and I love traveling in our RV, but one of these days we would like to take a cruise, just for the experience. The old section of Cocoa Beach is much different from most of the glitzy tourist traps we’ve seen elsewhere in Florida. It reminded me of a time when people came to Florida to experience the ocean and palm trees, not giant mice and plastic attractions. 

 Longtime Gypsy Journal subscriber David Spain has invited us to stop and visit his Comfort Inn in Cocoa Beach several times, so since we were in town, we stopped to introduce ourselves and say hello. David is an RVer stuck in the working world, and said that he gets to live vicariously through our writing. It was nice to get to know him, and if we ever find ourselves in this part of Florida and in need of a place to stay away from our motorhome, it would be David’s hotel.

Tim retired from the Navy, and one benefit of his service that he and Ann enjoyed was staying at Fam Camps, which are RV parks on military bases nationwide. They drove us to Patrick Air Force Base, just south of Cocoa Beach, to show us the Fam Camp there, and we were impressed!

Located on the Banana River, the Fam Camp has 137 RV sites, many of which back up to the water’s edge, and a huge overflow area for dry camping. The Army was just as happy to see me go after one enlistment as I was to say goodbye, but many times I have wished I stayed in and made it a career. I told Miss Terry that after seeing the Patrick Fam Camp, I might just reenlist and do another sixteen years! She seemed to think that the Army probably wants me even less now than it did back in the day..

We saw several impressive Blackhawk helicopters parked on the flight apron at Patrick, and they sure are different from the old Huey’s I knew during my time in the Army. I’d love to fly in one of those babies!

Across from the main gate at Patrick is a beautiful beach that the locals call Surf Beach. Though it is on Air Force property, the beach is open to the public and we stopped to check it out.

There were quite a few surfers out in the water waiting to catch a wave, and I managed to get a couple of pictures of them in action. It looks like a lot of fun, but I know it’s not for me. I have enough trouble standing upright on solid ground!

Thought For The Day – Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.

Register Now For Our Arizona Gypsy Gathering Rally