FORT Lee, Va. (July 16, 2015) -- Over a year in the making, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum opened a permanent exhibit July 8 chronicling military dress from 19th century attire to more functional uniforms of the 21st century.
Titled "Parade to Battle -- The Evolution of Army Uniforms," the new gallery includes 26 styles of uniforms such as rare quartermaster sample pieces, a jacket worn by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and a General Officer Dress Coat from 1832.
"It's a great day to be a Quartermaster and a great day to be in the Army," said Brig. Gen. Ronald Kirklin, Quartermaster General, in welcoming roughly 60 senior leaders and dignitaries. These included Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lyons, Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee commanding general. "Paul (Morando) and his team of professionals did amazing work behind the scenes that has not gone unnoticed. I want to thank the team for creating this new gallery highlighting key historic uniforms."
Kirklin noted, "Putting together an exhibit of this type takes a lot of time and careful research. From 1775 until now, the Quartermaster Corps has played a major role in designing, producing and supplying Army uniforms to Soldiers. This exhibit could not have come at a better time. The Army unveiled its newest uniform this month. We will learn from the exhibit how the Army camouflage uniform has evolved over time."
"It took a lot of hard work in building this new exhibit," said Paul Morando, director of the museum. "We also had to have an amazing amount of patience. Exhibiting clothing in a museum setting is one of the most challenging tasks. They require special lighting, handling and cases."
He praised his staff for their work in facing a number of challenges. "One challenge was to acquire custom-made, all-glass, professional quality, exhibit cases that are aesthetic to the eye. These also will ensure the artifacts will be properly protected."
The museum has a treasure chest of more than 3,000 clothing items among the 23,000 pieces in its entire collection, said Morando.
"So, we had to decide on the first 26 items to showcase. Many have never been exhibited before. We plan to rotate the collection over time so visitors can view a variety of uniforms on repeat visits," Morando said.
Charles H. Cureton, director, Museums Division, U. S. Center of Military History, Fort McNair, Wash., was the guest speaker at the ceremony.
"A fragment of cloth can say a lot about its owner and the civilization that produced it," said Cureton. "When you look at the American uniforms in this gallery you will have an idea of where our culture is at any particular time. This exhibit has an eclectic mix of uniforms. Each has a story onto itself."
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