CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload an M109 Howitzer May 23. The M109 and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa. -- A select group of skilled artisans from the Process Support Division at Letterkenny Army Depot contributed to preserving a piece of Army history in collaboration with the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, located in Carlisle.
In the fall of 2021, an M109 Howitzer and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle arrived at the depot in desperate need of paint restoration. Over the next several months, artisans within PSD meticulously sanded, prepped and painted the two assets with historical accuracy to restore them to their former glory.
On May 23, the assets traveled from Letterkenny to U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, where they are on display to the general public at the center's Heritage Trail.
"The Process Support Division within Letterkenny Army Depot is extremely honored and proud of the opportunity to work with the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center," said Jeff Barnhart, the chief of PSD. "Not only are we supporting the mission and story that U.S. AHEC captures, but we're also able to showcase the talent of our employees here in PSD."
CARLISLE, Pa.
Daniel Bowman, a paint sander and prepper within the Process Support Division at Letterkenny Army Depot, applies touch up paint to an M109 Howitzer after its delivery to U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. The M109 and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
This project was the first of its kind for the division, whose efforts typically support the depot's reset and recapitalization mission.
"It's really satisfying to see what these assets looked like when they came in and what the final product looks like," said Daniel Bowman, a sander and prepper within PSD. "Just seeing the transformation; it's just awesome."
The team embraced the historical significance of their preservation and restoration mission.
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload a Bradley Fighting Vehicle May 23. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle and an M109 Howitzer were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
"It's a piece of history," Bowman said. "It's awesome to see the mechanics of the Howitzer and how things operate."
Clinton Buchanan has worked as a painter in PSD for over seven years, and this project marked his first experience painting this type of asset. "It was really rewarding to paint the tank itself," Buchanan said. "This was the first tank I've ever worked on."
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload an M109 Howitzer May 23. The M109 and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
Although the project was a complete success, it still came with some challenges.
"The camouflage pattern gave us some challenges," Buchanan said. "It just took a little more precision to get it just right."
July 17, 2022, marks Letterkenny Army Depot's 80th anniversary. The depot's partnership with U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center reinforces Letterkenny's commitment to preserving Army history and highlights the depot's historical significance within the community.
"The men and women of PSD perform extraordinary work day-in and day-out, and it is usually unseen to anyone outside of the military," Barnhart said. "This project allows them to take their families on a day trip to U.S. AHEC and point to an asset and proudly say, 'I did that.'"
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload a Bradley Fighting Vehicle May 23. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle and an M109 Howitzer were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload a Bradley Fighting Vehicle May 23. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle and an M109 Howitzer were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload a Bradley Fighting Vehicle May 23. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle and an M109 Howitzer were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa.
Daniel Bowman, a paint sander and prepper within the Process Support Division at Letterkenny Army Depot, applies touch up paint to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle after its delivery to U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. The Bradley and an M109 were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa.
Employees from Letterkenny Army Depot and staff members from U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center work to unload an M109 Howitzer May 23. The M109 and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
CARLISLE, Pa.
Steven McCartney, a branch chief within the Process Support Division at Letterkenny Army Depot, applies touch up paint to an M109 Howitzer after its delivery to U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. The M109 and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle were repainted and restored at Letterkenny Army Depot for public display at the Heritage Trail in Carlisle.
(U.S. Army photo by Dorie E. Heyer, LEAD Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL
Letterkenny Army Depot is the Army's premier professional organic maintenance facility that provides overhaul, repair and modifications for tactical missile air defense and space systems, electric power generation equipment and various military vehicles, support systems and protection programs. LEAD is a subordinate of U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command. It is the Air and Missile Defense and Long Range Precision Fires depot, supporting systems for the Department of Defense, foreign partners and industry. Letterkenny Army Depot was established in 1942 and is a government-owned and -operated industrial installation located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
For more information, visit LEAD's website and find LEAD on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
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