FORT BENNING, Ga. - It'll be another 18 months before all the pieces are in place, but Fort Benning is showing more signs of Armor.
Eleven artifacts arrived here Tuesday afternoon via massive convoy from Fort Knox, Ky., riding heavy equipment transports and support vehicles from the 233rd Transportation Company. It's the first shipment by the Patton Museum and part of the Armor School's relocation.
The historic Armored pieces include a Soviet light amphibious tank, Chaffee light tank, a mortar carrier, FIST-V fire support team vehicle and a tracked landing vehicle. The artifacts were offloaded Wednesday for storage at the Sand Hill railway facility.
"We are the first element out of Knox that has moved south," said Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor director Len Dyer. "It's an emotional issue for older generations of Armor Soldiers."
Fort Knox has been Armor's home since 1940, but the move to Fort Benning is mandated by September 2011 under Base Realignment and Closure requirements.
Dyer said some vehicles in this initial batch need restoration work but would remain outside until future display. An Armor Museum is expected to open here sometime in fiscal year 2013.
A 17-vehicle convoy departed Fort Knox on Monday with 37 Soldiers, said 1LT Carmen Peyton, the group's commander. Limited to 40 mph along the route, the convoy required police escorts through Nashville, Tenn., and Columbus. It also encountered wintry weather coming into north Georgia.
"We ran into some snow around Chattanooga, (Tenn.)," she said, "but we arrived here all safe. That's the important thing."
The 233rd Transportation Company has conducted large moves ahead of Iraq deployments, but this was unique, Peyton said. Soldiers gained additional experience in heavy equipment transport and it saved the Army money in commercial moving costs.
The convoy was expected back at Fort Knox today.
Dyer said moves are nothing new for the Armor museum, which has had six homes in its history. This marks the second time at Fort Benning. The Armor School was at Fort Meade, Md., and also three other locations prior to World War I.
"The museum is taking a step back in time to one of its former schoolhouses," he said.
At least three more convoys hauling a total of 56 artifacts are scheduled in the next few weeks. The transfer will include several World War II tanks.
Dyer said other vehicles will stay at Fort Knox's Patton Museum until the Armor wing is closed this September. However, a small collection will be left behind as a lasting symbol of the installation's long history with Armor.
"I'm coming down, though," said Dyer, who served as a Marine Armor officer. "I'm a tanker. I'm staying with the tanks ... The true value of a museum is educating the Soldiers."
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