Military Vehicles From Gettysburg WWII Museum Highlight Army’s Anniversary Parade

World War II American Experience Curators,Volunteers Enthusiastically Fall In to Make Procession an Enduring Affair.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the first time in more than three decades, since the victory parades to mark the end of the 1991 Gulf War, military vehicles rolled through the streets of Washington, D.C. Though the parade came with no shortage of controversy, the fact remains that it was truly part of a celebration to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army and to honor the sacrifices America’s soldiers have made in conflicts around the globe.

The United States Department of Defense pulled out all the stops for the June 14, 2025 celebration by including more than two dozen M1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs), M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other modern vehicles. The parade wasn’t meant to be a show of force to make the country’s adversaries tremble or to project power to friend and foe alike, but rather, was to commemorate the Army’s history.

AN INVITATION TO CELEBRATE

The event included a fly-over of military aircraft, soldiers dressed in period uniforms from the Revolutionary War to the modern day marching down Constitution Avenue, and most notably nearly two dozen historic military vehicles, with 17 noteworthy examples provided by the World War II American Experience, a privately owned museum in Gettysburg.

It was an unexpected honor for the museum, its curators, and volunteers.

“We were contacted by the Department of Defense well in advance and asked if we would be able to provide historically important vehicles like World War II-era Sherman tanks,” said Adam Buck, board member of the World War II American Experience.

Buck quickly provided a list of about 50 vehicles from WWI through the Cold War, that Army officials reviewed. A scout from the Pentagon worked closely with the museum and helped determine what vehicles could be included. Buck told History in Motion that the end selection included four jeeps, an M35A2 cargo truck, not one but two M4 Sherman tanks, a 1918 Dodge touring car, and a M1A1 wrecker.

The Pentagon picked up the cost of getting everything to the parade’s staging grounds, but it still required military precision that included transporting the vehicles to the nation’s capital via six tractor trailers and four car loads. In total, 23 volunteers from the museum made the short trek to D.C. It was the largest such event that the World War II American Experience had taken part in to date.

“We were the only civilians to take part in the parade, as everyone else was active duty military,” Buck added. “It was also the first time we were able to drive our tanks on any large size city streets.”

FOCUS ON THE HISTORY

There is no denying that the historic vehicles were among the stars of the parade, especially to those who attended in person.

“It was a really amazing experience to pay tribute to the U.S. Army and see the different eras represented with the period uniforms,” Buck continued. “I’ve never been to an event where the reaction was so enthusiastic. People were chanting “U.S.A.” People were feeling patriotic, and I’m very honored that we were asked to provide the vehicles.”

Buck made clear that credit is very much due to the team of volunteers, 90% of whom are Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) members.

“The success of the parade was a reflection of the quality of the vehicles, but we couldn’t have done it without the team of volunteers to get the vehicles ready. Everyone pulled together,” he added. “Some of the vehicles belong to the volunteers, and they were very happy to get them included in the parade. We simply could not have done it without them.”

Originally written by Peter Suciu for History in Motion, the magazine of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA). For more info about the MVPA and its programs, log onto www.MVPA.org

The World War II American Experience Museum and Education Center is located about two miles from the Gettysburg National Military Park and Battlefield. The privately owned museum was established in 2022 by long-time Gettysburg residents Frank and Loni Buck, whose vision was to create a museum dedicated to those who participated in World War II on battlefields across the globe and on the home front. In addition to exhibits of authentic and often rare artifacts and vehicles, the immersive educational venue offers a variety of services including group tours, venue rentals, special events, and outreach programs for veterans.

World War II American Experience
845 Crooked Creek Road,
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325
Phone: 717.253.3414
email: [email protected]
Web: https://visitww2.org/