On Sunday, 6/9, I finally was able to visit two museums I have been wanting to go to for quite some time. These were the Museum of History and Battlefield Military Museum, both located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While I had originally heard about these two private collections some time ago, school had meant that I didn’t have to time to venture over to Gettysburg. The main reason I wanted to go was that both these private collections had some very rare firearms. For some time now, both the developmental history and mechanics of firearms have fascinated me.
For the Gettysburg Museum of History, the building itself held some historical significance. Being the former home of Richard Winters, a WWII Veteran who received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Brécourt Manor and Normandy and was prominently featured in Band of Brothers, in this home contained many trophies which were captured from prominent Nazi officials. Sitting side by side, was Heinrich Himmler’s Walther PP, Herman Goering’s Artillery Luger, and Adolf Hitler’s Walther PPK. In addition to many other trophies such as chairs from the Reich Chancellery, it was odd to see so many items that were carried or used daily by people who committed atrocities. The Museum of History also contained other personal items from historical figures such as letters, suits, and watches used by John F. Kennedy which were donated by his secretary. It was incredibly interesting to be so close to these items which might little to no significance had their owners been different.
As for the Battlefield Military Museum, I also saw some very rare firearms. One which I was able to hold was a STEN Mk 5. The STEN was a submachine gun designed by the British after it had lost all its equipment at Dunkirk. Because of this, it was created with the intention of being as cheap as possible in order to arm the British army before a potential land invasion came. It was very evident the path British designers had taken to simplify production with welded steel tubes and stamped sheet metal parts. This variant I was holding, however, was particularly unique as it was designed after the end of WWII. As such, it began to shift away from the budget nature of the STEN with the addition of wood furniture. Being able to hold this piece of history, I could feel a connection with what was going through the minds of the British designers of the time.
Another interesting firearm I was able to hold was the Enfield P53. Manufactured by the Enfield factory in Britian, this rifled musket was sold to both the Union and Confederacy during the American Civil War. One reason this stuck out to me was a recent project I had done for my AP US History class. While I was previously fairly unfamiliar with the arms used in the time period from the American Revolution to Civil War, I had done extensive research on a project which showed how US small arms development had evolved alongside a changing American identity. Because of this, I had read quite a lot about the P53 and what American soldiers of the time though of it. This connection to a project I had done so recently was amazing as I could finally see in person the pieces of technology I had spent weeks reading about.
Overall, this trip was very interesting and exciting as I was finally able to see such pieces of history in person instead of behind a screen. Being able to finally visit these two locations after waiting for over half a year was quite an experience and a great way to start my summer.
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