This morning we plotted a route that took us to the south gate, which was about a 12 miles drive from the RV Park. Fort Leonard Wood is a huge post, physically. There are massive outdoor training areas and ranges of all sorts that provide training opportunities for the Warriors that are here. This picture shows the drive we did south to the southern gate and just a few of the ranges visible along the way.
Many of the ranges were active, with their signature red flags flying high denoting the range is active, or "hot", and firing is in progress or may be happening at any time.
There are many different types of ranges depending on what weapon is being fired. There are many different types of small arms ranges, for pistol and rifle fire. There are machine gun ranges and those used by snipers. There are grenade ranges, mortar ranges, and maneuver ranges. Here there are special forces ranges that support specific training scenarios.
Small arms range with Soldiers shooting around and over barricades
There was a lot of activity, but that is no doubt very routine for this post due to it's training mission.
We finished up our drive and stopped at an outdoor part of the museum complex we missed the other day. There is a group of World War II-era buildings that were used here as barracks, mess hall (dining hall), a chapel and when they hosted German prisoners of war here. Unfortunately none of the buildings were open.
A 170-man dining hall built in 1941, Featured picnic tables, two coal-burning "cannon" stoves, and cooking stoves/water heaters also coal-fired. Perishables were stored in coolers with block ice.
A 63-man barracks also built in 1941. 53 enlisted and 10 non-commissioned officers. In 1944 single beds were replaced by bunk beds increasing the capacity to more than 120. Furnace was coal-fired. They built 613 of these buildings in 1941 at Fort Leonard Wood!
There is an impressive memorial park and chapel there as well that we were going to see after the vehicle displays, but the rain let go so we headed for the truck.
The outdoor vehicle display is impressive, It features engineering vehicles, military police tactical vehicles and other combat vehicles, Just a few pictures:
V-100 "Commando" Armored Car with a Chrysler V-8 engine!
POA-CWS-H1 Sherman Flame Tank used in WWII in the Pacific theater
M4A1 POA-CWS-H5 Sherman Flame Tank - a 76mm cannon + flame thrower
Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) Full Tracked Vehicle M728
M113A2 Armored Personnel Carrier - new in 1987
Unknown nomenclature steam roller
That is about a wrap for Fort Leonard Wood. We enjoyed our stay here, although it was unique to say the least. We are looking forward to joining our family at Fort Sill OK later this summer when our grandson graduates from Army Basic Combat Training there in August.
Tomorrow we pull chocks (again, no hurry) and head northeast about 125 miles to Fenton MO and the Covered Bridge RV Park. We chose this park due to it's proximity to the Jefferson Barracks Military Post, which is located on the Mississippi River at Lemay, Missouri, south of St. Louis. It was an important and active U.S. Army installation from 1826 through 1946. It is the oldest operating U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi River, and it is now used as a base for the Army and Air National Guard. More about that later!
Next report from Fenton MO!
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