I met a couple while hiking that knew the local area really well. They suggested a visit to the museums of Fort Huachuca. As it was only twenty miles or so from where we were camped, we made the drive down. A very nice museum giving the history of the fort and its many missions. Founded a decade or so after the Civil War, with a mission to control the Apache’s. It has a long and interesting history.
Home of the Buffalo Soldiers.
There were lots of pictures and displays regarding missions against the likes of Pancho Villa and Geronimo. Also an area honoring the Indian civilian scouts.
The fort is also home to the US Army Intelligence Center and museum.
Lots of super snooper stuff on display like this Enigma cipher machine which was used by the Germans during WWII. The good part is the allies had broken the code even before the war started and was able to decipher German messages.
More snooping devices such as pens, pencils, thermos’s, and radio transmitters masquerading as a tree limb.
Do you think military drones are a modern day invention like I did? This one was used in the fifties.
And one from the seventies.
I like the part about catching it in a net. Like a butterfly!!
Overall it was an interesting place. Makes you wonder who and what is watching. Just to make things interesting, you could see this guy from thirty miles away, just sitting there in the sky.
To quote from Wikipedia,
“The fort is also home to a radar-equipped aerostat, one of a series maintained for the drug enforcement administration by Lockheed Martin. The aerostat is based northeast of Garden Canyon and, when extended, supports the DEA drug interdiction mission.”…..jc
Interesting! I'll be learning about Buffalo Soldiers too here shortly. I'm sitting at the Fort Davis National Monument catching up on internet and taking a coffee break. About to go tour. I was camped near several Casitas last night at Davis Mtns. State Park. I watched 2 javelin this AM as I was filling up my water tanks. Have you been there - nice, scenic campground. $35 for full hook-ups, including cable. Bring cash to place in an envelope, the headquarters was closed when I arrived about 5 PM yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea drones were used in the 50's! Also was intrigued by the net recovery in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the glimpses of history that are only found in small, local museums.
Anothee great history lesson! Thks!
ReplyDeleteGREAT post on a history lesson and enjoyed the photo's......this is the same type of "Aerostrat" that I found in a deserted part of Texas coming into Fort Davis from Van Horn Texas...I thought I was going to get beamed up....safe Journey my Friend..Horst
ReplyDeleteHave not thought about that place in a long time:) Thanks for the revisit!
ReplyDeleteWe always knew it was going to be a REALLY windy day when the Fort took down the blimp as we called it. We used to own property near Benson.
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