"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime"-MARK TWAIN

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Yuma Proving Grounds

 

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Have you ever wondered where all the stuff used by our military gets its credentials, so to speak.  Well, much of it was tested, and given a grade at the Yuma Proving Grounds.  Started as a desert training center during WWII, it matured into place with more scientists than soldiers.  Patton was here, and left his mark.

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A group of the Greatest Generation, during their training here.

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The many ways to configure a Jeep.

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Original Commanders office.

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He even had a “red” telephone.

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They tested all types of things, from tires to ammunitions.

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Lots of fancy devices used for gathering the information.

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How long has it been since you’ve seen one of these?

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The Moon Rover prototypes were tested here.

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I found the most fascinating vehicle to be this.

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Lead vehicle parked outside the visitor center.

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Tires almost 12 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

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I would have loved playing in the desert with it.

Another favorite.

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A very informative museum to our military scientists and engineers.  They don’t get much thought in everyday life, but without their testing and development procedures, our military forces would be handicapped in a big way……jc

4 comments:

  1. I cut through the Proving Grounds every year to get to the takeout for our lower Colorado River trips, but I've never seen or heard of the museum. Looks like another stop on my growing list!

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  2. I carried my P-38 for years after getting out of the service. It eventually broke, and I was really bummed not having it to use anymore.

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  3. We have been to the YPG but somehow missed the museum. My husband still has his P-38.

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  4. Great post and History lesson....appears like all of us had the famous "P-38"...those where the Days...Thanks for sharing...Horst sends

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Thanks for looking, and comments are welcome.