Thursday, July 21, 2011

Medal of Honor Cpl. Larry Smedley Vietnam War Museum

This has to be one of the best kept secrets in Orlando. Too many people have no clue a museum like this is here for everyone, not just Vietnam Veterans or today's veterans, but for everyone.





Cpl. Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum

Orlando, Florida


3400 N.Tanner Rd.
Orlando, FL 32826

phone: 407-601-2864
e-mail: wminfo@nwmvocf.org
web: www.nwmvocf.org



Welcome to the Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum, a place full of knowledge, experiences, and memories. Here you will discover many unique and historical artifacts of the Vietnam Era. As you tour our facility, you will encounter exhibits that are on loan from government, as well as those that were both donated and built by members of the Vietnam and all Veterans of Central Florida.

The Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum includes the first dedicated monument to Fallen Vietnam War Veterans in the state of Florida, with 167 names of men and women from Orange County, Florida. Other static displays consists of a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat River (PBR), also known as “River Rat”, Douglas A-4B Skyhawk aircraft that is currently on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida, and a Bell UH-1 (Huey) Dustoff helicopter. The existing museum center includes numerous artifacts from the Vietnam era; a room-size, to scale, firebase recreation that took approximately eleven years to complete; and recently remodeled an educational media/research room with enhanced audiovisual capabilities.

History

The National Vietnam War Museum, Inc., established in 2000, is a Central Florida non-profit museum, recently name was changed to Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum owned and operated by the Vietnam Veterans of Central Florida, Inc., also a non-profit organization in Central Florida, founded in 1982. Corporal Larry Eugene Smedley (March 4, 1949–December 21, 1967) was a United States Marine which his name has officially been added to museum title, see his bio to the right. This organization assists the servicemen and women of all wars and branches of military service. While mainly an organization of Vietnam War Era members, the VVCF welcomes all that served with the Armed Forces of the United States.

Artifacts Collections

Static Displays: UH1 (Huey) Helicopter, A-4 Skyhawk Jet Plane, Mk II PBR Navy Patrol Boat, USMC Humvee w/Stinger Missle pods, USA APC (Tracked), jeeps, trucks, trailers

Research Collections

Weapons, clothing, medals, certificates, letters, a lending library and reading room

Educational Programs

Traveling exhibitions, museum tours, vehicle transport to parades and functions, work study programs

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