Fort Bliss Monitor

Museum exhibit displays ADA role in Desert Storm

Wilson A. Rivera
Monitor Staff

PHOTOS BY WILSON A. RIVERA
Carolyn Brown, a former nine-year volunteer for the museum, looks at images and artifacts from the Desert Storm era at the Fort Bliss and Air Defense Artillery Defense museums.

A self-propelled M163 Vulcan Air Defense System lies in place, visible by the soft lighting above as part of the Fort Bliss Museum Desert Storm exhibit. Individuals who were a part of Operation Desert Storm can check out the exhibit and see that it was exactly what it looked like in Desert Storm, according to Sgt 1st Class Timothy W. Chase, a Soldier attached to 647th Area Support Group.

“It’s very authentic, right down to the chocolate chip uniforms,” he said.

There are two versions of the Vulcan Air Defense System in the Army. A light towable version, able to be airlifted, as well as be used with rapid deployment units and a self propelled version with the 20mm gun mounted on top of a M113 chassis. The 20mm ADA weapon was used to engage slow-moving aircraft and as a ground defense weapon.

“The Vulcan was a very versatile and multi-purpose weapon,” Chase said.

William Reyes, Fort Bliss Museum manager, knew Chase’s MOS was a Vulcan crewmember and wanted some technical advice about the system and how it would have looked like in Desert Storm. Chase has experience as a squad leader with both the towed and self-propelled systems.

Chase has helped with the display since they started building the exhibit by showing the museum staff how to raise and lower the barrel and operate the turret system, so they could place it at the right firing angle. Chase coordinated how the ammunition was linked from the storage system, to the way the rounds should be fed and other fine details such as the placement of auxiliary equipment.

“Everything is real, nothing is different in the exhibit,” said Reyes.

Funding for the exhibit’s materials came out of the museum budget or from donations of equipment and pictures. The display needed a Stinger missile case for the exhibit, so Reyes contacted the ammunition supply point of McGregor Range, N.M., who donated a Stinger case to the museum.

The exhibit also contains a Russian-made Scud missile which Iraq used during Desert Storm and a PAC 1. “We can’t display a PAC 3 Patriot since it is still in use. Soldiers need it,” he said.

The exhibit was made in order to make it simple and friendly to understand. “It’s very detailed and time consuming setting up this exhibit. The assistance of 647th ASG Soldiers made it seem much faster. Future exhibits will not display much of Desert Storm but more of Operation Iraqi Freedom,” said Reyes.

The museum is always growing and constantly changing. Now that the museum has enough room, they can bring a lot of older pieces of equipment that are historically valuable to the Army, said Chase. “Not only is the Army heritage important but the ADA as well, he said.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	April 14, 2005

	Museum exhibit displays ADA role in Desert Storm Wilson A. Rivera Monitor Staff PHOTOS BY WILSON A. RIVERA Carolyn Brown, a former nine-year volunteer for the museum, looks at images and artifacts from the Desert Storm era at the Fort Bliss and Air Defense Artillery Defense museums. A self-propelled M163 Vulcan Air Defense System lies in place, visible by the soft lighting above as part of the Fort Bliss Museum Desert Storm exhibit. Individuals who were a part of Operation Desert Storm can check out the exhibit and see that it was exactly what it looked like in Desert Storm, according to Sgt 1st Class Timothy W. Chase, a Soldier attached to 647th Area Support Group. “It’s very authentic, right down to the chocolate chip uniforms,” he said. There are two versions of the Vulcan Air Defense System in the Army. A light towable version, able to be airlifted, as well as be used with rapid deployment units and a self propelled version with the 20mm gun mounted on top of a M113 chassis. The 20mm ADA weapon was used to engage slow-moving aircraft and as a ground defense weapon. “The Vulcan was a very versatile and multi-purpose weapon,” Chase said. William Reyes, Fort Bliss Museum manager, knew Chase’s MOS was a Vulcan crewmember and wanted some technical advice about the system and how it would have looked like in Desert Storm. Chase has experience as a squad leader with both the towed and self-propelled systems. Chase has helped with the display since they started building the exhibit by showing the museum staff how to raise and lower the barrel and operate the turret system, so they could place it at the right firing angle. Chase coordinated how the ammunition was linked from the storage system, to the way the rounds should be fed and other fine details such as the placement of auxiliary equipment. “Everything is real, nothing is different in the exhibit,” said Reyes. Funding for the exhibit’s materials came out of the museum budget or from donations of equipment and pictures. The display needed a Stinger missile case for the exhibit, so Reyes contacted the ammunition supply point of McGregor Range, N.M., who donated a Stinger case to the museum. The exhibit also contains a Russian-made Scud missile which Iraq used during Desert Storm and a PAC 1. “We can’t display a PAC 3 Patriot since it is still in use. Soldiers need it,” he said. The exhibit was made in order to make it simple and friendly to understand. “It’s very detailed and time consuming setting up this exhibit. The assistance of 647th ASG Soldiers made it seem much faster. Future exhibits will not display much of Desert Storm but more of Operation Iraqi Freedom,” said Reyes. The museum is always growing and constantly changing. Now that the museum has enough room, they can bring a lot of older pieces of equipment that are historically valuable to the Army, said Chase. “Not only is the Army heritage important but the ADA as well, he said.