JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — A replica of a soldier's uniform from the Philippine-American War, a German Sturmgewehr assault rifle from World War 2, and the cast bronze head from a toppled statue of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
These are just some of the things you'll find in the Hall of Valor at Lewis Army Museum.
Valor is a word selected for a reason. It means courage in the face of battle.
This exhibit really tells the story of the soldiers themselves, their sacrifices and what they went through,” says director Erik Flint. “We've got the artifacts, the weapons, the personal belongings and the personal stories.”
“This was a bad place,” says Ron Soden, a retired command sergeant major who served two tours in Vietnam. The first time he advised the South Vietnamese Army. The second time, he led night patrols near the Cambodian border.
“We would do our saturation patrols all through these mountains,” he says, pointing to a 3-D topographic map.
“It was terrifying, but as a career soldier, that's the mission. You do it and I can't speak highly enough of my 4th division soldiers, many who were drafted.”
His soldiers called Soden “Batman” for his fighting skills in the dark. He's just one of more than a million soldiers who have been deployed from Fort Lewis --now Joint Base Lewis-McChord and sent out to fight.
“Any time of the day any time of the year, there are personnel, men and women from JBLM actively engaged throughout the world,” says Flint.
Soden is long retired, but here he can see his place of valor in the 100 year tradition of Fort Lewis.
“All of our history should be remembered,” he says.
The Lewis Army Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is free.
To discover how to visit the on base museum, see their Facebook page.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.
