December  |  Snare Drum from President John F. Kennedy's Funeral

On November 24th and 25th 1963, the U.S. Army Band played this snare drum in the requiem and funeral marches for President John F. Kennedy. At the suggestion of John A. Spencer, the then Director of Logistics at Fort Lee's Quartermaster School, Lieutenant General Andrew T. McNamara obtained this instrument along with a pair of drum sticks and a black drape for display at the US Army Quartermaster Museum. Mr. Spencer had also hoped to acquire the bugle used to play taps at the ceremony, but this had been given to Mrs. Kennedy. These items were presented to the Quartermaster Museum on May 21 1964 for the 189th Anniversary of the Quartermaster Corps.

Snare drums such as this are a regular feature of both military and scholastic marching bands. Made by the Ludwig Drum Company, it measures 13 ¼ inches high with a diameter of 15 ½ inches. It has a wood shell covered with black plastic and metal hardware including rims and adjusting screws.

Two black wooden drum sticks and a black gabardine drape accompany the instrument. The black drape adorned the drum during the memorial services as was required by military regulation.

November  |  M1937 Field Range

This artifact is a Model 1937 Field Range, a style first developed at the Quartermaster Depot in Jeffersonville, Indiana. These ranges first saw heavy use in World War II, and have continued in service to the present day. It was created to provide an array of cooking capabilities in the field, with the ability to serve up to fifty soldiers from one unit. It consists of an aluminum and steel cabinet, which serves as a cooking chamber, and a separate fire unit.

The rectangular-shaped cabinet is forty-four inches high, with two doors on the front. The large upper door is for inserting the pots and pans, while the small lower door covers the fire unit. The fire unit is designed to use gasoline as fuel, but can be operated with wood using an included collapsible grate. Multiple ranges were often latched together for serving large numbers of soldiers.

The cabinet accommodates an included fifteen gallon cook pot for boiling liquids, as well as pans which can be used for roasting, baking, and deep frying. The roasting pan cover can be turned over for use as a griddle. The fire unit is placed in different positions depending on which cooking method is to be employed, and can even be used outside of the cabinet altogether. When the front door of the cabinet is open, it functions as a surface for serving food. Also included with each field range are a set of utensils such as a ladle, butcher knives, and food forks.

October  |  Iron “Mummy Style” Casket

This casket once contained the remains of Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss. Lt. Colonel Bliss graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1833, and served in the Mexican War as General Zachary Taylor's Chief of Staff. Following the war, he married Taylor's daughter, and worked as his personal secretary when the General became president. He died of yellow fever on August 5, 1853 in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He was eventually buried on January 28, 1854 in the Protestant Cemetery on Girod St in New Orleans. His remains were contained in this iron casket under a twenty-foot high monument. Fort Bliss in Texas was named in honor of the deceased Lieutenant Colonel that same year.

As early as 1894, concerns were raised regarding the deteriorating conditions of the Girod St Cemetery, with admirers calling for the removal of the remains to the then active Chalmette National Cemetery. These considerations were short-lived, and were not brought up again until the mid-20th century. In 1955, the city of New Orleans condemned the cemetery, and the army arranged for the re-interment of the Lieutenant Colonel at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. However, present-day laws required that the remains be removed from the original casket and placed in a different one for transport to the new resting place.

This casket, from which the remains were removed, proved to be well preserved. Although the Quartermaster Corps had no graves registration duties yet at the time of Bliss' original burial, Colonel Samuel F. Silver, former Commandant of the Quartermaster School, requested the casket for the memorial section of the Quartermaster Museum. Although the personnel at Fort Bliss wanted the casket for their museum as well, it was decided that this rare artifact should go to the Quartermaster Museum in Fort Lee, where it is housed today.

The casket is made of wrought iron with a "mummy" type design, roughly conforming to the proportions of the deceased. It consists of a top half and bottom half bolted together by twenty-four connections. It measures seventy-five inches long by twenty inches wide and is eighteen inches deep. Decorations on its surface in relief include a willow tree and lily plant. A hinged iron plate covers an oval glass window on the face area. A marking on the foot indicates that it was manufactured by A.D. Fisk.

September  |  M1910 Canteen from the "Lady Be Good"

This artifact is a Model 1910 canteen which was recovered along with other items from the wreckage of the World War II B-24 bomber known as the "Lady Be Good." The plane was returning from an April 4, 1943 bombing mission in Naples, Italy when bad visibility and malfunctioning navigation equipment led to confusion among the crew as to their location. Headed back to their base in Libya, the crew mistakenly believed they were above the Mediterranean when in fact they were over the North African desert. The plane had already flown past its base when lack of fuel caused the crew to bail out.

Remains of the plane were not found until a British oil exploration team came upon it in April of 1959. Finally, in February, 1960, another exploration team found the remains of five of the soldiers. A diary discovered among them led to the recovery of three more bodies. While one of the crew's nine members was killed in his bailout attempt, the other eight travelled north on foot, leaving a trail of gear which they hoped would give direction to anyone who might besearching for them. The diary shows that there was only one canteen of water among them, this canteen, which they had to share for the eight days they managed to survive. The soldiers' remains were flown to US Army Quartermaster Mortuary in Germany for processing.

The canteen is made of aluminum with a screw top attached by a small chain. It is a Model 1910, having been manufactured in 1942 as evidenced by a stamp on the back with this date.

The canteen is contained in a cotton duck cover, also a Model 1910, designed to hold both the canteen and a cup. The cover secures around the canteen using two flaps with brass fasteners that snap over brass studs. "US" is stamped on the front of the cover.

August  |  MultiCam Service Jacket

This artifact is a MultiCam-style camouflage service jacket worn by a US soldier serving in Afghanistan. As the name implies, it bears a camouflage pattern designed to be effective in a variety of environments and conditions. It consists of seven colors forming blotches of various shapes and sizes. Unlike the current standard US Army Combat Uniform, this design does not employ digital shape technology. This jacket is made of rip stop (tear resistant) material which is also flame retardant. It is also treated with a chemical that makes it insect repellent. Although the Army has not yet approved this style for all forces, the US began using it in Afghanistan in 2010. Many non-US forces have adopted variations on the MultiCam pattern as well.

The ISAF patch indicates the soldier is part of the International Security Assistance Force. This force, also known as the coalition force, participates in the NATO-led security mission currently active in Afghanistan.

This patch indicates that the soldier served in the 10th Sustainment Brigade. On the patch the snowy mountain refers to the military mountaineering of the Fort Drum area. The polestar with its four major directional points represents the worldwide scope of the Brigade's logistic support missions of maintenance, supply, medical and transportation operations. The bayonets are from their previous shoulder sleeve insignia when they were the 10th Division Support Command and refer to the Roman numeral "X" for 10.

July  |  US Flag - Once Carried to the Top of Mt. McKinley

On July 23 1942, Dr. Terris Moore and several other members of the US Army Alaskan Test Expedition carried this 48-star flag to the top of Mount McKinley (also known as Denali), the highest peak in North America at 20,300 feet. Dr. Moore and many others in the expedition were members of the Quartermaster Corps. This accomplishment amounted to only the third recorded ascent to this summit. The expedition was on the mountain engaging in field trials of new emergency rations, clothing, and equipment for ski, mountain, and arctic troops. Later that year, the commander of the expedition and also a Quartermaster, Lieutenant Colonel Frank G. Marchman, presented this flag to Major General Edmund B. Gregory, the Quartermaster General. Because of the globe spanning nature of the missions in World War II, the Army and its Quartermasters developed equipment for and engaged in many trials in remote locations such as the cold mountains of Alaska.

June  |  M1942 Parachute Jumper Coat

This artifact is an M1942 parachute jumper's coat produced for US forces in World War II. It is a cotton, single-breasted, hip-length coat with a two inch lay-back collar. The front has four cargo pockets with flaps and double snap fasteners. It has a cotton belt with metal buckle, shoulder loops on both shoulders, and a knife pocket in front below the collar. This artifact was donated to the museum by Captain James Bryant.

An American flag made of oiled cloth is sewed on the left sleeve, while a red, white, and blue arm band with the letters "F.F.I." is wrapped around the right sleeve.

The coat is made of olive drab cotton, but has been sprayed with green and brown paint for camouflage. According to the donor, this was done in England prior to the jump across the English Channel as part of the D-Day invasion.

The arm band with the letters "F.F.I" was added to help French forces distinguish the wearer as a friendly soldier. The letters "F.F.I" in French stood for the "French Forces of the Interior," a term used to describe the French resistance forces in the later stages of the war.

May  |  Camel Bell

During the 1850s, the US Army Quartermaster Department experimented with using camels in the American Southwest. The Army felt that the camel's ability to survive long periods without water and to carry large loads of equipment would make it a valuable pack animal. Though not known as such in its time, the group has come to be referred to as the "Camel Corps." Ultimately, the army abandoned the project as difficulty working with the camels and the arrival of the railroads made them obsolete. During the time when these animals were in service, bells were hung in the barns where they were kept for the purpose of calling them in from the field.

Made of brass, this particular bell hung on a wooden support between buildings 7 and 8 in the camel barn area at Benicia Arsenal, California. The bell, which weighs approximately 700 pounds, is 29 ½ inches in diameter at its opening and 14" inches at the top.

An inscription on the outside in raised letters says "A. Meneely, West Troy, 1841." This indicates the name and location (West Troy, New York) of the bell's maker, as well as the date of manufacture. The Meneely Bell Foundry was established in 1826 and continued to cast bells until its closing in 1952.

On top are four thick arches used for hanging the bell. Currently this artifact is displayed in the US Army Quartermaster Museum's remount exhibit as part of the Former Missions gallery.

April  |  Civil War - General Grant's Saddle

This is the primary saddle that General and future President Ulysses S. Grant used for the duration of the Civil War. It is a Grimsley model, a style which had been in service with the regular army since 1847 when it replaced the Ringgold saddle. It will be featured in the museum's new Civil War exhibit.

Borrowing some characteristics from Mexican styles, this model improved upon the Ringgold by using a shrink-fit rawhide tree instead of relying upon iron strapping and screws for its strength. Eliminating the need for the metal braces and screws created a lighter saddle with a stronger tree. It was the regulation model until it was replaced by the McClellan saddle in 1859, but continued to be used for at least another decade. This example has a quilted seat, a feature common on officer's saddles.

At the conclusion of the Civil War, General Grant gave this saddle to his friend and fellow officer, Colonel A.H. Markland. The saddle first came to the Quartermaster Museum on loan from a descendent of Colonel Markland's. Upon her death, it was purchased and made part of the permanent collection.

March  |  Civil War - Essence of Coffee

This can of "essence of coffee" was used during the Civil War. It was produced by Boehler & Weikel of Philadelphia and marketed under the brand "George Hummel's Essence of Coffee." Coffee had first been introduced as an army ration under President Jackson to replace liquor. During the Civil War, coffee was very popular with soldiers on both sides of the conflict (though blockades made obtaining it difficult for Confederate armies).

The caffeinated staple was usually provided to soldiers in whole bean form, which they roasted, ground, and brewed themselves. However, in an effort to reduce the time required by roasting and grinding beans, the army began to purchase a form of concentrated instant coffee known as "essence of coffee."

The directions for using the product (printed in both English and German) advise mixing a tablespoon of ground coffee and a half teaspoon of the essence with a half gallon of water for a "middling strong" brew. The can also boasts an offer of $5,000 for any essence of coffee "as pure as this."

February  |  Civil War Invalid Corps Jacket

The invalid corps jacket was first prescribed by General Order 124 on May 15, 1863. It is made of sky blue kersey (a rough, course form of wool usually used for trousers and overcoats). It is longer in the skirt than a regulation shell jacket and has slits on the sides.

The jacket was unpopular with its wearers, as they did not like being distinguished from the front line troops. The fact that the Invalid Corps was abbreviated "IC" did not make its members happy either. This was the same designation stamped on condemned livestock and materials—"IC" being short for "Inspected, Condemned."

The jacket has one button on each side of the collar and none on the sleeves. This particular example has twelve buttons down the front. It is trimmed with dark blue worsted herringbone lace.

General Order 111, given March 18, 1864, changed the name to the Veteran's Reserve Corps. Personnel in this group included those unfit for full combat duty, but able to serve as guards, clerks, cooks, and nurses.