Exhibits

To Tokyo With Jimmy Doolittle

Two young men from rural Montana volunteer for dangerous mission that will alter the course of WWII in the Pacific and forever cement their place in the tumultuous history of the Twentieth Century.

The First Special Service Force

The Unique story of the Canadian/American commando group known to their foes as the “Black Devils”, to Hollywood as “The Devil’s Brigade” and called by its members simply “The Force”.

Naval Air

The story of two small town Montana men, Stanley W. “Swede” Vejtasa and James F. “Jim” Barfknecht who became decorated Naval Aviators.

USS Helena

There were several vessels named after the capitol city of the state of Montana. Each served proudly and was a worthy representative for the state. The following articles tells the history of these stalwart ships.

Battle for the Southwest Pacific

The Battle for the Southwest Pacific included many Montana men who had enlisted or were drafted into the 163rd Regiment of the Montana National Guard and other U.S. military services. Many ended up serving for over five years; taking them from small towns throughout Montana to Australia and Japan. Battles fought for the Southwest Pacific involved some of the fiercest fighting of the war in some of the most difficult conditions.

163rd Infantry Regiment

The 163rd Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the Montana National Guard. It went overseas with the 41st Infantry Division in World War II.

Camp Rimini

Camp Rimini, Montana trained sled and pack dogs for use as war dogs in World War II. Between 1942-1944, 263 sled dogs and 268 pack dogs were trained. The facility was run by the Quartermaster Corps, which was responsible for running the Army’s K-9 Corps.