WORK BEGINS ON CAF GROUND
TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES MUSEUM

Midland, Texas (Jan. 9, 2006) - The earth is moving at the Commemorative Air Force, as foundation work has begun on the new World War II Ground Transportation Vehicles Museum, located at CAF Headquarters in Midland, Texas. The museum is the result of a $2.35 million Texas Department of Transportation grant to construct and establish a unique transportation museum and historic aircraft display facility that will benefit both the CAF and the Permian Basin .

The structure will bring to reality the dreams of several CAF organizations and provide a multi-use facility that will also benefit the Permian Basin and visitors for state and national conventions. The new building will be a $3.5 million, 43,000 square-foot museum and display facility to exhibit World War II ground transportation vehicles, such as tanks, jeeps, ambulances and armored personnel carriers, and the world's only flying B-29, Fifi . It will also house the CAF's collection of aircraft-related artifacts, the CAF History Gallery and the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame Gallery. The facility will also feature the 3,100 square-foot George O'Brien, Jr. lecture hall that will accommodate 500 people, or 300 with a banquet-style seating arrangement, and the Texas Medal of Honor Memorial. The lecture hall will be available to local organizations, as well as providing an attraction for state and national conventions seeking a unique setting for their events. O'Brien was selected as the namesake for this unique hall because, as a Medal of Honor recipient, he represents all the military men and women who have courageously served our nation. The Medal of Honor Memorial will feature an eight-foot bronze sculpture of a U.S. Marine during the Korean War, mounted on a four-foot stone base honoring Texas ' Medal of Honor recipients. Plaques with the names of the 84 Texans who have received our nation's highest military award for valor will be mounted on the base. Individual exhibits about these Texas heroes will be displayed in O'Brien Hall.

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