Veterans Day Huge Boost For Military Museum

Dozens of local veterans as well as members of the public paid a visit to the New Bedford Military Museum at Fort Taber Wednesday to celebrate Veterans Day. 

According to Joseph Langlois, president of the Fort Taber Fort Rodman Historical Association, Veterans Day is the "biggest day of the year" for the museum and its volunteers.

Langlois says although the museum exhibits a wide variety of local history, its main goal is to support the local men and women that have served our country.

"Our museum does many, many things as far as maintaining history, maintaining local history, military history, but the most important thing is that we try and honor local men and women that have served honorably," Langlois said.

The 12th annual Veterans Appreciation Day celebration was an open house-style event that provided visitors with an atmosphere to explore the museum's variety of exhibits as well as share stories or listen to first hand accounts from local veterans.

By lunch time the museum had seen over 50 visitors walk through the doors which put them on pace to reach over 100 visitors by day's end.

World War II history enthusiast and retired National Guardsman John Smilowitz was visiting the museum for the second time. He remarked on how important it was that the historical association was preserving history for future generations.

"People have to remember," Smilowitz said. "You can't forget these things, especially the children."