PUNTA GORDA – Here at the Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda you can do more than just reflect, you can immerse yourself in the history and learn through the stories as told by volunteer veterans themselves.
“There’s a certain legacy that an individual keeps and that was my dad’s. I had to do it for him and the honor that he was given by the country.,” said U.S Navy veteran Gary Harrell.
And that honor was none other than the nation’s highest military award for valor.
“My dad was a Marine in Iwo Jima. One of the fights that he was in he lost both his hands, but he protected his command post when he probably should’ve been evacuated, and for that he was awarded the Medal of Honor,” said Harrell.
Harrell lost his beloved Dad at 10 years old to what is now known as PTSD.
“Part of the cost of war is a mental for who have been there, have seen it and are trying to adjust to regular life. It ended up getting my Dad,” said Harrell.
What we just experienced through Harrell’s storytelling is what executive director Gary Butler calls a “museum moment,” and it’s what sets this place apart.
Just ask Bob “Outlaw” Wollitz. He served three years in the Air Force with 73 combat missions.
“I was a staff sergeant flying on B29s,” said U.S. Air Force veteran Bob Wollitz.
He now mans the virtual flight simulator and patiently guided me through my first lesson, hard landing and all. He promised not to hold being an Army Brat against me.
From veteran led lectures to rare artifacts, this museum holds pieces of our nation’s history, illuminating our past under incandescent lighting, in hopes of a brighter future.
Visit https://militaryheritagemuseum.org/ for more information.