SAVE THE DATE:

May 30, 2026

Our 6th Annual Military Vehicle Show is in the planning stages for May 30, 2026 (9:00-2:00). If you have a military vehicle that you want to bring or you are a military reenactor (any war period) contact the museum to see if there is space for you this year. Military veterans, you are also invited to attend with your antique or special interest vehicle.

PAST EVENTS:

November 28, 2025

Four of the members of the Middlesex County Blue Star Mothers led by chapter president Janice Beaucar gathered at the museum to setup and decorate a special honorarium Blue Star Mothers tree to pay tribute to all of our service members and their families.  Other Blue Star Mothers members joining her in decorating the tree were Cecile Fazio, Amy Neves and Sally Petrella.  Their efforts brought forth a beautiful and inspiring military themed Christmas tree. Each branch of our nation’s military is honored with American and military service flags and hand decorated ornaments. The museum invites the public to come by and view the tree and tour the museum.

5th Annual GMMM Military Vehicle Show and Veteran owned Antique Autos Concours’

September 13, 2025 9:00 to 3:00

This is always a great event with a display of military vehicles usually from WWII (U.S. and German), Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. Military reenactors dress in period uniforms, and displaying various military hardware and encampment equipment. Also displayed are civilian classic or special interest cars owned by veterans.

The event is free to the public. Donations are always encouraged to support the mission of the museum to honor our military by preserving their history.

American Legion National Commander visit

THURSDAY, April 3, 2025

The museum hosted a tour for the American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere Jr., accompanied by the Connecticut State Commander, Post Commander and other officers of the American Legion.

Museum curator, Kenneth McClellan, who is also the Post Commander of American Legion Post 75 (Middletown), taking the visiting Legionnaires on a tour of the museum collection.

THURSDAY, AUG. 22, 2024 6:00 pm

Presentation by Jerry Augustine, author of “Vietnam Beyond”. Mr. Augustine will give a talk on his Vietnam War experiences, including his recent return trip to Vietnam to revisit the places where he served during the war, a fascinating story to hear from a veteran who served in the battle front. Call the museum for reservations (860-788-7215). $10 per person.

This was an outstanding presentation by Jerry. He is an excellent presenter.

PAST EVENTS:

July 20, 2024

Thank you to all who participated and supported our 4th Annual GMMM Military Vehicle Show. It was a varied display of military vehicles, reenactors in period uniforms, military equipment and more. The State National Guard was in attendance.

Thank you also to our military vehicle show sponsors.

Platinum Sponsor – EVERSOURCE

Gold Sponsors

Home Team Supply

Neil’s Donuts

Jersey Mikes

Sign Mart

Thursday, July 25, 2024, 6:30 PM

Presentation by William A. Liska and Kim L. Perlotto, authors of “The Eighth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War”. The Eighth Connecticut Infantry was one of the longest-serving Union volunteer regiments in the Civil War and saw action throughout the Eastern Theater, from Burnside’s expedition in North Carolina to the battles at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, and campaigns throughout Virginia. Drawing on soldiers’ letters and diaries, this first-ever regimental history of the Eighth chronicles four years of combat service, with maps newly created from historical accounts.

Come back again to check up on other upcoming events. Sorry you missed our past events, but here are the highlights of those events.

Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 6:30 PM – at Middletown High School Auditorium

William Corvo will present a documentary about his father, Max Corvo titled: “Max Corvo for Freedom, the War of OSS in Italy, 1943 – 1945“. The documentary film tells the true story of a young Sicilian immigrant who, after coming to America and becoming Americanized, joins the Army before World War II and becomes the Chief of Operations of Secret Intelligence of the American OSS (Office of Strategic Services), the precursor of the CIA, in Italy during the Allied campaign in Italy from 1943 to 1945. The young Sicilian is Biagio ‘Max’ Corvo, originally from Melilli, Sicily. He immigrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of nine, with his mother, brother and sister to join their father, Cesare, who was forced to leave the island, six years before because he was persecuted by the Fascist regime. The film has won numerous prizes, including the 2024 New York International Film Awards Festival Best Documentary and 2024 “Best Documentary” Movie award at the Rome International Film Festival.

Saturday, July 6, 2024, 6:00 PM

Concert in Veterans Park with the Middletown Symphonic Band. Free event. Bring a lawn chair and picnic. Food Trucks will be in the park. For more information, please contact the Museum.Thursday, June 20, 2024, 7:00 PM

Author Claire Smith discussed her book, “The Civil War Letters of Abner C. Smith”

Corporal Abner C. Smith of East Haddam served in Company C, 20th Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers from 1862 to 1865 with many other Middlesex County citizens.  During his service, he wrote over one hundred letters to his wife and children. Author Claire Smith will speak about how these letters depict a loyal soldier who marches from battle to battle, while at the same time trying with all his might to support his wife and guide his four children through the written word.  Claire’s presentation will cover both the military life of Abner and the experiences of his family at home during the war.

Claire Smith is the author of three books: The Unsolved Mystery of Jane Anthony; Georgiana, Like So Many; and The Civil War Letters of Abner C. Smith. Her website is http://www.clairesmithauthor.com.  Copies of her book will be available for purchase.

This is a free event, open to the public.  For more information please contact the Museum.

The Plunder of European Art by Adolph Hitler

Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 1:00 pm

The museum screened the movie, “The Rape of Europa’, a documentary of the story of Nazi Germany’s plundering Europe’s great works of art during World War II and Allied efforts to minimize the damage and recover the stolen artwork.

Middletown resident, Guy Lindsay, gave a short presentation about the film and the work of his father, Sergeant Kenneth C. Lindsay, of Milwaukee, WI, a member of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section Unit (MFAA), the unit assigned responsibility to recover, catalogue and return the stolen art. SGT Lindsay also appears in the movie. The photo is of SGT Lindsay with the bust of Nefertiti

MATINEE MOVIE – Saturday afternoon 1:00 pm January 20, 2024 

SGT. STUBBY, a real-life hero who hailed from New Haven CT, went off to war with our American GI soldier heroes to fight in the trenches of France in WWI (a cartoon movie for all ages). Length of movie: 80 minutes.

Blue Star Mothers (and families) decorate the Christmas Tree (2023)

Blue Star families are families with members who serve in the military. Check out their website: https://bluestarfam.org/

The red-white-blue theme of the tree decorations is honoring service members of all branches of the military.

BOOK SIGNING EVENT at the museum ! Friday Nov 17, 2023 5:00 – 6:00pm AMAZON “Editor’s Pick” for Best Book of the Year 2023 “IN THE BLOOD” “How two outsiders solved a centuries-old medical mystery and took on the US Army.” Meet the Author: Wesleyan University “Writer in Residence” and lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, Charles Barber     Also introducing the subject of “In The Blood”, QuikClot and its inventor, Frank Hursey of West Hartford who will be present to sign books as well. This “once-in-a-lifetime lifesaving product”, QuikClot, was adopted by the Military thanks to the marketing genius, Bart Gullong, who got this amazing product into the hands of the military.  QuikClot transformed trauma medicine.  It became the “medical miracle of the Iraq War” and is now in common usage saving lives every day.    Enjoy the opportunity to meet these gentlemen and purchase the book signed by them. This is a fantastic opportunity to increase your appreciation of history and celebrate an invention that saves lives in war and peace.

July 22, 2023

Wesleyan Author, Charles Barber, and inventor, Frank Hursey (the subject of the book “In The Blood”) relate the story of the invention and the efforts to introduce the life-saving product Quik Clot to the military for treatment of severe battlefield wounds. Fascinating topic!

GMMM Military Vehicles and Autos of the War Era Concours’

Photos of the event.

This was our 3rd Annual show. We’ve had great success with these shows. This year we featured VETERAN owned antique autos in addition to the military vehicles.

Rave reviews of our prior shows appreciate the shady treed setting adjacent to the museum, the warm welcome (especially from staff from our sponsor Eversource who volunteer to support our nation’s veterans) and the opportunity to learn about our military’s mobile contingent, as well as the adjacent impressive tribute to recent Connecticut military KIA, the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial.

Contact the museum for the application to show your vehicle next year.

MAJOR SPONSORS OF THIS EVENT: A special thank you to our sponsors of our Military Vehicle Show

PLATINUM SPONSOR:

Eversource

(and a special thank you to Eversource staff for volunteering at this event)

GOLD SPONSOR:

Home Team Supply

Additional SPONSORS:

Jersey Mikes

Neil’s Donuts

Price Chopper

Sign Mart

November 25, 2022

QUILT OF VALOR honorarium

A personalized Quilt of Valor was presented to Dustin Harrison, Army Veteran with three tours to Middle East with the 3rd BN 75th Ranger RGT to honor his service to our country. Approximately 20 of his friends and family gathered at the Greater Middletown Military Museum the day after Thanksgiving 2022 to make the presentation.  

A representative quilter gave a history of the Quilt of Valor movement, related how many busy hands were involved in each quilt and that many thousands of these quilts have been made and presented across the country.  This quilt was presented on behalf of Nutmeg State Blue Star Mothers, CT5, several were in attendance during this special presentation ceremony. Louise Sapia was the presenter assisted by Jackie El-Hachem and Cathy Hodlin who had made this quilt.

Military Vehicles and Cars of the War Era Concours’ – July 23, 2022

This was our 2nd Annual Concours’ at the Museum. It was a successful fund raiser and an opportunity to showcase the Greater Middletown Military Museum in Middletown’s Veterans Park.

A special thanks to our Exhibitors who brought their vehicles, to the volunteers from Eversource and our Museum staff who were there to run the show, and to our sponsors, PLATINUM – Eversource, GOLD – Home Team Supply, as well as Neil’s Donuts (delicious), Price Chopper, Sign-Mart and Jersey Mike’s (great box lunches).