MISSISSIPPI ARMED FORCES MUSEUM
Hattiesburg, MS
The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby was opened to the public on 27 October 2001. The museum was formed by combining the holdings of the Mississippi War Memorial Museum (Jackson, 1967-1996) and the Camp Shelby Armed Forces Museum (1984-2001) to create a single military history museum for the State of Mississippi.
The mission of the MAFM is to collect, preserve, interpret, exhibit and hold in public trust for the exclusive benefit of the people, significant historical property related to the history of the State of Mississippi and its contributions to the Armed Forces of the United States from the early nineteenth century to the present. Operating as a non-profit institution, the Museum directly supports training, study, research and education in related subjects.
The Museum honors the service and sacrifices of servicemen and women of all branches from Mississippi and others who received wartime training in Mississippi. State-of-the-art exhibits and archives, including personal stories of the heroes and heroines of our Republic, serve to educate present and future generations about the price paid for the freedom and prosperity Americans now enjoy.
Type of Institution: Museum
Partner since: 2012
Website: Mississippi Armed Forces Museum
Contact: form
Address: Mississippi Armed Forces Museum
Building 850, Forrest Ave, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Explore Mississippi Armed Forces Museum Collections
Ernest A. Schleuder Collection
This collection consists of photographs documenting daily life at Camp Shelby during World War II. The photographs belonged to Ernest A. Schleuder (1899-1980 ), who served as the Public Relations Officer at Camp Shelby from 1942 to 1944.
Rodolph "Rudy" Case (1920-1979) was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during the Second World War with the 409th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force as a pilot and aircraft commander. The Rodolph Case Collection consists of various items related to Rodolph Case’s military career and his time spent as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I.
Terral & Smith Family Papers Collection
This collection contains letters and documents created between 1855 and 1890 by Samuel H. Terral and John F. Smith. Samuel Terral's correspondence provides insight into life before and during the American Civil War, offering a glimpse into military camps and sharing news of family members‘ deaths. John Smith's correspondence focuses on post-war events, such as the 1890 Mississippi Constitutional Convention. Additionally, there are Vouchers of abstract from John Smith's time in the 8th Mississippi Regiment.
The Reveille Newspaper Collection
The Reveille was a weekly newspaper distributed to personnel at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, during World War II. The newspaper was created by soldiers assigned to the base’s Public Relations Office. It was published and printed by The Hattiesburg American, Inc., from 1941 to June 1944, after which publication was transferred to the base’s Post Exchange.
Vera Anderson McDonald Collection
Vera Anderson (1923-2013) was born in Sumrall, Mississippi, and worked at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation in Pascagoula, Mississippi, from 1942-1945. Between 1943 and 1944, she won both the First and Second Women’s National Welding Championships held at Ingalls. The Vera Anderson collection contains photographs documenting the championships and her life at Ingalls as a welding instructor.
These materials are presented online for educational purposes only. Images may contain copyrighted material. Use of these materials on websites, in exhibits, or in publications requires the permission of Mississippi Armed Forces Museum and/or the legal copyright holder. The user bears full responsibility for securing any and all appropriate permissions. Please contact Mississippi Armed Forces Museum for further information.