LAWRENCE — The Museum of 20th Century Warfare (M20CW) at Fort Harrison State Park will be hosting a living history weekend, August 29-30, to commemorate the fighting and sacrifice that took place in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) during World War II.
Living historians will display their personal collections of equipment and uniforms used by soldiers from both sides in the Pacific Theater from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in building 710 in the Historic Camp Glenn area of the park. At 1 p.m. both days, a PowerPoint presentation will be given by the museum’s historian Chris Schneider in the park’s Visitor Center. Saturday’s presentation will be a general history of the war in the Pacific and Sunday’s will feature the battle that took place for the island of Tarawa.
At 2 p.m. each day, there will be a live demonstration of destroying a Japanese bunker complex, simulated by using pyro techniques and blank ammunition in the museum’s battlefield area, which is located just east of the Camp Glenn buildings. Re-enactors dressed in appropriate uniforms playing the parts of Allied and Japanese soldiers will participate, demonstrating the tactics used during WWII.
There is no charge for this event; however the normal state park gate fees do apply to enter the park. Special event signs will be posted to guide visitors to the Camp Glenn area and the museum buildings.
