Rare artifacts to see at Fort Sill during TRADOC’s 50th birthday week

This week, the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill are celebrating the 50th birthday of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).

According to a release, there are multiple events at Fort Sill throughout this week. Several facilities will host open houses or tours, among those the Air Defense Artillery Training Support Facility (ADA TSF).

“The Air Defense Artillery Training Support Facility is rarely open to the public,” Keith Pannell, deputy public affairs officer at the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill Public Affairs Office, said. “This is a chance for the public to see one-of-a-kind historic artifacts dating back to World War I. It’s also a great chance to hear about the lessons our air defenders learned during each conflict that help make today’s United States Air Defense Artillery the best in the world.”

One of the rare items on display at the ADA TSF is an 80-plus-years-old flag sewn by Soldiers of the 200th, 60th and 59th Coast Artillery who were POWs just outside of Hiroshima. Tours of the ADA TSF are offered Wednesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Other activities going on include the Field Artillery Museum tour at 2 p.m. on Thursday and historic Howitzer fire at 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The cake cutting will take place at 1 p.m. on Friday in the Kerwin Auditorium in Snow Hall, 1210 Schimmelpfennig Road.