World War II Women’s Army Corps Bicycle On Exhibit At Virginia War Memorial
August 31, 2015 For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeb Hockman, (O) 804.786.2074 (C) 804.239.2447 (jhockman@vawarmemorial.org)
U.S. Army Women’s Museum Loans Rare Military Bicycle Designed for Female Soldiers
For Display During Richmond 2015 Event
(Richmond, Va.) A bicycle specifically designed for members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) during World War II is now on display at the Virginia War Memorial’s Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center in downtown Richmond.
The bicycle is on loan from the U.S. Army Women’s Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia through
September to coincide with the upcoming Richmond 2015 UCI World Cycling Championship taking place September 19-27 in the city and surrounding area.
According to Amanda Vtipilson, the Army Women’s Museum Education Curator, the bicycle was developed at the request of the then newly established WAAC who noted that ordinary bicycles of that era were too heavy and lacked an open frame. The bicycle on display is painted olive green, is six-feet long, three-and-half feet high and weighs just fifty-five pounds. It was the first gender specific equipment intended for use by Army women.
“With the excitement of the bike race coming to Richmond, our curator Jesse Smith and our staff here at the Memorial were looking for an artifact that highlights cycling and would fit in with our military-themed exhibits,” said Jon Hatfield, Executive Director of the Virginia War Memorial. “We have no bicycles in our collection but discovered that our friends at the U.S. Army Women’s Museum had recently added this one to theirs.”
“We are grateful to Dr. Francoise Bonnell, the Army Women’s Museum Executive Director, and her staff for allowing us to display this unique and historic bicycle,” Hatfield noted. “It also gives us the opportunity to encourage the thousands of visitors who will be in the city for the races to learn about the U.S. Army’s Women’s Museum at Fort Lee and perhaps plan a visit there while they are in our area.”
Located on over four acres at 621 South Belvidere Street, the Virginia War Memorial and its Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center are open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or call 804.786.2060.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Instill Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who served in our military forces.
About the U. S. Army Women’s Museum
The U.S. Army Women’s Museum, located at Fort Lee, VA is the only museum in the world dedicated to Army women. It was located at Ft McClellan, Alabama until 1955 when it was moved to its present location and reopened in May 2001. The Museum honors women’s contributions to the Army telling their stories with interactive exhibits and videos throughout the gallery.
Admission to the Museum is free and open to the public. The Museum is located at 2100 A Avenue Fort Lee, Virginia and the gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 10am to 4:30pm. For more information call 804.734.4327, email usarmy.lee.tradoc.mbx.leee-awmweb@mail.mil or visit www.awm.lee.army.mil or Facebook page www.facebook.com/usarmywomensmuseum.
About the Virginia War Memorial Foundation
Created in 1999, the Virginia War Memorial Foundation (VWMF) is the non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation dedicated to the sole financial support of the educational outreach, historical exhibits, documentary films and patriotic programs of the Virginia War Memorial. Donations to the Foundation from individuals, corporations, military and veterans groups, and organizations are tax-deductible. For more information, call 804.786.2060 or go to www.vawarmemorial.org and click on “Get Involved.”