North Louisiana Military Museum — Attraction in Ruston

I was in this place about 2 decades ago when I was teaching at Louisiana Tech as a visiting professor. I met this gentleman through his wife who was at the time working in the city hall (I believe). From my non-southern accent, she realized I was not from there. I told her that I was originally from Turkey. She was so excited to talk to a Turk because her husband kept talking about the Turkish bravery during the Korean War. This was an ethereal coincidence for me as well as I had been collecting material about the Turkish-American encounters in Korea (I still have a good amount of such material) to "write" a book. One day I met this gentleman for lunch and we talked about his experiences. I really do not want to overstate anything as my memory is a bit rusty as but he told me that he had a Turkish soldier friend in Korea. When his friend fell one day, the other Turkish soldiers took an insignia of sorts from his uniform and gave it to him. During our lunch, he took a small package out of his pocket wrapped in a fabric, and gave it to me. It was a small red circular fabric insignia with the crescent moon and star, the Turkish flag. As I extended my hand, I realized that he was crying.... He told me to keep it. At that time, I kissed his hand out of respect and gave him a big Turkish hug. I might have lost that artifact or it is somewhere in a box as I moved a number of times since our encounter about two decades ago. His granddaughter had contacted me to tell me me that this great American hero died in 2012... And, very recently, a Turkish Vet of Korean war from my tiny little town back in Turkey passed away.

I want to recognize these great men and hope that THERE ARE INDEED TRUE FRIENDSHIPS THAT LAST FOREVER. THESE FRIENDSHIPS MUST NOT FALL VICTIM TO SHORT TERM REGIONAL INTERESTS and/or INEPTITUDE of POLITICIANS..... This is what easily...

This place is a gem of military artifacts from Civil War, both World Wars,Vietnam, Korea, plus other conflicts. Great place for kids and families. Check opening times and dates before going. The museum's lower floor had weapons from all nations engaged in these conflicts and if that wasn't impressive enough, the upper floor had fully uniformed and equipped mannequins displayed from most nations. I highly encourage both the historical enthusiasts and anyone who wants to see what it took to keep our country free to stop by and see this gem! It is run by a retired Marine with help from his other retired military buddies. They are also really great guys to talk to! Admission is free, but any donations are...

Just passing through town one Saturday on the way to eat... “Hey check-it out, a Huey”!! Figured I’d stop in to see this museum. I’ll admit, it’s not very appealing from the exterior. As soon as u enter, you’re mesmerized by a complete and ultimate plethora of military history. All exhibits are lighted well, contain easy to read brief descriptions and arranged according to theatre. I was in complete shock & aw of how nice this museum really is. There’ll be more upstairs, opening in a couple weeks. The two guys who run the museum were both very courteous & welcoming. So if you’re going through this area, stop on by and check it out. I can guarantee... you won’t be...