On October 14-16, 2011, several Patton Museum volunteers attended the Knob Creek Gun Range's annual machine gun shoot. The Knob Creek Gun Range, located in West Point, Kentucky, hosts this annual event where gun enthusiasts from across the nation come to live fire a large assortment of weapons. The volunteers set up a display area showcasing Vietnam-era uniforms, equipment and weapons as a promotion for the Patton Museum. Using two 105mm howitzers from the Patton Museum, volunteer Chun-lun Hsu's duece-and-a-half truck, personal tents, weapons and equipment along with a huge amount of sand bags, they set up a large display area representative of a Vietnam fire base. The base was named Fire Base Hoffmann, after Steve Hoffmann, a former Patton Museum volunteer who passed away in 2009. Their fire base drew a lot of attention from the attendees and educated the public on U.S. and enemy weapons and equipment as well as the new mission of the Patton Museum.


The display area featured tents, equipment and other sundry items found around a fire base during the Vietnam War.

Russell Stansbury takes a relaxing cigar smoke in a sandbagged M60 machine gun position.

One of two 105mm howitzers recently acquired by the Patton Museum were key in the creation of this fire base.

As in the war, make-shift signs were installed by the men at these fire bases. This base is named in honor of the late Steve Hoffmann, a Patton Museum volunteer.

One of many display tables showing weapons and equipment used by U.S. and enemy forces in the Vietnam War.

An 81mm mortar, on loan from collector Don Crum, adds to the firepower of the base.

More equipment and storage items making up the display.

The display area drew large crowds of interested spectators during the event.

Helicopter rides over the gun range in a Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey added another touch of realism.

Patton Museum volunteers and others that manned the fire base display throughout the event are: (l-r) Steve Leezer, Robert Decker, Nick, Mark Leezer (seated) Syd Stansbury, Russell Stansbury, Kevin Combs, Kevin Coms, Jr., Lyle Slaton and Dave.