Here’s Your Chance to Drive a WWII Sherman Tank Into Battle

I have been obsessed with WWII since I was a young man. My grandfathers and one great aunt served in the "Big One" as it's known in my family.

One grandfather, Lt. Commander Jim Aughton, served in the NAVY in the South Pacific and my other grandfather, Captain Bob King, served in the Army in Europe and my Great Aunt May Aughton was a Navy Nurse at Pearl Harbor. I've always been proud of their service and have learned as much as I can about WWII history.

Part of learning about that history has made me pretty obsessed with visiting military museums and taking every opportunity to get in, get on, fly and sometimes even drive military equipment. I've driven a P.T. Boat in the Florida Keys, I've flown in a B-17, B-25, and B-29, I have driven a few military Jeeps, and have had the opportunity to be aboard several warships and subs.

The one thing I've never had the opportunity to do is ride or drive a tank. Well, maybe on October 9th and 10th that could change at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA.

First, the military museum is one of the most impressive military armor museums I've ever seen. The collection of military armor, vehicles, and equipment from countries all over the work is impressive. To me, the most impressive thing is that they actually have tanks that they drive in demonstrations and they will actually let you drive on special occasions.

The weekend of October 9th and 10th they are holding a military reenactors event called "Battle for the Airfield" where 350 military reenactors will battle. Several branches of the allied and axis military will be represented as well as vehicles, artillery, and armored vehicles involved in the battle. There will even be pyrotechnics.

There is also a contest for a chance to drive the US Sherman Tank in "battle" during the reenactment. You can buy raffle tickets for the chance to drive a tank and get information about the weekend event at the American Heritage Museum website.