Quartermaster Museum opens redesigned petroleum, water exhibit

Photo By Lesley Atkinson | Staff Sgt. Ronald Knowles, a 92F petrolum supply specialist here, poses next to a life-size figure that he served as a model for in New York City in late February. The statue was unveiled during the opening ceremony for the redesigned Petroleum and Water Exhibit at the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum Sept. 9.  

UNITED STATES

09.15.2016

Story by Lesley Atkinson 

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. (Sept. 15, 2016) -- The Fort Lee community celebrated the opening of a redesigned Petroleum and Water Exhibit at the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum Friday.

More than 100 guests were in attendance for the ribbon cutting and introductory tour that followed.

“The exhibit is a year in the making,” said Paul Morando, museum director. “It’s part of a bigger plan to renovate all of the major galleries. I put out a challenge to the quartermaster departments several years ago, and this is another part of the project to redo the entire museum.”

Morando said, “Aerial Delivery was the first to jump on board about four years ago. Now petroleum came on board and I hope to work with the other three.”

Jose Hernandez, Petroleum and Water Department director, spoke during the ceremony. “Our goal is for people who visit the exhibit to take away the importance of liquid logistics in the modern military and appreciate the many distribution men in disposal. The exhibit honors the past but also touches on our future and our virtual tools to sustain technical readiness. I’m glad we took on this challenge and want to thank PWD and the NCOs who did all the work.”

The guest speaker Brig. Gen. Rodney Fogg, Quartermaster General said, “I came through this museum 29 years ago and it’s an honor for me to open this exhibit. The new exhibit captures the history of the Army, shaping petroleum and water distribution operations. It’s an important story.”

Fogg spoke on the importance of having petroleum in today’s Army. “If you total the tonnage of supplies the Army needs to operate on the battlefield, more than 70 percent is fuel. In the height of Iraq and Afghanistan, 1.6 million gallons of fuel were distributed every single day.

“It didn’t start out that way, so in the exhibit we begin with WWI and WWII. Our demand for petroleum gets bigger and bigger overtime.”

Fogg also noted how often the provision of clean water is taken for granted. “Our forces can’t survive without it, so there’s no question of its importance.”

He thanked the Liquid Logistics Association for its continued support of traditions and care for Soldiers. He also thanked Morando and the entire team at the museum for their hard work and efforts. He ended by thanking the PWD department.

“This exhibit is something to be proud of and is a part of history,” he said.

In the new exhibit, a bronze casting of a life-sized 92F petroleum supply specialist – Staff Sgt. Ronald Knowles, driver for the QM General – is featured. After the ribbon cutting, Knowles stood by this replica of himself turning a wheel valve to a pipeline. The casting of Knowles is the first of five bronze castings to be displayed in the museum.

Morando said he had seen the castings in other museums and traveled to New York City in late February with Knowles and four other Soldiers to begin the project at a commercial sculpture studio.

He said, “What a great way to represent the Quartermaster Corps and what they do. Sgt. Knowles is representing all petroleum Soldiers.”

“I am overwhelmed,” said Knowles. “I am happy to represent my comrades before me, and those in the future. I can bring my family back here for years and years to come and show them I am a part of history.”

• Date Taken: 09.15.2016
• Date Posted: 09.15.2016 09:05
• Story ID: 209683
• Location: US