Fort McCoy’s historic Equipment Park served as one of the primary attractions during the 2026 Fort McCoy Armed Forces Day Open House, drawing hundreds of visitors to the installation’s Commemorative Area to experience more than a century of Army history firsthand.
According to officials with the Fort McCoy Garrison and Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, nearly 1,000 people attended the annual open house May 16, with at least half of those visitors touring the Equipment Park throughout the day.
Located within Fort McCoy’s historic Commemorative Area, the Equipment Park features more than 70 military vehicles, artillery pieces, helicopters, and other equipment displays representing Army history from World War II through modern military operations.
Fort McCoy officials said the park continues to serve as one of the installation’s most popular historical attractions because it gives visitors an opportunity to closely view military equipment that Soldiers trained with and operated at Fort McCoy through multiple generations of service.
The Equipment Park was originally established in the mid-1990s as part of the installation’s larger Commemorative Area historical preservation effort. According to information provided by the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, the park began with only a handful of “macro-artifacts” before steadily expanding into the large outdoor historical exhibit visitors see today.
Officials with the Fort McCoy Garrison stated the equipment on display was selected specifically to reflect the types of military vehicles and weapons systems historically used at Fort McCoy throughout its more than 110-year history.
Among the displays are tanks, tracked vehicles, artillery pieces, tactical trucks, helicopters, and transport equipment representing eras from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, and modern Army operations.
During the Armed Forces Day Open House, visitors walked through the outdoor exhibits while also participating in ceremonies, military displays, historical demonstrations, and family activities held throughout the Commemorative Area.
Officials said the Equipment Park was especially popular with veterans and families, many of whom stopped to photograph the displays and discuss the historical significance of the equipment.
The condition and appearance of the park also received significant attention ahead of the event. According to Fort McCoy officials, installation personnel worked extensively to ensure the Equipment Park was well maintained and presentation ready for visitors attending the open house.
Grass areas were manicured, display areas were cleaned, and equipment exhibits were prepared to provide a professional and welcoming atmosphere for the public. Officials said the upkeep helped showcase both the installation’s history and Fort McCoy’s continued commitment to preserving Army heritage.
The Equipment Park complements the larger Fort McCoy Commemorative Area, which includes historic World War II-era buildings, Veterans Memorial Plaza, and the Fort McCoy History Center. Together, the area preserves and interprets the installation’s long role as a major Army training center.
Fort McCoy officials noted that events such as the Armed Forces Day Open House help connect the public with the Army’s mission while also honoring the generations of Soldiers, veterans, and military families connected to the installation.
The annual Armed Forces Day Open House is one of Fort McCoy’s largest public outreach events and is designed to provide community members an opportunity to visit the installation, learn about military service, and interact with Soldiers and Army organizations in an educational and family-friendly environment.
Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.”
The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”
And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin. The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online athttps://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: |
05.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
05.28.2026 15:56 |
| Story ID: |
566351 |
| Location: |
FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
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14 |
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