The Louisiana Military Museum gets big gun in Abbeville

For years, this M-110 Self-propelled Howitzer sat rusting away in a grave-yard for military equipment at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. Vegetation was overtaking it. Today, with a fresh coat of paint and all cleaned up, it now sits proudly at the Louisiana Military Museum in Abbeville.
The Louisiana National Guard unloaded the M-110 Howitzer Wednesday on the grounds of the Chris Crusta Airport in Abbeville. The National Guard unloaded it at the corner of Revis Sirmon Road, where it is expected to stay for a long time.
“I’m so excited,” said Crystal Mouton, who is the tourism director for the Louisiana Military Hall of Fame and Museum in Abbeville.
For the last year, the Louisiana National Guard in New Orleans was in possession of the M-110 to paint and clean it.
Friends of the Louisiana Military Museum helped raise money to purchase the paint to be used by the National Guard to paint the M-110. After the National Guard unloaded the M-110, it loaded a M-47 tank to bring back to New Orleans, also to be painted.
Mouton said the Friends of the Military Museum are in the process of raising money to build a cement foundation for the 60,000 pound M-110 to be rolled on. Once the foundation is built, military flag poles and flags will be placed around the M-110.
There is no engine in it, so no one can start it and drive it away, Mouton said. She was also not sure when was the last time this M-110 was fired.

Facts about the M-110 Self Propelled Howitzer

• Development of the M110 self-propelled howitzer began in the mid-1950s.
• The first prototype, known as the T-236, was built in 1959.
• The M110 entered service with the US Army and US Marine Corps in 1961. It was produced for a long period of time and was exported to a number of countries.
• The M110 was the most powerful self-propelled howitzer in service with the US Army.
• This artillery system saw action during Vietnam War, Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It has now been retired from the US Army service.
• It could reach speeds of 45 miles per hour.
• It fires 8 inch shells.
• Current operators are Egypt, Greece, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey.