Previous Artifacts - September 2009
Original Condition
Restored Condition
Restored Spotlight: World War II Tank Gun
Restored by the 82nd Airborn Division 508 PIR 1st Batallion Headquarters Company LMG Platoon
In 1946, the Pettigrew Museum received a rather large shipment from the United States War Department. The shipment consisted of a 37 millimeter antitank gun used in World War II. South Dakota Senator, John Chandler “Chan” Gurney was very instrumental in getting the antitank gun for the museum along with a couple rifles and a saber.
Last spring, a group of local World War II re-enactors and restorers of WWII military equipment offered to restore the 37 mm antitank gun for the Siouxland Heritage Museums. They have worked hard to return the gun to its original condition with much work done by member Wyatt Honomichl. They have even restored missing parts, put on new historically-appropriate tires, and painted it at a value of $1,400. Recently, the group has shown the newly-restored antitank gun at the Sioux Falls Air Show and hopes to show the artifact at other events. The Siouxland Heritage Museums would like to thank them for their work and dedication on restoring this important artifact.
