By Barbara Palmgren
Whenever there are special occasions to celebrate at one of our nine area museums, we share this with the community. There was such an event in the fall of 2025 at the history museum in Valparaiso that houses historical artifacts for the entire area.
They say it takes a whole village to raise a child. In this case, after five years of setting up the outdoor rail gun and the indoor prototype and display, the effort was complete and not done by museum staff alone. Thanks for this exhibit goes to the additional expertise and work of the following groups: Eglin Air Force, Eglin Armament Museum, IS4S, and Eagle Scouts Shane Hestilow and Zachery Freeman. We also thank Construction Service Co. of Florida, Inc. of Villa Tasso for unloading the largest rail gun from Eglin onto museum property in 2020.
Zachery living now in Arkansas, arrived for a noon ribbon cutting, being sure he left in time for an afternoon flight home. Shane, taking time off work, attended with his parents. Both boys were presented a Norman Rockwell copy of the famous painting of two boy scouts with George Washington praying in the background. The boys are looking back up at the first president of the United States, a true role model.
Russ Klug , Vice President Fort Walton Beach Ops IS4S, attended and described the part this company played in cleaning up the huge and heavy prototype and mounting it on a steel frame with wheels. Russ described the projectiles that were now mounted perfectly by the Armament Museum. Unlike a conventional gun which relies on an explosive charge, the railgun uses magnetic rails and electric current to propel a projectile down the barrel and to its target.
There was also a short video of a conversation between Dr. Barbara Palmgren, Museum Chair in 2020 and Russ Klug, describing the rail gun exhibit. The video is part of the exhibit and can be viewed so visitors understand what is being seen both indoors and outdoors.
Photos were taken inside and outside the museum. Both boy scouts contributed to this exhibit. Shane cleaned and painted the large rail gun and Zachery researched and described the exhibit itself in a permanent display next to the three outdoor rail guns protected by a fence and roof.
The Strategic Defense Imitative program began in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan’s initiative and was nicknamed Star Wars. It ended in 1993 and the railguns had been gathering dust at Eglin. Eglin generously donated them to the museum along with the prototype and projectiles.
No worries, everyone. These large non-functioning railguns will never be used again. Come and visit this exhibit without fear. Shock and awe, yes indeed!
