The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum sets out to “connect the latest generation with the greatest generation.”
While the museum’s location, Granite Falls, Minnesota, may seem an unlikely spot, the reason is easy. Ron Fagen built it as a tribute to his late father, Raymond Fagen, a veteran of WWII who fought in Normandy on D-Day.
What’s in the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum Collection?
The museum collection is extensive, containing fully operational aircraft and machinery as well as artifacts. However, its greatest – and most impressive asset – is the original artwork that forms a backdrop for many of the displays.
D-Day Exhibit
Before us, a dozen bronze sculptures of United States Army G.I.s charged out of a U.S. landing craft onto sand. The sand, we learned, was real sand brought from Utah Beach in France.
Behind the beach, dozens more soldiers seemed to follow them out of the sea and sky.
The soldiers, one depicted as Raymond Fagen, carried rifles. The scene seemed so real, I could almost hear water lapping on the beach, men’s feet thudding onto the ground, and gunfire, from a soldier flopped on his belly in the sand.
“Visitors to Fagen Fighters WWII Museum D-Day Exhibit can’t help but feel they’ve had a flashback in time to June 6, 1944, D-Day.”
David and I certainly did, even before we learned the details about the scene.
While the WWII artifacts certainly created the bulk of the scene, it was the wall mural by Nebraska artist, David Reiser, that completed the time machine.
The Airplanes
The Fagen Fighters World War II museum began, as all collections do, with a single item. It was a P-51 Mustang airplane purchased in November of 1994. Other planes followed, which now fill the Fighters Hangar.
Other notable planes here include a P-40 Warhawk and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, along with a Scat III, built in 1945. Next door, in the Training Hangar, you’ll see a Ryan PT-22 training craft used by the US Armed Forces beginning in 1941.
As well as artifacts, the museum shares stories of the brave men and women who fought World War II.
Fast Fact: One story I found particularly interesting was that of legendary aviation pioneer, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle. He led a 1942 raid on Tokyo just four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor with its devastating losses.
All the planes were lost.
However, 69 of the 80 airmen survived the raid that inflicted damage on both military and industrial targets.
The mission served to boost American morale.
While seeing the planes against the beautiful mural backdrops is great, you can also see them fly! Indeed, the museum has regular airshows where these warbirds take to the skies.
More at the Museum
In between the Fighter and Bomber hangars, you’ll even see a recreation of the 357th Fighter’s Group Briefing Quonset in Leicester, England. Next to it, there’s a control tower I climbed to get a view of the whole complex and hangars.
In addition to airplanes in the hangars, we found a number of interesting military machines at Fagen Fighters World War II Museum.
Fast Fact: Military machines include an anti-aircraft halftrack, General Omar Bradley’s D-Day Willy Jeep, a Harley Davidson WLA Escort Motorcycle, and a D-Day Veteran WC-54 Dodge Ambulance, a CCKWX troop carrier (better known as a Deuce and a half truck), and a Cushman Model 32 Scooter.
Linda’s Pick of the Displays
It was extremely hard to pick a favorite display in this museum due to the artwork that served as backdrops to many of them.
However, I have to say the Holocaust display really stood out for me as I’d already visited Auschwitz Concentration Camp & Birkenau in Poland.
The Holocaust Display
Telling the Holocaust story isn’t easy, but Fagen Fighters WWII Museum does it with simplicity and honesty. Just like the D-Day display, they use life-size statues, artifacts and the artwork of David Reiser.
Fast Fact: The key artifact here is an 1899 railroad boxcar used to transport Jewish people throughout the war. Indeed, the museum added it to their collection to honor the victims of the Holocaust.
Next to the boxcar, a soldier, red Nazis arm band standing out against the green of his uniform, directs the removal of a woman from the boxcar.
On the opposite side of the train car another scene of POWs plays out.
Information panels give details that include dates, important events, photos and quotes from victims of the Holocaust. If Poland isn’t on your future list of destinations, we highly recommend a stop at Fagen Fighters museum.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
David and I visited the Fagen Fighters World War II Museum after leaving Grand Forks, ND. There, we stayed at the Country Inn & Suites, which was comfortable.
In Grand Forks, do check out the Myra Museum, as it had some unique displays.
Our favorite eating spot on this stretch was in Morris, MN (68 miles north of the museum on the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway and US-59N highways), at the Old No. 1 Bar & Grill.
Great atmosphere and loved the Grain Belt Blu draft with its mix of grain belt lager and fresh blueberry juice (but then I love all of the blueberry drafts!).
About the Museum
The Fagen Fighters World War II Museum is owned by Ron Fagen, who started a construction company in 1974 after serving in Vietnam.
Today, the company that bears his name, and of which he is CEO, is the 30th largest contractor in the U.S., and the 68th largest in the world, according to MidwestFlyer.com.
Who Should Visit The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum?
The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is a must-see regardless of your age or the historical periods that interest you. Packed with authentic artifacts and imagery, it really does bring the past to life.
It’s a great way to introduce children to the history of WWII and help them understand the sacrifices made by their ancestors to keep them free.
How to Visit the Fagen Fighters World War II Museum
Fagen Fighters WWII located 4 miles south of Granite Falls, MN on State Road 23.
More information about visiting the Fagen Fighters World War II museum website.
Find the Fagen Fighters World War II Museum on Facebook.
Watch the Fagan Fighters Museum video on YouTube.
Plan your itinerary on Google Maps.
Find More Museum Reviews for Minnesota
Check out more reviews for museum attractions for Minnesota on guide2museums.com.
Discover More Military & War Museums
- Plains of Abraham Museum & Battlefield Park: Quebec City
- Canada’s Little-Known Cold War Museum: the Diefenbunker
- U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii Artillery Battery in Honolulu
- USS Lexington Museum: WWII Aircraft Carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Regional Military Museum: Artifacts from all US Wars in Houma, Lousiana
- Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: Ashland, Nebraska
- Vancouver Island Military Museum: Nanaimo, British Columbia
- National Museum of the Pacific War: Fredericksburg, Texas
- Hill Aerospace Museum: Military Aircraft at Hill AFB, Utah
- Battleship Memorial Park: 1942 Battleship & 1941 Submarine in Mobile, Alabama
- Fagen Fighters WWII Museum: Granite Falls, Minnesota
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park: WWII History in Hanford, Washington
- National World War II Museum: New Orleans, Louisiana
Reference(s)
Walker, W. (2022, December 8). Exploring the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum. General Aviation News. https://generalaviationnews.com/2022/12/08/exploring-the-fagen-fighters-wwii-museum/
guide2museums.com 