VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The community in Volusia County and across Central Florida is invited to visit the fairgrounds in DeLand for the Volusia Valor Days.
The event showcases World War 2 tanks, artillery, and wheeled vehicles. “By coming to this event, the community gets to see how we operated the tanks, how we operated the vehicles, how the structure of the military would’ve operated during WW2,” said Sargent Skips Inge, with the WW2 Armor.
The event is back for a second year, bringing thousands of visitors on a journey through American history.
“It’s very educational. We home school, so this is cool just for them to see things,” said a visitor with her two children at the event. “This is an unusual and incredible Collection. These things don’t exist anymore.
There were 43,000 Sherman tanks built in World War Two; we have five of them here,” another visitor said.
All around, there were real trucks, guns, and uniforms, all from World War II. The event also offers a first responder touch-a-truck display and many historic vehicles from different decades.
“What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen so far?” Channel 9′s Geovany Dias asked 10-year-old Eli, who was visiting from Jacksonville. “Probably these big ol’ tanks,” he said. “I heard about this in Jacksonville. This was the second festival they’ve ever had. It’s the largest private collection of WW2 tanks. So, I thought it would be interesting,” said Tanya Thomas, who attended the event with her son.
At the Volusia Valor Days, you’ll also find historians, authors, and actors teaching about the battles and characters that shaped the history of our country and the world.
“I’m a descendant of a woman who worked during World War Two,” said Angie Morthland with the American Rosie Riveter Association. “So, we’re going to keep history alive and remember the service members and the home front during World War II.”
The event is free and ends at 5 pm on Sunday.
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