Location of Fred Crismon collection and research?

[silviop15]

Does anyone know the current location of Fred Crismon's collection? Fred passed in 2009 and I was told from John Adams-Graf that it was donated to the Patton Museum.

I heard from David Doyle who spent over 200 days there said he never saw the collection. He also said that he spoke to Fred's daughter and they said it was sold at an auction and that she did not know who bought it.

EDIT: Let me elaborate more on this, Fred wrote the books US Military Wheeled Vehicles, and US Military Tracked Vehicles published by Crestline. He traveled to lots of museums and corporate archives to collect vehicles and documentation on MVs.

Anyone heard anything like this?

[Garry_Redmon]

I've never heard of Fred Crimson. The Patton Museum did receive three pieces confiscated from the Fred Ropkey collection that were still federal property.

[Doug_Kibbey]

- Garry_Redmon

I've never heard of Fred Crimson. The Patton Museum did receive three pieces confiscated from the Fred Ropkey collection that were still federal property.

Gary, Fred Crimson was (I believe) a serving officer in Armor in the '70s-80s time frame and took a lot of pictures, many of which can be found in Hunnicutt's books and credited to him. I am not aware of him being a collector of other than a boatload of interesting photographs, but I could well be wrong. He may have some pics in David's books as well, but would have to look. Typically, his pics are of vehicles "in service" or where ever else he managed to catch them.

[silviop15]

Just added more detail to the original post.

Off topic: I thought that Ropkey voluntarily handed over those pieces so he cold keep his collection private. Did they get shipped to Ft. Benning?

[Jstar]

Happy New Year.

I think you mean Fred CRISMON, not Crimson.

Don't know where his material is at a present, but like what he did.

[silviop15]

Yes my mistake. Fred Crismon

[armyjunk2]

I have an address and phone number for Fred Crismon if anyone wants to call. He lived close by ..... send me a PM if you want the number..someone at his home might have some info...

[Garry_Redmon]

Thanks for the info on Crismon. The Ropkey 8" is still at the Patton Museum. The rest is at Benning.

[silviop15]

- Garry_Redmon

Thanks for the info on Crismon. The Ropkey 8" is still at the Patton Museum. The rest is at Benning.

I did not now that the long tom (once) belonged to Ropkey. So the Long tom, the M114, what was the third piece they took?

[Garry_Redmon]

I believe it was an M37.

[silviop15]

Interesting thanks.

[armyjunk2]

I believe these vehicles and artillery were taken from Fred’s, to be stored away in some warehouse.

[armyjunk2]

I also think the term "Long Tom" usually refers to the 155mm M2/M59 not the much shorter 8inch Howitzer.

[silviop15]

The museum sold a running M47 after Fred passed, It was at the 2014 MVPA convention. Didn't he have another M47 patton inside?

[armyjunk2]

back in 2006 Fred had a M48A1 and a M47 inside and the M47 outside, total of 3....those are almost to modern for me, they all look the same to me. My interest pretty well ends in 1945. I do have pics of all 3.