The Association of the Century

Century Division Museum:

Click here to view the Curator's biography.

The Century Division Historical Holding Center of the Association of the Century, Inc., was recognized and sanctioned as an Army Historical Holding Center by the Center for Military History in 1995. The Century Division Historical Holding Center is physically co-located with the U.S. Army Reserve's 100th Division(Operational/Support)Headquarters element which occupies the MG Benjamin J. Butler Army Reserve Center located at 3600 Century Division Way, Louisville, Kentucky.

The Century Divison Holding Center depicts the history of the 100th Division from it's WW I beginning, it's WW II re-activation and combat actions and through the many re-organizations and changes to the Division mission and structure up to the present organization.

The WW II displays are dedicated to the 100th Infantry Division and the European campaign. All weaponry displayed is of WW II vintage, both German and American.

The museum has only European artifacts for the WW II period as the 100th Infantry Division served in European theater. No Pacific theater artifacts are available.

SPECIAL DISPLAY: There is a special display in the foyer of the museum honoring the three Medal of Honor recipients of the 100th Infantry Division for their individual valor during the European combat operations. They are;

1LT Edward A. Silk - Co E, 398th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division

TSGT Charles F. Carey - HQ Co, 2/397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division

PFC Mike Colalillo - Co C, 398th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division

The museum also displays items from the Viet Nam period, the Desert Shield/ Storm period and the current Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The museum is actively seeking more artifacts from the above periods.

As an approved Army Historical Holding Center, like Army Museums, all items of historical artifacts and papers donated to the center become the property of the Center for Military History. Items on loan to the center remain the property of the individual loaning the items.

Should the Century Division Historical Holding Center cease to exist, The Army's Center for Military History, would direct the disposition of the center's holdings.

The Center will continue to accept historical artifacts and papers Relating to the 100th Infantry, Airborne or Training Division from WWI to present. The Center's Curator states that the Association appreciates the many unselfish donations that have been made. At present there are over 3600 line items of historical records and artifacts. Many of these items are currently on display at the MG Benjamin J. Butler Reserve Center.

The Holding Center volunteers have integrated the holding center's record keeping in accordance with the Universal Site Artifact Management System (USAMS). Some 3,500 records are in the process of being amended to comply with the USAMS system. The center has obtained the required Army Regulations pertaining to Army Museums, AR 870-5 and AR 870-20, printed the correct DA Forms from these regulations for use in obtaining gifts for the center, making loans of equipment and compliance with current regulations.

The 100th Division has provided a dedicated telephone line for the center to facilitate the computer connection with the National Historical Holding Center and our participation within the Universal Site Artifact Management System.

Material has been researched at The Institute of Heraldry (TIOH) pertaining to the 100th Infantry Division and the 100th Division as a Army Reserve division to preserve accuracy.

The center has received many donations of pins, badges, uniforms, field equipment, video tapes, books, papers and documents, all of which pertain to specific times and activities of the 100th Division. These items are in the process of being cataloged, under the USAMS system, and are either filed, stored or displayed as appropriate.

The center has received requests to support or furnish information for the following activities:

• Prepare the center to support the second Army Reserve Awareness Day held on April 12, 2003 and hosted by the 100th Division.

• Cold War Exhibit - David E. Hilkert, Staff Historian, Office of Army Reserve History, U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), Fort McPherson, GA.

His request was: "We are currently rebuilding exhibits in the USARC headquarters that depict the history of the Army Reserve for the cold war period. I want to include something about the 100th 's participation in the Berlin crisis. Photographs, preferably electronic images, of 100 th Division soldiers during the mobilization. Any artifacts that pertain to the period would be great."

• Conducted tours, by request, for veteran groups, American Legion Posts, representatives from other military museums including the Patton Museum and the Frazier International History Museum.

What the center did to comply with the requests:
• With the assistance of committee members, CSM Dunn, COL Kessler, COL Rowe and Carol Harris, we cleaned, reorganized and updated the display cabinets of the center in preparation for the Army Reserve Awareness Day. CSM Dunn, LTC Morgan, COL Kessler and COL Rowe conducted the tours for the congressional associates.

• Forwarded many items to Mr. Hilkert for the Cold War Exhibit. His comments follow: "I received the material pertaining to the 100th Division and thank you for the material sent via mail and by e-mail. It was wonderful. I have already mounted some of the photos with captions. They will make a very nice part of our exhibits and be an important piece for depicting the history of the Army Reserve."

AOC board members are encouraged to ask both Association of the Century members, and non-members, to make gifts of equipment and memorabilia from the WWII period (European Theatre) and from various other 100th Division units to help make the displays more representative of the Division and it's history.

Specific items of interest pertaining to the 100th Division (Tng) are memorabilia from the 1st, 2d and 3d Brigades, S&S Battalion, Aviation detachment and Reception Station are being sought to include copies of MTOE/TDAs and manning charts for these 100th Division units.

Current Army Reserve Transformation Plans call for the relocation of the 100th Division Headquarters from Louisville to Fort Knox, Kentucky sometime during 2011. At that time, the Century Division Holding Center will move to Fort Knox along with the 100th Division (O/S) and again become co-located with the Division Headquarters.