Rochelle’s Roberts Armory preserves WWII equipment while honoring those who served

ROCHELLE – Charles Roberts started preserving World War II equipment and memorabilia in 1987 when he acquired a 1943 White half-track.

Thirty-seven years later, that passion has evolved into a machine shed filled with 25-plus vehicles and the creation of Roberts Armory, a museum designed to help future generations learn about the armored vehicles, artillery and other artifacts used by the U.S. in World War II.

Roberts’ first purchase, a half-track, is a vehicle that uses tracks and wheels. According to Roberts, the design was originally conceived by the Russians around 1914, but developed by the Citroen Co. in France. The U.S. Army purchased a license to develop half-tracks and retrofit existing vehicles. Roberts’ half-track was built by the White Motor Co. while others were built by the Diamond-T Motor Co., Autocar Co. and International Harvester.

“As a child, I was interested in military vehicles,” said Roberts, who operates the museum with his wife, Lydia, south of Rochelle at 2090 Brush Grove Road.

Charles, who served in the Army from 1968-70, didn’t know that first purchase would turn into a lifelong passion. “I didn’t buy it as an investment,” said Roberts. “I have an interest in history.”

That interest compelled Roberts to buy other vehicles and restore them to working order. “Some of the vehicles were in bad shape, but now everything we have here runs,” he said.

Working so well, in fact, that the Armory’s vehicles are often used in World War II reenactments and parades held across the region.

Many Armory vehicles recently took part in Midway Village’s massive two-day reenactment in Rockford.

Roberts built the large building that houses the museum in 2010 to provide proper shelter for the vintage equipment that fills the structure from wall to wall.

“It’s good to have a controlled environment for the vehicles,” Roberts said. “The building is insulated and we use waste oil to heat it.”

He hopes his extensive collection sheds light on the tools used by World War II veterans who fought in all the battles.

“They made so many sacrifices,” he said.

Roberts also has written books about some of the military vehicles used in World War II and has included many historical photos. Links to his books can be found on the Armory’s website along with detailed information and history on each vehicle.

Here are just a few of the entries about some of the vehicles that are on display:

Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) “Higgins Boat” – A landing craft could carry a Jeep, tow a gun or a platoon of soldiers. Some of these boats were constructed with an outer skin of plywood while others with traditional planks.

1939 Cadillac 60 Special Staff Car – As World War II approached, the U.S. Army started purchasing Cadillacs to replace older luxury staff cars. Gen. George S. Patton used a 1939 Cadillac at the end of the war. He was involved in an accident with his 1939 Cadillac in December 1945 that resulted in his death 12 days later.

M5A1 Light Tank “Stuart” – During the 1930s the United States Army did not consider tanks to be a relevant weapon on the battlefield, but German victories in Europe exploiting firepower and mobility of tank warfare rekindled interest in tanks among U.S. military leaders, resulting in development plans for a light tank. Several models of the light tank were developed, including the M1, M2 and M3 series. In 1942, production began on the M5 series light tank at the Cadillac Division of General Motors Corp. In September 1942, design improvements were made, culminating in the M5A1. A total production of 6,810 M5A1 tanks occurred from 1942 to 1944.

M16 Half-Track – A half-track uses both tracks and wheels as running gear. The half-track was conceived by the Russians around 1914 but successfully developed by the Citroen Co. in France. The U.S. Army purchased a license to develop half-tracks and experimented with half-track adapters. These were track units that could be retrofitted to existing vehicles. The mobility of the vehicle improved markedly when using these adapters. The scout car M3 was retrofitted with tracks, culminating in the classical design. Half-tracks were built by White Motor Co., Diamond-T Motor Co., Autocar Co. and International Harvester.

1944 M7 Allis Chalmers Snow Tractor – This vehicle was used by the U.S. Army Air Corps and the 10th Mountain Division to haul material on sleds and to rescue downed pilots. The drive train is a standard Willis MB with a two-speed Allis Chalmers gear box. The body, track and under-carriage were made by Allis Chalmers.

For information on Roberts Armory, visit robertsarmory.com.