American Airpower Museum acquires rare howitzer

The American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport in Farmingdale has acquired a rare howitzer artillery piece, a critical component of the nation's land war arsenal in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, officials said.

The so-called Long Tom gun is to be dedicated Tuesday at the museum in a ceremony honoring Vietnam veterans, on the eve of the anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized more force in Vietnam.

The purchase was made possible in part through funds from Public Works Alliance Local 138 and Operating Engineers Local 30.

Gary Lewi, a museum spokesman, said the piece is "iconic," as recognizable as "Huey helicopters on their way to a landing zone or Phantom jets on their way to a target."

With a barrel longer than 20 feet, the 155-millimeter gun could throw shells at targets 14 miles away, he said. A large crew was needed to maneuver it into place and work the controls.

Lewi said the museum bought it along with a towing tractor used to move it for "close to a six-figure number" from the estate of Kevin Kronlund, a Spooner, Wis., collector.

Lewi did not know where the weapon had been deployed or if it had been in combat.

Kronlund's widow, Thea Kronlund, said her husband and their neighbors had cherished the piece. "We had it in the front yard," she said.

Her husband's collection contained more than 70 pieces of heavy artillery, tanks and other vehicles, and he was in the process of selling the Long Tom to the museum when he died, she said.

"He wanted it to go to people who really appreciated it," she said. The dedication is at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the museum, 1230 New Highway in Farmingdale.