NAMPA, Idaho — The Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa celebrated the grand opening of its $3.5 million Global War on Terror expansion this week, marking 24 years since the September 11 attacks that launched America's longest war.
The new exhibit features artifacts and personal items donated by veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, creating a comprehensive timeline that now spans from World War I through the Global War on Terror.
WATCH: Retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant reflects on seeing his service memorialized—
Retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Tony Liles donated many of his belongings from his military service. When asked about seeing his service become part of history, Liles reflected on the weight of military service.
"You have a sense of ownership in your communities. You have a sense of ownership in your nation. You feel the tragedies that happens to our nation. When these tragedies appear, you feel that pain of other citizens. You feel the pain of those communities that are affected. And you worry about the future because you know that the freedoms that we have here today are not free," Liles said.
Liles was stationed in Korea when the September 11 terrorist attacks occurred in New York. Military personnel overseas received urgent recall orders within an hour of the attacks.
"And so this was the same type of alert as if the balloon went up and we were going to fight North Korea. It was that type of recall. And we were told that our nation had been attacked and that we need to, if we had any family members on the East Coast, we needed to contact them, but we couldn't get through," Liles said.
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Among his donations, Liles considers a photograph of his fellow soldiers the most meaningful contribution to the exhibit.
"The most important piece to me is the soldiers, the faces right there in that formation that they was able to come home because of my leadership," Liles said.
The museum's expansion creates a complete historical narrative spanning more than a century of American military conflicts.
"The museum stretches from World War I through the Global War on Terror and everything in between," Carson said.
The museum has also created a reflection space where visitors can write down their thoughts and feelings, recognizing that the exhibit may evoke strong emotions for those who lived through these events.
The Global War on Terror expansion opens to the public Saturday.
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