Louisville, Ky. (WDRB) --After a five year renovation project the Kentucky Military History Museum reopens Saturday in Frankfort. One of the exhibits on display is what D-Day collectors call "The Holy Grail". It's an item that was lost for 60 years but recovered in Kentucky.
"They looked for it in France, they looked in Belgium nobody ever thought to look in Kentucky but it showed up a few years ago," says Trevor Jones, Museum Director of Collections and Exhibitions.
On display is a piece of the Fighting Falcon, the first American glider to land on D-Day.
"It also crashed on landing and it killed the highest ranking officer killed on D-Day, General Pratt," says Jones.
It's depicted in the movie, "Saving Private Ryan". For 60 years the hunt was on to find the hunk of metal because it was known to be saved.
"A local man showed up and he said I've got this trunk of my Dad's and it's got some neat stuff in it would you like to take a look and at the bottom folded up was this piece," says Jones.
There are a number of other treasures on display, like the gold sword given to Kentucky Army General, William Butler. It was given to him as a gift for his service during the Mexican American war.
"In 1848 it cost $1,800 to make this thing you could buy a 300 acre farm for the price of this sword," says Jones.
The Military History Museum has been closed for the past nine months while the exhibits were crafted and the building restored. The museum used to be the site of the Kentucky armory, built in 1850. It sits at the top of a hill overlooking the Capitol.
"Did a lot of work on the windows, changed the entrances back to the 1850 appearance of the building," says Jones.
The museum is open until 5 Saturday. Admission is free.
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