Strap on your boots and get ready for a journey through time with Savannah Military Tours.
Join a former marine and army veteran as they charge through the many spots in Savannah overflowing with military history.
The tour combs the city, hitting 17 of the most military-affiliated squares to reveal the different roles Savannah had in wars over the ages. The expedition explains everything from the Siege of Savannah— one of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution—to Savannah’s efforts in World War I and II in supplying troops.
“I’m a native of Savannah. I felt there was a need for a tour to relay the rich military history here,” said Mike Cates. Mike and his wife, Dianne own Savannah Military Tours.
Savannah has an abundance of ghost, pirate and “historic overview” tours.
What was lacking was a tour that delved deep into its military history. Mike and Dianne opened the tour in an effort to change this. They recruited Army Combat Veteran David Woods and Marine Combat Veteran Austin Eskew to join their unit.
Mike Cates got the idea for a military tour after buying a M35 military cargo truck. He pondered the idea to start a military history tour and drive people around in the massive military vehicle. However, due to city ordinances, they opted for air-conditioned vans instead.
Also the owner of Savannah Port Tours and Savannah Cams, Mike is a huge military buff. He was bestowed with an “Honorary Veteran” title by the VFW in Savannah for supporting those who served. Both Dianne and Mike have family and friends who are veterans, some of whom are currently serving in the military. Their main objective in all of this is to give back to those who have served and sacrificed for the community. At the same time, a goal is teaching others about the past military efforts in Georgia’s First City.
“We give a dollar back for every ticket we sell,” Dianne explained. “We donate it to the VFW here in Savannah.”
Mike and Dianne are working hard to add a few new stops to their tour, such as the many forts around Savannah and the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. Dianne is the most excited about the Air Force Museum, as she wants to get as much traffic from downtown to the museum as possible. Mike also has plans to ask the city for reconsideration to allow the tour to take place inside of his M35 military cargo truck. You might not be able to ride in style in a military truck as of right now, but these guys have big plans for this tour’s future!
For more information, call (912) 433-0452 or go to savannahmilitarytours.com.