Season 3 – Military Collectors TV

Indiana Military Museum Part 2

Part two of Bob’s trip to the Indiana Military Museum. In this episode you’ll see Jim Osborne’s famed 1831 Harpers Ferry flintlock his dad gave him when he was 8 years old that started it all. Plus, see more of this incredible collection including the rolling stock, aircraft and submarine.

Indiana Military Museum website

Full Transcript

Folks, this week, Military Collectors, we have a special show, and it’s an honor to privileged, I know you may think that I’m somewhere in Europe.
That I’m somewhere in the aftermath of World War Two.
No, we’re right here in the heartland of the United States, Indiana, Vincennes to be specific.
We’re here at the Indiana Military Museum to showcase, probably one of the largest personal collections of any single individual, who put all of the items that you’re going to see on Military Collectors this week.
He put it all on display for everyone of America to see.
Again, little Oh, Vincennes, Indiana, Jim Osborne and his personal collection.
Probably, well over a quarter of a million artifacts, roll in vehicles, tanks, airplanes, you name it, it’s here.
And it’s well done and it is a show worth watching right here on Military Collectors.
[Music]
Welcome to this week’s Military Collectors folks, and we’re back here.
If you didn’t have a chance to see last week’s show with collector Jim Osbourne here in Vincennes, Indiana, we’re back this week and we brought Jim into the museum and the facility that he’s actually built from scratch here.
It’s moved several times, but you know Jim, welcome back to the show this week.
And you know, we’re now going to talk about this wonderful facility that you have here.
Tell us about how, I know it’s moved from basements to another facility here in Vincennes, but now it’s home.
(Yes.) tell, tell me about this this museum and what you all have here.
[Jim] Well, after, after about 25 years of being at the old locations and there in the town, outside of town, we were able to acquire this property. This Blackford glass, former Blackford property. About 14 acres, which is adjacent to our George Rogers Clark National Park, perfect location and back in 2012.
So, we started the development of this property, had two existing buildings, the one we’re in right now, and a much larger building over here.
It’s now our annex building, this was our first display building, right here, the 6000 square feet were in.
[Bob] So what has this, the first building here, this display build, what, what, what’s covered in this building?
[Jim] Well we cover everything at the museum from from the pre Civil War period all the way to the present day.
So, these showcases all the way around the walls are in sequence and follow that sequence.
We’re now that we have added the annex building 22,000 square feet over there, we’re making this more and more of a showcase building of the smaller artifacts and the other building is going to be our what we call the virtual immersion into life-sized scenes ranging from World War one trenches all the way up to the War in the Middle East.
[Bob] So, it’s almost kind of like a mini movie set over there.
[Jim] It is. It’s very realistic.
[Bob] Well, in this building each one of the displays you have, of course, has your signature on it.
You’re almost an expert curator, I mean, so, when you go down through there you’ve placed all these items, not only do you collect them, but you’ve placed them in there.
[Jim] Well, I for the most part, yeah, I kind of outlined the layout of each of the exhibits.
You know, I think every military collector is a museum curator at heart.
And so, you know it’s not that hard to go about doing this.
(Right.) I think every collector that collects anything like this is able to do this.
[Bob] Well, talk to me a little bit about the grounds outside.
You’ve got, I mean, air airframes out there, you’ve got armored vehicles, you’ve got roll rolling stock, so tell me a little bit about the grounds out there and some of the special things out there.
[Jim] Well, on the grounds we’ve got about 13, I think, 13 aircraft at this time.
We have, of course, have the USS Indianapolis submarine and we have a Mace Missile out there from the Cold War period.
Behind this building, we have a huge area where we use, which we use for our reenactments for World War One, World War Two.
We’ve got over a hundred yards of trenches and dugouts out there that, and bleachers set up, so when we have these special events people can come and watch the the battles and reenactments whether it’s Civil War, World War I, World War Two.
So, we have a lot of outdoor space and and it’s filling up.
[Bob] Well, you, you also have facilities here that you’ve kind of moved around that you store future items that are going to be coming online in the future.
[Jim] Two years ago we had to construct another facility another building behind us to accommodate the restored items, some of the non restored items and also a restoration shop.
[Bob] Wow, well, I know folks have watched you stand there holding this item here.
Tell me a little bit about this, because it has special meaning to you.
[Jim] Well, this, this is where the collection all began and it’s kind of my sentimental favorite it’s an 1831 Harpers Ferry flintlock.
And this is something my father brought home and gave to me when I was about seven or eight years old.
And there’s someone that owed him $30 and they just they traded it off in this Harper’s Ferry instead.
And so I’ve always, always been a sentimental piece of mine and this is where the collection really began.
[Bob] Well, and all of these vehicles that you have here, I mean, gosh, I, I can’t even count them.
And I won’t even put you on the spot on how many you have here that welcome to yeah there’s probably well over 100, 200 probably, rolling around here.
But, what was the first rolling vehicle that you collected.
[Jim] My first rolling vehicle was a jeep in World War 2 Jeep which is behind us here and then also about the same time acquired a World War one German cannon.
(Wow.) Which is also here in this building still and so those those were the first big items and then of course it started getting bigger and bigger after that.
[Bob] Well, as your travels here and I’m gonna sit back here and I know it’s one item here that I know you want to talk about before we go but this has some special meaning to you as well.
[Jim] Yes, this is one of my favorite items and this came from Sainte-Mère-Église from the Merderet River which is just south of Sainte-Mère-Église, close to where General Gavin landed on D-day.
This is an M1 Grand that came out of the river there back in the 90s.
And a friend of mine who lives there in Sainte-Mère-Église dredged this up along with another one and a 16 millimeter mortar.
So, he sent it back with me to, for the museum back, back then.
And what’s interesting of course you can see how pitted and how wormy it is, but after all of that.
(It was built to last.) They still had grease and oil in it and could still cock and function.
Can you believe that?
It had been in the river all that time.
Of course, we’ll never know what what the outcome was for the soldier that carried this.
We have no idea who he was whether he survived or not but we know that this went into the river there so he probably did too and he hopefully he hopefully he got out.
[Bob] Could’ve been a member of the 82nd or the 101st.
[Jim] Either one, could have been, yes.
[Bob] Wow.
Well Jim, thank you so much for being back on the show this week and talking about your beautiful Museum here.
And folks, listen, stay tuned because Jim’s going to take us around we’ve got more to see here at the Indiana Military Museum right downtown Vincennes Indiana and listen Military Collectors, I just tell you, we’re never, ever gonna cease to surprise you what we’re going to show you next so stay tuned won’t you we’re gonna have more great things to show you on this week’s Military Collectors.
[Narrator] If you have missed any past episodes of military collectors be sure to go online at military collectors tv.com and you can see not only fast episodes but also read in-depth features on the people and their fashion of their military collections.
[break]
[Music]
Well, I want to talk specifically here at the Museum in Vincennes, Indiana with Jim Osborne specifically about a special event that he has, a tribute to the World War Two veterans every year.
And you know Jim, we have a significant artifact back here that you’ve amassed tell me a little bit about this because this is unique.
[Jim] Yeah Bob, this is a World War Two LCVP Higgins Boat.
This is one of only 13 World War Two Higgins boats that are still left intact out of almost 23,000 that were built.
And so we’re very, very proud to have this.
We spent four years, five years almost restoring this.
And so, it’s one of our main show pieces because these were so important, as you know, in Normandy, the landings of D-DAY all through the Pacific, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, all the landings there.
This is what got the troops ashore.
[Bob] Well, you know, the detail that you have put on these displays, sound effects and those sorts of things, really, it’s so much adds to the experience especially during the September event.
Now tell me a little bit about some of the other unique features.
I, I see the the World War Two barracks.
You’ve got the household, what it was like sitting there listening to the radio when the announcement was made by Roosevelt.
I mean, that’s, that’s visionary.
[Jim] Well, we’ve tried to make this building, the one we are in here, which we call the annex the the Total Immersion building.
Where you make, where you feel like you are there on the spot whether it’s the Higgins boat behind us or the church or the barracks or the homefront scene that you referred to, so the person can walk in here and just feel like I’m right here.
This is the, you can walk past the home front to see how the folks were living in 1941 at the time of Pearl Harbor.
You see the kitchen the living room the dining room and and what what all was taking place there when they heard Roosevelt making the announcement about Pearl Harbor.
The same thing with the barracks.
You see the early World War Two barracks here, it’s the original barracks that came from just across the river here at George Field.
And again, you see the use of each of these rooms in the barracks you know whether it’s the infirmary or if it’s the bunks and so forth.
So you can you can get that feeling.
And that’s the same thing we’re gonna do with the World War One trench as soon as we’re done.
You can walk through a full World War One trench here in this building and get the full effect of how that was.
[Bob] Well, you know Jim, I think one things that is special here from the history of our country as through conflict.
You, I know your emphasis and you love the World War Two history because again your 1945 World War Two baby, ok, and.
But you have made special efforts to talk about from the inception of the country all the way through present day through the War on Terrorism.
And I think that that’s what makes this place so complete and and I just have to applaud you for that.
Because again, from the Normandy invasion to to the the air drops all the different artifacts that you put together here I mean that that is so visionary.
[Jim] Well, appreciate that, I mean, we’ve tried to make this a very comprehensive collection and from beginning to end so from the pre-revolutionary war days right up to the present day in the Middle East.
This museum covers all of those topics.
And so, I think that’s real important, of course, for our visitors to not just focus on, although we have a beautiful World War II collection, fantastic one, that there’s so much more here to see.
And I think we’re one of the best ten comprehensive collections in the whole country.
[Bob] Well, tell me just briefly about your September event your salute to World War II veterans, you have that every year.
What can folks expect when they come here over Labor Day?
[Jim] Our annual and Labor Day weekend event to salute to the veterans of World War Two.
This will be our 12th year.
That we have two complete battle reenactments each day.
There will be all kinds of reenactors representing British, French, German, American troops even some Japanese.
And, and, we’ll have vendors and all kinds of vendors selling things, of course, food vendors.
And there we’ll have stage shows.
We’ll have the Andrew Sisters on stage.
And, and the surprise usually is that we’ll have a few flyovers from Warbirds and so forth.
So, it’s a, it’s a big weekend a fantastic weekend to bring the whole family out.
And it, and it’s, other than a parking fee of three dollars to park on our property, it’s free!
Everything outdoors is free.
So it’s a, it’s a great event and attended by thousands and so.
[Bob] If somebody wants to come and they want to find out about the event can they log onto your website?
Tell them how to do that.
[Jim] Yes, our website will do that, Indiana Military Museum .com and I think dot org will also bring it up and yeah, the website will tell them all about it.
[Bob] And we’ll also have it on militarycollectors tv.com.
Well, listen, I’ve got to pick your brain some more, okay, but first, folks listen, when Military Collectors comes back, we’re going to talk to some very special partners that Jim has a massed and put together.
He now has a corporation that manages and helps him take care of his collection.
These special guys are on the Board of Directors.
And so, we’re going to hear from them and their perspective of what it’s like, not to collect this stuff, but to manage it and to make sure that it’s showcased for others to see from now until well into the future of history.
[break]
[Music]
Welcome back to our show.
Well, you know, military museums come and go but this one here in Vincennes Indiana the Indiana Military Museum has some special members volunteers and they have an organization that’s put together that helps Jim continue on his legacy and two of those Corporate Board Members are joining me today I have George Rehnquist right here from Princeton, Indiana.
A former attorney and now retired and David Skinner a financial adviser here in Vincennes.
And these two guys have honored our presence today because they’ve been able to come down and talk a little bit about Jim’s collection and what they do for them Indiana Military Museum.
And guys I I really want to thank you both for being on the show today.
And you know, I have to just ask you these types of questions but what’s it mean to be a part of the Board of this massive collection.
[George] Well, I think it’s a great honor for us.
It’s exciting, it’s a, it’s fun and educational to watch something develop like this from a very small start and Jim has to be highly credited for doing that.
It’s really his Museum.
We help on his Board of Directors but he’s the he’s the one that really puts it together.
[Bob] Well, you know David, I will tell you from from you growing up here in Vincennes and being a member of the community, how important is this museum to the community?
[David] Well, it’s hugely gratifying and you know we’re, we’re, we got this collection that represents the history of our military and this collection draws in thousands of tourists a year.
I’m very involved with tourism here in addition to the museum.
And everyone gets to enjoy this extraordinary collection.
And all the volunteers the hundreds of volunteers about this place work or I know personally very gratified to help save this important part of our our history and thank all the former military people that made this all possible.
[Bob] Well, I know that you guys host various events for different stages of wars throughout the year.
Tell me a little bit about those events and special events that you host right here at the museum.
[David] Well, we have a whole series of events.
We have a Vietnam event we have a World War One event with quite a few visitors, some reenactors and a lot of the equipment from those those wars are on display but our big event in our event that’s been around for many years as a World War Two event.
And we have thousands of visitors that come to town.
We have re-enactors, we have battles out back and all the property we have you know a lot of people dressed up in uniform and we even have former World War Two vets that give presentations and tell stories about some of the heroic things that they were involved in during that great war.
[Bob] Well, you know George, you as an avid collector yourself, what, what do you enjoy collecting?
[George] Well, I collect World War Two and really Jim is the one who started me on this.
So I have to give him a lot of credit not only for his collection but for mine as well.
And I have some military vehicles and but nothing like this this is outstanding!
[Bob] Well, I will tell you, David and you, do you love to collect?
[David] No, I do not collect, I mean I collect Coca-cola stuff but that’s not, nothing as sacred as this incredible military collection which is so important.
[Bob] Well, it’s so important with gentlemen and individuals like you to help support organizations like this and I know that it’s not easy.
I know it takes a lot of time and a lot of dedication to do that and I really appreciate you guys taking the time today to come and be on our show to talk about this wonderful man that we all know and love, Jim Osbourne and his collection.
And I know you guys will continue with the rest of the Board of Directors.
Because there have been some special ones that have, I understand, have been on the board and there are many that sit with you guys now that will continue this legacy.
And I just want to wish both of you Godspeed, thank you.
Thank you so much for being on our show this week, thank you.
And with that, folks, stay tuned, when we come back, Military Collectors is going to have Jim Osbourne talk about one of the special pieces in his collection here at the Indiana Military Museum and we’re going to talk about a special event that happens every year.
[Narrator] If you have missed any past episodes of military collectors be sure to go online at military collectors tv.com and you can see not only past episodes but also read in-depth features on the people and their passion of their military collections.
[break]
[Music]
Well, welcome back.
You know, with all of you restoration buffs out there we’re now in the facility here at the Indiana Military Museum with Jim.
They, this is a brand new building that’s added onto this 14 acre complex.
This is where all of the steel, the paint, the nuts the bolts, the volunteers come together to restore future items for the floor over there Jim.
So, tell me a little bit about this new facility and and what all you guys got going on over here.
[Jim] Well, the facility is just as you described it it’s helped to provide us a roof over everything that we’re restoring so that you don’t put it back out in the weather.
And if we don’t get it in on exhibit, at least we have a place to keep it we keep it for the reenactments and the parades and so forth.
But it’s also our restoration facility, so we work on everything over here and and make sure it’s running or make sure that we’ve got a project to restore.
We have probably half a dozen in here right now, restoration projects and this is where we do it.
[Bob] Well, you know, some of the unique items that you have that you got coming online tell me a little bit about that because I mean I see you have some WCs back there and, of course, you’ve got some armored vehicles back there as well.
Tell me a little bit about what you have.
[Jim] Well, a couple of projects coming on, as you say, the, the WC Dodge series we’ve got some restorations to do there.
We’ve also got a script Jeep right behind us here and an M38 Jeep that we’re working on.
And we’ve got a German half track 251 that will start next year that’s still sitting out in the boneyard, as well as Marmon Harrington tank.
So we’ve got a lot on the list coming up.
[Bob] Well, you know Jim, I tell you, one of the key pieces is, is, is having those volunteers who turn wrenches run the Sanders and and spray all the paint.
How valuable is that to an organization like the Indiana Military Museum?
[Jim] Couldn’t exist without it!
You have to have those people or we wouldn’t be making any headway whatsoever.
[Bob] Well, you know one of the key things that I stress in doing this show is I go around the country, one of the most expensive things is the restoration process for these vehicles.
I mean, yeah, they’re expensive to acquire but the man-hours that it takes, I mean, you have to really have patience and a lot of money because a lot of folks in restoration facilities charge anywhere from a hundred one hundred twenty-five dollars an hour and they’re keeping the time clock so you can very well invest 75 to 100 hours on a Jeep.
[Jim] Oh that’s easily done, yeah, yeah.
If you have to go out and pay for restorations it can be very expensive.
So a lot of times is if they’re if you’re not, if you don’t have a facility for the restoration and you don’t have the people that are willing to work on it for restoration then you’re gonna have to go out and buy something and usually you you get what you pay for and so if you, if you’ve got an expensive Jeep out there you’re probably gonna get one of runs.
(Right.) And if you get an inexpensive one it probably doesn’t run.
[Bob] Well, I have to ask you before we go and it’s just been a wonderful visit here in the heartland of the United States and Indiana what do you have your eye on out there that you would like to find or that you may already find that you’re gonna go get?
[Jim] I can think of a few things that we’re always looking for World War 2 aircraft, non flyable aircraft.
Something that can be static exhibit, we’re still looking for those kind of pieces.
We’d like to have an A-10 Warthog if we could get a sponsor for one of those.
And we’re looking for any type of World War 2 vehicle that we don’t have already.
And so, there’s there’s some some of those out there that we don’t have.
[Bob] Well Jim, we put out the call okay and so and you know folks may either get a hold of me or they can get all to you but I will tell you this is the best kept secret not only I think in the Midwest but I think it’s one of those unsung places that folks need to know about right here in the heart of Indiana and Vincennes and they owe it all to you.
And thank you so much for being on our show this week.
I wish you Godspeed on that next great thing.
Call me, okay, and if you’ve got something out there that just absolutely excites you we’ll come and Military Collectors will showcase it for you.
So with that, and folks, that’s our show for this week and we really appreciate you all looking in the Indiana Military Museum right here in Vincennes, Indiana.
Log on the military collectors tv.com and they’ll take you to the site there.
You can come down special events, you can just come down to view this wonderful 14 acre facility.
The kids will enjoy it the whole family will come, and I know they will not regret the trip down here to the great state of Indiana with that we’ll see you next time on another episode of Military Collectors.
[Music]

Indiana Military Museum Part 1

Bob interviews Jim Osborne who has amassed one of the largest and most and extensive military collections of any individual. The collection is so large it has now become it’s own 14 acre museum complex in Vincennes, Indiana. Even two shows do not do this museum justice! Watch and get just a small sample of what the Indiana Military Museum has to offer.

This is probably the most extensive personal collection that our TV production and me personally has ever seen.
Bob Redfern

Indiana Military Museum website

Full Transcript

Welcome to this week’s Military Collectors. Folks we’re back here in Vincennes, Indiana in the heartland of America at the Indiana Military Museum. All of these great artifacts that you see behind me are from the personal collection of Jim Osborne, resident lifelong collector. And now this week, we’re going to showcase what Jim has put together as the Indiana Military Museum right here on Military Collectors. From planes to ships, you name it, he’s got it. He’s collected it he’s had that vision, that passion, since he was seven years old. A man, who from 1945, a World War II baby has collected his whole life and it’s all right here in Vincennes, Indiana at the Indiana Military Museum on this week’s Military Collectors.
[Music]
Folks, welcome to this week’s Military Collectors. We are so honored and it’s just a pleasure to be in the heartland right here in Indiana, Vincennes the Indiana Military Museum. And the guy that put this all together, his lifelong collection, is… We are going to showcase this week on Military Collectors is none other than the Honorable Jim Osborne. Jim, I just, I am so honored to be here because you know this is probably the most, if the most extensive personal collection that our TV production and me personally has ever seen. I’ve been to a lot of museums. I’ve been to a lot of places around the country, okay, and I’m a not only former military, but I’m a history buff, like you, but putting together a personal collection like this had to be a tremendous, well, I just, a piece of satisfaction that nobody else could ever imagine.
[Jim] It’s been, it’s been an enjoyable trip, yeah, day one. And I started when I was 7 years old, as you know, so, a lot of years to accumulate this.
[Bob] Well, let’s go back just a little bit here. Ok, I mean, there’s probably well over a hundred two hundred thousand pieces of artifacts here from all the way, the beginning of the very first conflict that the United States had to up current-day Afghanistan and, and ‘course the War on Terrorism, but tell me about, as a young seven year old boy, what, what got this started?
[Jim] I know what got it started was that my father gave me a Civil War musket, that someone owed him some a little bit of money, so they gave him this musket and when he brought it home, and muskets stood much taller than I was but I was just fascinated with that. And then the second thing I can remember, just shortly after that, was a next-door neighbor, a veteran of World War II, was going to the trash pit with items he brought back from war with Germany. A helmet, flag, canteen and so forth. He handed them to me. So, I thought, that was my that was my initial voyage just starting right there.
[Bob] Well, I mean, you of course growing up here in the heartland of the United States, right here in farming country, Vincennes, Indiana. I mean, it must have been very, very special to start going to the places to find these artifacts. I mean, even as a youngster.
[Jim] Well, as a youngster, it was pretty easy because it was just right after World War II and so these guys were, you know, parting with this stuff, pretty quick. The wives were saying, “Get it out of the house.” And so, for a long time, I was just, you know, pick it up and hall it home. And before long, I had a pretty good stack in the basement before my parents even realized it was there.
[Bob] Well, your folks must have been very understanding of course you know how moms are okay when you start dragging stuff home where did you put all of it?
[Jim] Well of course, luckily they had a good full-size basement. So that was the start, some in the garage… And, and you know, what’s interesting is that if occasionally my mother would even come home with something from a rummage sale because she knew I was interested, so.
[Bob] Wow, now do you know, moving forward a little bit, of course, with those collections everybody has their most prized and most favorite and there’s this so much here. And folks, I have to tell you, you need to log on to Military Collectors tv.com and you’ll find, again, the website here for the Indiana Military Museum because you need to come visit this place. I mean, the history lives here and it’s all through this guy’s personal collection that that you’re going to be able to do that. But, you know, Jim, you have certain items, I know, what is one of the your premier that kind of sticks out?
[Jim] Well, I think that a couple of the most outstanding pieces we’ve got, our World War II, we’ve got the Eisenhower’s full class A uniform. It was tailor made in London just a few months before D-Day. And we’ve got one, we’ve got a couple of Patton’s uniforms. We got his tankers jacket that he wore during World War II. We’ve got Bob Morgan’s uniform. It’s the only one in existence. Bob Morgan, of course, was the pilot of the Memphis Belle, the famous plane, the B-17 that made the first 25 missions successfully over Europe. And so we have the one-and-only uniform of Bob Morgan’s, and so, I think, those are, those are premier pieces that I’m really proud of.
[Bob] Well, let me ask you, let’s go a little earlier, okay, you’ve got this musket as a seven year old boy and so you’re collecting a stuff pre Civil War, and that sort of thing. Now, we’re talking the cavalry, okay? I notice there’s a certain box in there that houses a lot of Custer stuff, you know, how important is that to your collection?
[Jim] Some Interesting items from the Indian War period, yes. We’ve got, we’ve got a, we have a coverlet that was submitted by Elizabeth Custer for a good friend of her, of Custer’s, Peter Boehm. And Peter Boehm great-grandson is who lives here in Vincennes. Peter Boehm won the medal of honor riding with Custer in Civil War. We had that on display, along with, along with the Medal of Honor that he won. And also one of the survivors of Little Bighorn that rode with Benteen, instead of Custer, and during the Battle of Little Bighorn, was from Vincennes, Jacob Adams. And we have some artifacts pertaining to Jacob Adams here. And the other interesting thing is we have a cemetery, of course, as you’ve noticed right across the road, and that’s where Jacob Adams is buried today. So, so Indian War history too.
[Bob] I’m just so amazed at this collection and because, again, you touched it all and I think that’s what’s so special. They’re just not many men who have that passion, or many individuals that I know, it’s just, it’s a mini Smithsonian here, again, that’s what makes it so unique is because you have, you’ve taken that personal time to reach out to generals, to former veterans and stuff like that, I mean. How many letters did you write in order to reach out to these folks?
[Jim] I’ve lost track, but I’m sure thousands.
[Bob] Wow, I mean and even from General Haig’s collection in there, I mean, that’s a special story in itself, tell me a little bit about how’d you get all of, all of Haig’s.
[Jim] Well, in that in, since the General Haig’s brother-in-law was a good friend of ours and then, and was serving on our board of directors, so when, when General Haig passed away, he contacted his sister to see what might be available for the museum and that’s, that’s, that’s how it came about.
[Bob] Wow, well Jim, I tell you what, there’s so much here to look at, I just, we just can’t get it all right here in this first segment. It’s so special, but hold that thought because I got some other questions that we’re gonna ask you when we come back, because you had some travels in your lifetime, and I know they were important. So folks, when we come back here on Military Collectors, Jim is going to talk to you about some of his travels over to Europe over his lifetime, that not only added to his collection, but also his curiosity about World War II.
[Music]
Welcome back to Military Collectors. As promised, I have Jim Osborne, premier collector, right here in Vincennes, Indiana. And I’ve got Jim, well, I’ve got him keyed up to talk about not only his passion for collection but his passion for history and World War II and, you know, Jim you know, during your travels now, of course, being an attorney and being a history major and even a teacher for several years, your history took you to Germany. Tell me about your first trip in the 80s to Germany.
[Jim] Well, actually my first trip was back in 65. (65? Okay.) I started making trips in 65, I mean, by 1980 there, there had been a few more trips. But I made trips back over, oh I guess I’m 20 times or more. But the purpose was, several times, was just to meet with various World War II veterans and people both for the British and German and so forth that I had to corresponded with and got to know. And so lot of those trips were to culminate those friendships and talk a little bit.
[Bob] Let me talk, let’s talk about 1982, now you’re, you’re a young man, you’re already an established lawyer. You go to Berchtesgaden and right there, tell us a little bit about that trip that year.
[Jim] Well, one of our stops at on that trip was, we were hitting a lot of historic spots, you know, that pertain to World War II, and so we went to Berchtesgaden. Then, of course, we knew that Hitler’s Berghof, his house, that was up in the Alps there where, where it had been located, been, been bombed and, of course, blown completely up in 1952 by the German government. But we decided we’d go up and see what was left, and surprisingly, we found out that there was still some left and had then, we found out there was still underground rooms there and and so forth. So we planned a second trip the next year to go back and, and, and get into those rooms, which we did. And we discovered several underground rooms there underneath the main level of the house. And roam through there and found a few artifacts and, and it was interesting.
[Bob] Well, one of those prized artifacts did, tell me, what, what, what mostly stuck out at you that you brought back?
[Jim] Well, I, in the big room that’s where the picture window was used to be there. You can see the mechanism where the picture window went up above and it would drop down and be an open-air, but now…
[Bob] That was a big curve?
[Jim] No, there was a big open spectacular window that was probably 40-foot long, maybe, that would make this whole room open-air.
[Bob] So, that was the famous picture where Hitler would be out on the balcony there with his, you know
[Jim] They could overlook the back and overlook the Alps and so forth. Well, the mechanism was still down in this basement area. So, we, we saw that. And right there in that room was a big porcelain drain which I was able to pull out of the floor and as a souvenir, of course, and I brought that back along with other minor things. You know, like old light switches and that were still down there in the basement, some nice and tile. It was on the, on the wall and that’s, as you know, since then they they’ve gone back and sealed all of this up so there’s no chance to get in there now. But I wrote a story for After The Battle Magazine at that time. And then, of course, I received letters from all over the world from people saying, “How did you get in there? Where? Tell us how you do this?” So, that might have something to do with them sealing it up.
[Bob] Mmm, they were probably reading it too! Let’s take another aspect here of history. You have contacts and, of course, part of your collection here from former General officers who now many have passed on from World War II, but you were able to go back to Germany and were able to, to have another trip there with a specific reason. Tell all the folks out there what that trip was about.
[Jim] Well, I think you’re talking about the visit with Albert Speer and, and when I was in law school I was writing a paper on the Nuremberg trials, doing some research. And so, I decided I’d try to contact some of these former defendants that were in Nuremberg, Speer and Dönitz and a few others, and surprisingly, I heard from them! And, and so, I had developed a dialogue with some’em and, and continued that after Law School. And so I ultimately, I got an invitation from Speer one time to come and see him, if he, if I’m in Germany, come and see him. So, I thought I better jump on that opportunity, you know, it’s going to be a kind of a chance in a lifetime historical experience to talk to someone like that. So, I did and I made a trip to Heidelberg and, and visited with Speer in his house, home for one afternoon and so you know I answered lots of questions asked lots of questions and learned a little bit more about the, about the trials from his standpoint.
[Bob] Well, you know, what folks may or may not know, being history buffs, as you wrote in many articles after you came home, one particular was he was in charge of all the munitions and basically the German industrial complex that, that powered the war. [Jim] Yeah, yeah, he started out, of course, as Hitler’s architect. (Right!) And then, and when, and when the war started and the vacancy came for the minister of armaments, he filled that position and then filled that to the remainder of the war. And so you know he turned his his engineering abilities over to that and so he wrote a book as you know inside the Third Reich which he wrote during the time he was in in prison that spanned out and that became a best-seller and of course a very interesting inside look and hence the name inside the Third Reich very interesting and probably historically significant book so.
[Bob] Well, let me ask you one question, did he have any regrets when you had the chance to interview him or was he still you know vibrant and well that in his own mind that he was right.
[Jim] No, I think, I think he was recalcitrant, if nothing else. And it’s interesting that, of course, and then may have been it certainly played to his favor. He was one of the, he was one of the only ones at the the major trial in Nuremberg that admitted guilt. That may have been a very smart move on his part because he got twenty years instead of, instead of life or death. (Right.) And, but, yeah, I mean, he was, he didn’t seem to be a fervent Nazi when I talked to him. I mean, you know, he didn’t espouse anything in that nature and so, I mean, other than that, how can I say, I don’t know.
[Bob] Right. Well Jim, it’s such a remarkable career of collecting. We’ve got more to show the folks on this week’s Military Collectors and so with that stand by because I’ve got some other great questions I want to ask you. But folks, when we come back, we’re going to be talking to Jim Osborne right here in Vincennes Indiana at the Indiana Military Museum about some of his more, well, let’s just say unique collections.
[Music]
Welcome back to Military Collectors. We’re here at Vincennes, Indiana at one of the premier collections by any personal individual as I’ve told you throughout the show Jim Osborne who put all of this wonderful place he now calls the Indiana Military Museum right here in downtown Vincennes. But we’re going to talk a little bit about wheeled vehicles and his collection on that side of things we’ve talked about the each’s and uniforms and special items there. But you know Jim, let’s talk a little bit about the rolling stock. Okay, what was your first, well really, as a young man, what was your first one?
[Jim] Well in college I was able to pick up a jeep, World War II Jeep. And farmer locally had it. And, and I was able to purchase that pretty reasonably and and so I still have that it’s over in the in any other building.
[Bob] Well, you know World War II Jeeps were plentiful there were a lot of made and a lot of folks have them everything is drying up now as far as you know when we’re moving off into that to the history but what was the second item that you actually got?
[Jim] Well, after the Jeep it wasn’t too much longer than I oh well you know we need something a little more exciting so we found a half track and when so we went down to southern parts and in Memphis Tennessee who had several that they sold, at that time, it took, to contractors and so forth. And that they’d bought them from the National Guard, that National Guard had parted with them. So we, we bought us a nice World War II half track.
[Bob] Well you know, from a guy that started out with small armaments, a musket then you move two artillery pieces, okay, now you’re moving from half-tracks…
[Jim] The next thing was a tank.
[Bob] It was tanks, okay. Well, tell us about your armored collection.
[Jim] Well, we’ve got a nice variety of armor. We get that we’ve got the Sherman and we get this a couple of versions of the Stuart tanks and that we’ve got some self-propelled gun’ zones on Sherman chassis. And, and then there’s, there’s some Japanese tanks here. There’s, we have a Russian T-34 here. And then we have a very rare chassis we just acquired of a Marmon Herrington tank which was made before World War II. Marmon Harrington and was trying to get into the government contract business and building tanks but they weren’t very successful so extremely rare tank. It’s missing the turret, so we’re going to have to replicate the turret again, but we’re, that’s going to be a project we’re looking forward to. It’s going to be an exciting addition to the museum.
[Bob] Well I think, one of the tributes to you personally here again amassing a collection that’s one thing but the displays that, the vision and all of that that you put behind it much like this behind us which this burned out, looks like an old chapel of some sort from Europe.
[Jim] It’s like a Normandy Church heavily bombed, yes.
[Bob] Yeah, and so you, you’ve got those. You’ve got outside displays that you put together out there in order to authenticate it. Now I know a special heart goes out to all the kids that you bring through here every year throughout Indiana and the Midwest. But, how about the big kids? Are they in awe when they come in here and see your collection.
[Jim] Well I think, I think they are. I think I have everything from the, from the young students all the way up through the grades and then the, and then the the older boys, you know, that, that really have been just like myself, you know, had to have something besides the model plane and the model tank, they’ve had to get a hold of the real deal. And of course, a lot of people come through like that and they’re they’re really excited about seeing something full-scale.
[Bob] Well finally, I have to ask you about one special thing and when you walk the grounds of your collection and you see the big stuff on the outside, there’s one thing that sticks out and that’s the submarine. Tell me a little bit about, because you know, other than probably the Navy folk at either coast in a museum of a naval warfare or whatever, tell us about that submarine that’s out here.
[Jim] Yeah, when you drive in you’ll see the the conning tower and of course the the hall stretching out in front of it of the USS Indianapolis 697 which was a an atomic… nuclear powered attack submarine and that was commissioned back in about in 1980 and it was decommissioned about 1998 so it had a short life mostly because it was decommissioned early to accommodate some of the reciprocal acts from the Russians of decommissioning some of theirs. So, we’re real happy to add that to our to our exhibits. It was a six year process of getting that from the Navy in here and and rebuilding the the exhibit as you see it, which looks like a surfacing sub as you come in the drive.
[Bob] Well, there’s just not many museums that have the variety of things that you have amassed in your personal collection and I just tell you, when the men and women of the Armed Forces and when the family members of all those that have served and come and gone and will serve, come by here to see your collection I know you’re going to be smiling every day and just the satisfaction.
[Jim] What makes us happy are the comments we get from the visitors that come here and they’re very satisfied and mostly amazed at what they see, they don’t expect it. And I think that that pays off, it pays off to me personally when I hear that and of course I know it does to all the volunteers that are here that work on these things when they hear the praise that people give about how nicely the collection is and how well it’s presented. That’s the pat on the back they need to keep going.
[Bob] Well Jim, I personally want to thank you so much for having our show here and it’s just been an honor and a privilege. It’s, it’s just been one of those special things for me as a former veteran myself to come here and see what you’ve put together for, not only yourself, but for those others to come behind us to remember history remember where this country has come from.
[Jim] Thanks, I, what you’ve said reminds me of something that I think we a good friend of mine, who’s now passed away, Fred Rocky, who was a premier collector of these type of items. The thing was he always said and I agree with completely is that work we’re only the custodian of these items were not we’re not the owners. And we’ll be judged on is how well we preserved them for the next generation. And so, that’s, that’s the way we look at it here, you know, we’re just taking care of these for a short time until somebody else takes over.
[Narrator] If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors be sure to go online at Military Collectors tv.com and you can see not only past episodes but also read in-depth features on the people and their passion of their military collections.
[Music]
Well, next week, Military Collectors is going to come back with part two of our series here in Vincennes, Indiana and we’re going to showcase some special members of what Jim has put together as a corporation to help preserve his legacy and all his collection. The Indiana Military Museum will be showcased next week right back here on Military Collectors. [Music]

The Price of Freedom Museum

On this show, Bob visits “The Price of Freedom Museum” in China Grove, NC (North of Charlotte on I-85). This is a vast and unique collection of World War II and military memorabilia that got it’s start in a service station. You don’t want to miss this story and a peek at what the collection holds.

Full Transcript

You’re a good chauffeur Bea!
Welcome to this week’s edition to Military Collectors.
We are in China Grove, North Carolina, one of the most remote spots that we’ve ever been in on this show.
Right here at a location in China Grove where a collection from 1954 all the way up through present day has started right here, The Price of Freedom Museum in China Grove.
Which actually bore itself a start in 2004 but it all started here in 1954 by Bobby Mault and he is a resident from China Grove and that’s our focus on Military Collectors this week.
[Music]
Well, Military Collectors has found another jewel of a collection right here in the state of North Carolina, China Grove to be exact.
I have found probably one of the most extensive private collections of artifacts from, dating back to World War II.
Well, I tell you what, I’ve got to introduce the guy that owns it, put it all together and we are in basically a replica of his living room during World War II and it’s Mr.
Bobby Mault from China Grove.
Bobby, God bless you too my friend and it is such an honor and a privilege for Military Collectors to be here to showcase this week what you have collected your entire life.
For and in much like this home setting here, in well, what it really is the Price of Freedom Museum which you started.
Tell me a little bit about about the Mault family.
Okay, because I think this room kind of says it all.
This is kind of where it started World War II.
[Bobby] Right, we moved down from Salisbury in 1939 and where the Porky’s Barbecue is now and it was nine children in our family and mother and dad.
And four of my brothers was in service and we had three of my brothers was missing at times.
So, and two, one of my brothers had two ships blow’d out from under him.
And another one in the Navy and the USS Mayrant, it was hit by a German torpedo.
And then my other brother, he crashed on Bougainville.
[Bob] You know, from that you started the station in ’54 right there and then in China Grove and that began your collection.
You just have to really recognize the uniqueness of having a filling station in a small hometown in North Carolina and then in 1966 that’s the height of the Vietnam War.
You’re now collecting things and that, that really is what started the collection here at the Price of Freedom Museum.
[Bobby] Mm-hmm, yeah, and the first item I got, Dan Richie was a Oliver dealer in China Grove.
He gave me his hat and his medals and all.
And I had told my brother, I said, “You know my heart is set on something way down the road. I don’t know what it is but I’m not gonna buy or ask for anything.”
And so, now I have 1200 uniforms.
Received 1200 uniforms.
[Bob] And all of the artifacts that go with them.
And so, you know, what I want to do is on Military Collectors this week, as well, I want to take folks through the various services that you all pay tribute to here.
This is a great volunteer organization, so we’re gonna go basic service by service here on Military Collections to show these folks who love collections exactly what you’ve amassed here.
And folks stay tuned because our next segment coming up, Bobby is going to take us through each one of the service rooms of all the different things and these are from actual former service members, their families.
All, mostly, I would say, probably 80 to 90% from North Carolina.
And they have wanted their artifacts to live on through the Price of Freedom Museum.
Stay tuned we’ll be right back.

[Music]
And welcome back to Military Collectors.
We’re in the room that started it all.
In 2004, here at the old school building just outside of China Grove North Carolina for Bobby Mault.
And of course, all of these items that you see here in the museum, especially here in this room, all began, well, they really started at the gas station in downtown China Grove.
It was a Marathon, then it was a Texaco and then of course today as all, all companies change, but Bobby’s still in business.
He’s still ringing them up one vehicle at a time.
Still pumping gas and you know, Bobby, I will tell you, this is such a special room to you because this, this really started the collection.
[Bobby] You’re right, mm-hmm, 1966.
[Bob] Started in the service station.
And they brought all of these different items, folks would just drop them off, you know, how does the word of mouth from 1954 to 1966?
How did folks know that you were interested in doing this?
[Bobby] Well, I think, the service station, you have to give it credit.
Because people had known me a long time, you know, in business before, that I think, well, it was trusted.
They trusted me.
[Bob] Well, and you know, one of the key things, I think is, is you didn’t pay for it.
They wanted this stuff to be displayed.
They wanted it, their legacy, from their family member, to live on.
And you’ve done it so well here and the one thing that I find so unique here is that when people come through and they ask you to see where so and so’s picture and uniform is, you can take them right to it.
Now that’s remarkable, but Bobby you have done something, I think, special here in China Grove with the school district and it’s a mandatory class for all fifth graders.
Within this school district, that they have to come here.
So, tell me a little bit about that.
[Bobby] Well, there’s, it’s mandatory that all fifth graders will attend this, the school.
And we give them on the scavenger hunt and then after an hour we put them in a classroom and we teach them about the landing of D-Day and the sacrifice has been paid for their freedom coming up here that day or they would never be able to come up here.
[Bob] Well, and then of course, how many kids normally come through every year?
[Bobby] Oh well, in eight years we’ve had 14,000.
[Bob] Oh my goodness, that’s just tremendous.
Well, take me just a little bit real quick through the steps of the museum.
You’ve got the museum arranged off of each one of the old classrooms.
You’ve redone them all and you’ve got them all basically designated for different services.
Tell me a little bit about that.
[Bobby] Yeah I have the Army, Army room, Navy room and all each branch of service has their own room in it.
[Bob] Then you’ve basically laid out.
You have an auditorium over there.
Which is really, I think, that’s very, very special.
You’ve got a library over there which is, I think, is just very, very unique because you know, even small kids and even us big kids, still love to see how, you know, this stuff can be displayed.
And of course, then recently the the replica of the 1940s home, which is I think, is so unique.
I don’t believe I’ve seen that.
Of all the collections that we’ve showcased on this, – on this TV show, has never seen that.
That was all your vision.
Tell me about, about that.
[Bobby] Well, about the auditorium, what I came, most of the servicemen in World War II, they would not talk to their families about the war.
And they would talk to me because I had their uniform and then some of the children said, “Did they tell you about that?” I said, yes.
“Well, will you…?” – I said, “No, you have to have your dad to tell you.” So, another thing that I’m going to do in the auditorium, we got a screen that we were going to pull down, now when the music, if there is two or three groups of musicians, and they change, then what I’m going to do is pull the screen down and play the videos of two or three World War II veterans.
And this is my thinking, on that, that ones that tried to get them to talk to them and they wouldn’t, they can say, “Saturday night, I’m going to see granddaddy at the museum.” [Bob] There you go.
Well, Bobby, I’ll tell you you have just done a tremendous job here and there’s more to see and more to tell here.
But folks, stay tuned when Military Collectors comes back, we’re going to walk you through this 1930s school that now houses the personal collection of all of these service members and all the folks here who have dropped it off and left it with Bobby’s trust.

[Music]
After you sir.
Well folks, this is the China Grove Price of Freedom Museum.
This is the old school building that was built in 1936.
Bobby was born in 1934 and so it’s so appropriate that we are back here now today, that he has taken over and he has built the Price of Freedom Museum.
And let’s go in Sir, the United States Army, caissons keep rolling along.
And you know, I will tell you, although I’m partial to the Army, I don’t really believe I have seen a personal collection like what you have amassed here.
Kind of just, let’s just talk a little bit about some of the things and the items that these folks have left you, in order to display, because it’s so special.
[Bobby] This gentleman, right here, is one that Don uses to teach the school children about the D-day landing.
That’s the way they were dressed and everything and wanted to take a look…
One night, I came up here to do some work about 12 o’clock and I did not realize that he brought that in there.
You know!
And I was over there and when I turned that I thought somebody was standing in there watching me!
[Bob] He was guarding you with his VAR there you go.
[Bobby] Bob, before we leave, I want to show you one thing.
(Okay.) I really stand and watch it a lot of times and this was Ralph Stevenson.
And he was in the Air Corps at that time and the flew 35 missions and on the 35th one he was shot down and taken prisoner in Germany.
[Bob] And plus he also served World War II and Korea.
(Yeah) Wow, and he was a prisoner of war from ’44 to ’45.
Wow!
Well, I know now.
Is his family local here?
[Bobby] No, he didn’t have family, really.
No, he was from up north but he didn’t have.
[Bob] How did you acquire his items?
[Bobby] Someone at the station recommend to come and look at the museum.
[Bob] And, you know, it’s so, it’s so unique that it all comes back to the service station.
Is that not, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of another story where what you have amassed here started at the filling station.
right?
That’s is really so special.
Well, shall we go look at some others.
(Okay) We got a lot of other things.
That’s, what’s next?
What room we gonna go look at next?
(Navy room.) The navy room, okay, which is special to your family.
(Yes!) Both your brothers in the Navy.
Okay, so you had two brothers in the Navy, so that room’s got to be special as well.
[Bobby] Oh yes, two in the Navy, Ray and Claude.
[Bobby] Well, I’m gonna ask you now, how many members of your family, your brothers and sisters, are left alive?
[Bobby] My one sister and myself.
And that’s it.
Out of the out of the nine in the family, you know, and it’s so unique, of course, back during those years, it was not out of the ordinary to have nine members in the family.
(That’s right!) You know, everybody had to help, so yeah.
(Yeah.) Now what makes this room, other than your brothers served here, what, what is, makes it so special to you personally?
[Bobby] Well, have a picture of Mr.
Elliot.
And he was leaving out of Pearl Harbor and when torpedo hit his ship, the West Virginia.
(Hmm.) And right here, is Mr.
Elliot’s picture.
And when I opened my museum for the first time, he had the opening and the prayer for me.
[Bob] And so, he was here.
(Yeah) Back in was 2005, 2004?
Wow!
Well, I will just tell you, you know, for such a short time of, of only having 14 or 15 years to put something like this together, you’ve just done a tremendous job.
And I know, you’ve had some volunteers to help, but you know, it’s your vision and, and, and you know, it’s, it’s, this is special.
[Bobby] That’s what I always said and I always learned, don’t take credit for it, but the thing about it is, I have to take credit.
The Lord gave me the vision and if he hadn’t of sent 70 volunteers, you wouldn’t see nothing here.
[Bob] But what’s next?
I can’t wait, let’s go see the next room.
Now is it Marine Corps or the Air Force?
[Bobby] It would be…
Do you want to go into the school room?
[Bob] We can.
Now, tell me a little bit of the history about this specific room, Bobby.
Now this was, this is kind of what, for a 1st and 2nd grade, used to be taught back in the day?
[Bobby] Ms.
Boston taught it.
[Bob] So, now you use this for the 5th graders (Right.) Then to come in and and reenact and relive history right here.
And so, you know, I think it’s so appropriate and it’s so wonderful that you do this for these kids and, of course, I see the the, the teacher up on the wall and old, old pictures of students from the day.
So, I mean, you know, and now you’ve also got a legacy here and here he comes Bobby Harrison, right here.
Bobby, pleasure.
Tell me about this gentleman here, ok, because…
[Bobby Mault] Well, I want him to carry it on.
And most programs I have started in the past, and I’m usually doing 10 years at a part.
And most all of them go for a year and then they’ll say, “Too much work!” But, they don’t have the heart in it.
[Bob] And so, Bobby does.
How did you find this guy?
[Bob] Well, we found each other.
[Bobby Harrison] We go back to the 70s whenever he started a neighborhood softball park.
And then I started patronizing his service station, you know, after I got my driver’s license.
And then just stayed in touch with him over the years.
I’ve always had a passion for history and whenever I heard he was opening a museum, got one of my friends to come over and bring his military Jeep for the first open house in 2006.
And then I acquired my Jeep and started bringing it.
And then I started volunteering here in 2008.
[Bobby Mault] Oh, there’s one question, I want to ask you.
(Okay) Why do you think that the uniforms hanging in the windows are different branches of service when the rest of them got a room of their own?
[Bob] Well, looking at all these pictures from the 30s and 40s and throughout history, could it be that those folks went to school here, that served here?
Is…
(You’re right!) Is that correct?
[Bobby Mault] You’re number 10 to come up with that answer.
[Bob] God bless you!
Well guys, I will tell you, it has been such an honor and privilege here, to have you guys on Military Collectors this week.
I promise you that we’re going to come back because this is one of the very few collections that continues to evolve.
The service station, it all goes back to the service station in China Grove and the passion that, this man, has had has now passed on to you.
I know, he’s still going to be involved but that’s what Military Collectors tries to showcase is the passion of collectors just like him, just like you, and one other specific guy that we’re going to talk to.
Folks, when we come back, on our segment of Military Collectors, in our final segment, here at the Price of Freedom Museum in China Grove we’re going to talk to a guy who has a special attachment to this museum and he also has a special attachment to these two guys.
So stay tuned, when we come back, we’re going to introduce him to you.
[Music]

Well, folks here on our final segment of Military Collectors this week, I have to introduce you to a very special guest, a good friend of mine that I’ve known for several years.
Many of you all back, if you grew up in the 80s and the 90s and here in the south, you ate at Food Lion, you recognize this gentleman, because he did the commercials every week for Food Lion.
And I’m talking about, none other than, the one the only, Mr.
Tom Smith.
And here, Tom, I will tell you, I have to shake your hand because I just have to have the folks out there understand that you have a special connection to this museum.
Ok, we’re going to talk about Food Lion here in just a minute, ok, and your, your career there as the CEO, but you are so generous and such a guy that just absolutely believes in causes.
We’re gonna talk about that too, but I want to talk about this special place, the Price of Freedom Museum here in China Grove.
This is the very stage, when you were a youngster in 1947 to 1955, you went to school here.
[Tom] That’s right.
[Bob] Well, what was it like back then, ok?
I know your picture’s on the wall and, gosh, you in a little classroom in there for a first and second grade but what does this place mean to you now that it’s come from elementary now to a museum that you support.
[Tom] Well, it’s great.
I attended 8 years here.
We had two classes per teacher and it was, it was pretty rural, no air conditioning, like today.
And then to see it become a storage building for the, for the county was quite disappointing and then, Bob came in and took it over and, gosh, it’s just exciting what, what he’s done to make it such a great museum.
[Bob] Well, you know, and I think one of the special things too is, is, and folks, on a later show here of Military Collectors, this gentleman is a collector in his own right, ok.
Now we’re not going to talk about that today other than to tell you that we’re going to be back up here at the Price of Freedom Museum here in China Grove at some time later in 2019 to 2020.
This gentleman is helping them build a building for a wheeled vehicle collection of which he has a very close connection with, as well.
And so, we’re going to be talking more about that later, but I want to just talk a little bit about the enormity and the mission and the focus about what Bobby has put together here at the Price of Freedom Museum.
[Bob] Well, it to me is just amazing!
That an individual could bring all this together and Bob, such an honest guy, and such a straightforward guy, that people really trust him, and so they want to leave things that they have from the past here so other people can enjoy it.
And yet, they know where to go to see it, if they want to see it.
The other thing that’s so important, I think, he does is teaching a, teaching the 5th graders.
Letting them know, of course, the teachers teach about World War II, but no, there’s no connection better than seeing the actual things.
And Bob has his heart in this, he works so hard, him and Bobby are just great people.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed knowing them.
[Bob] God bless you.
Thank you for so much, what you do here for the guys here at the Price of Freedom Museum and I’m looking forward to coming back and doing another Military Collector show because I want to showcase a special collection that you have.
I’m just telling you, he has a military vehicle, wheeled vehicle collection that’s really unmatched in these parts.
He’s got a John Deere tractor collection, ok, I know it’s not military but it’s just about the passion of collection.
Plus, he’s got a museum over there of all of his wild animals that just is unmatched, mostly, by any museum around the country and it is absolutely superb.
And we’re going to showcase that on a later episode of Military Collectors.
Join us, we’ll be right back here again next week with another episode of Military Collectors.
[Music]

MVPA Convention – 2018 Part 2

Part two of Bob’s trip to te MVPA Convention in Louisville KY. In this special episode, Bob talks to two World War II veterans about their experiences.

First Tom Grasser, talks about landing on Omaha beach with his WC54 Ambulance.

Then Bob listens to Melvin Richardson tell about his experience in the Seabees throughout the Pacific theatre. Two great stories from the Greatest Generation.

Full Transcript

This is part two of Military Collectors from Louisville Kentucky the MVPA Convention.
I’ve got a special guest lineup for you this week two World War II veterans.
One who is a combat medic who drove a WC 54 ambulance across Europe, landed on the beaches at Normandy, Mr. Tom Grasser. I know you’re going to want to hear his story as well as Melvin Richardson, a Seabee who also served during World War II, right here on Military Collectors from Louisville Kentucky at the MVPA convention.
[Music]
We have a very special guest on today’s show and world war II veteran and our greatest generation guest today Tom Grasser from Kenosha Wisconsin and now from Albuquerque New Mexico but the story behind this gentleman has something to do with George Patton and the race across Europe and D-day, Omaha Beach and I’m gonna let Tom tell the story because it’s very, very special.
Tom, God Bless you my friend, thank you for your service, okay and World War II veterans are very special to this country.
Not many of you guys are left but you have a very special story and I want to talk about it today on Military Collectors, okay.
We started in Kenosha Wisconsin, there we were … we were drafted into service after I graduated high school I graduated June the 11th. June the 17th I was in the army.
Anyhow, they took us down to Fort Ord California where we were training and we there basic training, qualified on the rifle range and then they said you’re gonna be in the Medical Corps, drive an ambulance.
I said, “I don’t even know how to drive!” I said, “My mom got killed when I was 11 years old, we never had an automobile.” Anyhow, they said, “We’ll teach you!” And what happened was, we took it slow, easy and they were patient.
Anyhow, I learned how to drive, and of course, few times I run into things.
Fact is, I work at an information booth in Albuquerque New Mexico. People come in from Chicago or pardon me California and I say, “Did you ever go to the redwood forest?” “Yeah.” and I said, “Well, if you look up on the tree about nine or ten feet, there’s scars on there, that’s how I stopped the ambulance.” It’s grown that much now.
Anyhow, I did learn to drive and everybody had gone in service at that time with either 18 or 27. Everybody in between had been already drafted.
So we trained and then they took us the Boston or Newport News Virginia to ship out to go over the England.
And when we got over to England, why we got brand new ambulances. And the one, my ambulance, that I rode in was Third Army, we were with Patton, number 14.
And we trained in… where was it that we were at? Hanford Court, and we were way up, I guess it’s another end, by Scotland.
And we train down the roads there in all. And we used to come down the roads in England, the roads are very narrow of course, they go up the left side, we go up the right side, but our vehicles were so big they went very down the middle. And took up the whole road.
And yeah, make a long story short like, we got our orders to come on go overseas, and what we did is, we taped the doors and, and put a snorkel on the tailpipe and taped it to the back of the ambulance and they had some kind, I’m no mechanic, so I don’t know what it takes to keep anything under water for a any period of time, but it was like a gauze material with beeswax and wrapped the carburetor and distributor.
[Bob] To water proof it.
[Tom] Waterproof it.
We came off the LST after it hit the beach at Omaha Beach, went aground.
The front opened up, the ramp went down and the quartermaster had already put in plates so we wouldn’t dig into the sand.
We come off front-wheel drive and the back of it was like big balloon until we got on land that we came through.
Anyhow, we went it there for, oh, I don’t know, maybe two, three hours.
They said go in that field over there and they said there may be mines and that.
But we haven’t checked it. So, our Lieutenant got in the two and a half ton truck and crossed back and forth and zigzag and nothing blew up. So, we all parked our ambulances in there. And we had thirty ambulances.
That evening or afternoon we took off on up to the front. And we got to, and I may be lying now, it’s a long time ago, but since it was a Avranches, it was on the coast of France. And we’re all in the convoy in there 30 Ambulances bumper-to-bumper.
18 year old, well, I was 19 then, I had gone, anyhow, sitting on the bumper two planes come over they dropped flares.
Ah, they’re going to take our picture! All of a sudden they come back and they were strafing, and boy scouts honor, they came to those thirty ambulances there, Stuka dive bombers had screamers on the tail just roaring, make your hair stand up.
Anyhow, came to those ambulance and pull up over us. Did not drop a bomb or strafe.
Made another round, came up, got to us, and some of us admit…
pardon me…
but I’d been out the first night in France.
Anyhow, we made it through and pull in the field and camp for the night. And did not get, like I say, we didn’t get hurt at all.
Next morning a Jeep comes flying into the camp where we were and, I think, it was a lieutenant, he may have been a second lieutenant or first, I’m not sure, anyhow, just a young fella or older.
They jumped out he says I’m going to say Mass, anybody here know how to serve?
I put up my hand because I’d been an altar boy back when I was a kid.
Anyhow, we went ahead and I served, my one claim to glory, I served that Mass in France the first morning we were there.
So, we ended up, came in France, Belgium Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, Italy and then into Germany.
And we, very fortunate, I tell you, that’s guardian angel was sitting on my shoulder all the way.
And we did not get a scratch, got home after, let’s see, got out of the army the Fort Chartres in the Illinois.
We got in there New Year’s Eve and everything was shut down.
So, they said they couldn’t get us out until the next day.
So, we got off the second of January 1946 and the rest is behind me.
But truly one thing I want to say, if it was not for the people back home, the women that went to the factories the fellas the 4Fs, that people looked at as, you know, no good.
They went to work. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, so help me, they had scrap drives, the food. People without food and grandpas and grandmas and uncles and aunts from that time, know what they put up, gas rationing to help us. And those are the heroes.
People come up and say, you know you’re, you’re a hero.
I did not.
I’m no hero!
I did what I was being paid to do.
And I was lucky!
I said the people back home that backed us up and esprit de corps for World War Number Two.
At that time was 200%, so help me, that, and the people back home are the heroes, not us.
There’s a lot of guys, of course, gave their life and all.
I just outlived the rest of them and that’s my story.
[Bob] Tom, God bless you, sir, (I’ve been blessed, believe me.) Thank you so much, (yep) being on our show and thank you, what you’ve done for our great country.
(yeah) We wish you many, many more years and they’re gonna have many, many more years.
[Tom] I’m ordinary enough to live a long time.
(Yes, thank you very much) I tell my priest, he says, Tom, how old were you?
That’s 90. I said that’s 90.
He says, you’re getting up there in age.
I said, yeah, I said, you know, I keep going around I knock on the pearly gates and Pete says, not yet. Get it right!
So, I got to keep going around till I get it all right!
[Bob] And you will, you will, my friend. God Bless you and thank you so much.
(Thank you.)
If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors, be sure to go online at military collectors tv.com and you can see not only past episodes, but also read in-depth features on the people and their pasion of their military collections.
I’m a little bit country. and I’m a little bit rock and roll. I’m a little bit Memphis and Nashville. With a little bit of Mo-town in my soul. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. But I know I love it so. I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.
The all-new Chevy Silverado. It’s a little bit country and it’s a little bit rock and roll. [Music]
Take a moment to think about the food you buy and eat. Is it fresh? I mean, really fresh or is it shipped from a grower hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Well, here in South Carolina, we celebrate fresh, locally grown food and unforgettable meals with family and friends. So, choose food that’s rooted right here. Choose certified SC grown. It’s a matter of taste.
Wacca Wachee Marina located on the Waccamaw River in Murells Inlet, is a first class freshwater marina. For over 60 years locals and visitors have enjoyed Wacca Wachee Marina as a recreational stopover or as a launching spot on the river. Wacca Wachee offers affordable rates on wet slips, rack storage, fuel services, and a collection of amenities to enhance your boating expereince. For a great meal with a waterfront setting visit Deck 383 located dock level at the marina. Wacca Wachee Marina – Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
[Music]
[Bob] Well, our letter this week comes from Bill in Bangor Maine and Bill writes, “Bob, I’m trying to get into collecting Japanese World War II collectibles.
What are some of the more unique helmets that I might be able to get into and what might they be worth?” Well, Bill, I appreciate you writing into our email notes this week.
I’ve got an expert here that I think can answer your question.
Matt Fox from Quarter-ton Military Parts down at Chickamauga Georgia.
He is also a Japanese helmet collector.
Ok Matt, I got ask ya.
[Matt] Uh-huh.
[Bob] Bill wants to get in to collect the these, ok, what are kind of the differences here in what you find?
[Matt] Well, your standard Japanese helmet, just a lightweight helmet looks about like this, you don’t have a star in the front.
(Okay) That they’re very, very common.
They’ve gotten expensive since all the movies have come out.
(Right) But if you’re really wanting to get into something, that’s a little bit more interesting, not your norm.
You can get into like, like this is a naval marine.
Japanese naval marine.
These are very collectible.
These are the northern Japanese and since they were taller than your normal Japanese they consider them, more I guess, you could say, scary or more intimidating because they were larger.
I mean, they were large, ya know, and so, they made them Marines and it’ll have, of course, the anchor on the front and the later style will have a painted anchor.
Now, if you really wanted to get into some really weird Japanese helmets.
This one here for instance, this is a Japanese machine-gunners helmet.
These are extremely rare and what they did is they went one step from, one step further from a German helmet that had the brow plate and they actually integrated the brow plate in the front of the helmet.
This was actually found in a bunker in China by Chinese digger.
These were very unwieldly they were so heavy on the front that they would, you know, the, the movement of the gun would cause the helmet to follow with the eyes of the guy shooting it.
So, they weren’t real popular.
So, there was very few of them made this.
One was probably thrown down and a normal helmet picked up.
But if you really want to get into weird Japanese helmets, this is a good, this is a good find.
[Bob] Well, let’s tell Bill, this one’s worth what?
Five hundred.
[Matt] It’s probably worth, it’s missing the liner, yet it’s about 500.
[Bob] Okay, this one as it’s rare?
[Matt] This one?
I wouldn’t even know where to start.
I’ve never seen one before.
This is the only one I’ve ever seen.
I would say ballpark I mean, 2 – 300 bucks.
I don’t know.
I really don’t know where to even start.
[Bob] Well, most of the time when these things, when you start collecting them, you’ll get lucky and find it (oh, yeah, yeah.) But when somebody knows exactly what they got, you’re probably looking, in two to three thousand dollars for something like that.
(Wow, yeah.) So there you have it.
Well Matt, thanks so much for your knowledge, okay, and Bill, I hope that’s answered your question.
[Announcer] If you would like to have your military restoration project or collectible featured on the show, just send an email with your photos to photos at militarycollectorstv.com
For 50 years, Ranger Boats has been paying tribute to America’s armed forces and their families. Not only in the United States, but those men and women who serve all over the world. At Ranger Boats, we appreciate the dedication that these men and women do each and every day. Protecting and preserving the very foundations of our freedom. Ranger Boats wants to give back to America’s real heroes with our operation troop salute program. For more information visit RangerBoats.com today.
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If you are interested in preserving and collecting military vehicles, whether you’re a military veteran or just have a love for military vehicles in general, then you may be interested in joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. The MBPA is dedicated to providing an International Organization for military vehicle enthusiasts. For more information, and all the benefits a member receives with joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, go online at MVPA.org.
[Music]
Well, in the first part of today’s show, we took you across Europe with a race in time with Patton’s army and a combat medic Tom Grasser.
Now we’re going to the Pacific Ocean and Melvin Richardson from Webster City, Iowa is here joining us today.
He was with the Navy Seabees out in the Pacific and what a special story.
Our World War II veterans, the greatest generation and here’s one of them today, 93 year-old Melvin Richardson.
Melvin thank you so much!
Godspeed, for your service, my friend, tell me a little bit what was it like in the Pacific during World War II with the Seabees.
[Melvin] When we first went in, I wanted to join the Navy and they said my eyes were too near sighted.
So, then when I was 18, they were gonna draft me, I said I wanted the Navy.
They said, okay.
Well, when I got ready to go to boot camp, who said to go to Virginia and I said, no.
I go to the Great Lakes in the Navy.
No, you’re in the Seabees!
That’s the first I knew anything about the Seabees.
I’d seen these folders with a guy with a shovel in one hand and a rifle in the other hand.
I didn’t think I wanted it, but it was too late.
But it turned out for the best.
The good thing was that most of the Seabees average age, I was in, was like 36 or 37 years old, I was 18.
So, they didn’t know what to do with me.
Finally, one day some guys were taking their driver’s test and they said come on go along.
Okay. You guys wait til it’s your turn.
I got in the truck that I had no idea how to run.
Looked at the dashboard and saw how you shifted it and backed it up, and did this, what he wanted. They didn’t realize it.
So, I drove a truck for probably two or three months.
And then one day you know if anybody wanted to operate a crane I said, “Sure, I’ll do it!” I operated the crane, we worked on the docks there in Honalulu.
And then we went to Iwo Jima and worked on the beaches.
From there I went to Okinawa.
[Bob] Well, you know, Melvin, again the greatest generation and the service that they had, what was it like for your family back home and you out in the Pacific?
Did they, were they concerned?
I mean, you, Iwo Jima, that that was, that was serious!
[Melvin] It was serious.
Well, I had no way…
of course, I wanted them to know where I was except with kind of mild hints.
But I think somehow they finally got the idea that they knew where I was.
But of course couldn’t write it in a letter or anything to let them know.
There just wasn’t any way to let them know where I was.
[Bob] Well, when you were in Okinawa were you still running the crane there as well?
(Yes.) So, was it a rebuilding of the ports for the ships?
What were you exactly doing?
[Melvin] Well, I ran a crane actually loading gravel on trucks.
If they needed some gravel someplace, I would load the truck.
Most of the time it was pretty much just that.
[Bob] Was that was the crane floatable or was it up on up on dry land?
[Melvin] It was on dry land on crawler tread.
[Bob] Now, in, at Iwo Jima, how difficult was that?
I mean, of course, obviously you came ashore after they secured the beachhead and all of that.
[Melvin] Well I’m not so sure it was all secured.
We spent 30 days in foxholes.
We dug down in and used sandbags to build up the walls.
We lived in for 30 days at the base of Mount Suribachi.
And then they moved us up in to tents up over the airstrip.
Well, I don’t know.
Just sort of got along with what they did, with what they give you.
We’re gonna come to the showers, they dug a pit and the water seeped into it, but it was too hot.
You couldn’t stand it, underneath, because Iwo Jima was actually a volcanic island and the water was hot and it was sulfur!
Soap wouldn’t suds.
So, you just did the best you could with it.
[Bob] Well, you know, Melvin, I will tell you, it’s one of those things that soldiers understand how to survive and obviously you all did that so well in the Pacific.
And based on all of the hard work that you did during your service, how long did you stay in and then when did you come off active duty?
[Melvin] Well, I went in the 1st of September of 1943 and we got out the 1st of February of 1946. And all that time I was never home.
[Bob] Well, one last question Melvin, when you got home, what did you do for the rest of your life?
Okay, and, and I know your shirt says I’m 93, I’m 18 with 75 years of experience.
I, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a shirt that way.
Tell me what, what did you do?
Obviously, the good Lord blessed you, got you home safely.
What did you do with the rest of your life, sir?
I don’t think I was home more than a month and I met the prettiest, loveliest girl you ever laid eyes on.
And we got married.
I worked in Omaha in a hotel house first three years we were married.
Then I started farming.
And farmed for 25 years.
We’ve never really got very far with it.
And I’ve done some carpenter work, so I went into just remodeling and doing carpenter work.
In the eighties that kind of went down hill and we’re looking for something to do when I saw this ad about computerized embroidery.
And that’s what this is, is computerized embroidery.
And started a business, it was 30 years ago and right now my daughters are doing very well with it.
So, you just kinda got along with what you had.
[Bob] Well, everybody loves a great sweatshirt with a great saying, they do.
Well sir, thank you so much again for your service.
Thank you for being here with us today.
And I just want to wish you Godspeed and happy birthday on your upcoming birthday, and many, many more to come.
If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors, be sure to go online at military collectors tv.com and you can see not only past episodes, but also read in-depth features on the people and their pasion of their military collections.
[Music]
I’m a little bit country. and I’m a little bit rock and roll. I’m a little bit Memphis and Nashville. With a little bit of Mo-town in my soul. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. But I know I love it so. I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.
The all-new Chevy Silverado. It’s a little bit country and it’s a little bit rock and roll. [Music]
If you are interested in preserving and collecting military vehicles, whether you’re a military veteran or just have a love for military vehicles in general, then you may be interested in joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. The MBPA is dedicated to providing an International Organization for military vehicle enthusiasts. For more information, and all the benefits a member receives with joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, go online at MVPA.org.
Every soldiers training is the same but their story is their own. From the fields of Gettysburg, to the tanks rolling across the sands of Kuwait, the story of the mounted soldier is a story of mobility, speed and the historic power to shift the mighty tides of war. The National Armor and Cavalry Heritage Foundation is asking for your help in keeping the legacy of the United States armored and cavalry and telling the stories for many years to come.
I hope you’ve enjoyed part two of our MVP a series here on Military Collectors from Louisville Kentucky at the MVPA Convention. All of the folks that made our visit possible and who put on this great event each and every year, our hats off to you guys. If you’d like more information about the MVPA just log on to their web site become a member at MVPA.org or go to militarycollectorstv.com and you can also log on to their website there and become a member because preserving history like these vehicles right here the one that Tom Grasser drove across Europe, these are what this whole program is all about, is preserving our military heritage and the MVPA and all of its members do so well with that.
And I’d like to say also that all the guys Tom Clark have an MD and those key members of the board of the MVPA serves such a great audience when it comes to putting on and preserving military history through the military vehicle Preservation Association.
Well again Military Collectors is honored, it’s a privilege to be here each and every week to showcase what these folks are doing around the country. We’ll be back next week with another episode of Military Collectors. [Music]

MVPA Convention – 2018 Part 1

This is part one of Bob’s visit to the 2018 MVPA Convention in Louisville Kentucky. In this episode, Bob talks with the new president of the MVPA and get’s his take on the organization.

This year’s emphasis is on World War I vehicles and Bob interviews a special “hands on” restorer of a World War I Light Patrol vehicle.

Then, he talks to the “King of Carts,” a collector who specializes in
WWI ammo carts.

Bob also get’s a look at a rare M1917 light tank from the Indiana Military Museum.

Full Transcript

[Bob Redfern] Welcome to Military Collectors this week.
Folks, we are in Louisville Kentucky at the Military Vehicle Preservation Association’s National Convention.
I’ve got a lot of great guests this week.
A lot on tap.
Military Collectors is going to go through this museum and this display like you’ve never seen before, right here on Military Collectors.
[Music]
Well folks, joining me now is the new president of the MVPA the Military Vehicle Preservation Association is Tom Clark from Canada.
A 30-year member and now the new president of this great organization here.
Tom, I’ve got thank you very much for being on the show today and, you know, I really want to emphasize your emphasis about what you as the new president want to do coming in to take over this great organization.
So, tell us all out there what what is your focus?
[Tom] Well, the primary focus, I’m really excited about the role and the responsibility is being president and also being a Canadian representing an international group such as the MVPA.
Being involved with a hobby for 30 years, and one of them, I think, our greatest challenges is growing the hobby and adding new members and reaching down to our next generation, the younger generation.
Getting them interested in the hobby as well.
So, that’s, that’s our primary focus right now is, is membership growth and developing the hobby being more inclusive versus exclusive.
Want to include groups such as model builders who can afford a model, maybe not some of the bigger models that you see here but some of the smaller models but also re-enactors and other interest groups and veterans groups.
Anybody who wants to be involved with us, we’re just opening the door for them now.
[Bob] Well, I have to ask you, you know, and we too want to help grow this organization and make folks understand what it is all these members do, not only for the Hobby, but for just history and military in general but, you know, one of the things I have to ask you, what is your collection like?
[Tom] My collection, well, my collection could be a lot better but I’ll have to get approval from my superior officer, my wife, so, she put up with me for 40 years, so I got to keep that, keep that happy as well.
Right now, I, well, used to own an M38-A1 which was a Jeep.
And it was a 67 pattern Canadian Army.
I now own world war II Canadian Army contract Willy’s MB.
And totally restored.
And I’ve got a M38 Canadian that I’m currently in the process of restoring.
Hopefully, it’ll be finished within the next five to six months so I’m pretty excited about that as well.
[Bob] Well, one thing is the new president here, I know, that you’re coming in, and of course, the convoys across America and all of that is just a big deal for the MVPA.
And I know 2019 is is one of those exceptional years, coming across gonna start in DC, Gettysburg and all of that.
And so, we hope to join you all there as well, but tell us about the convoy process because that really gets the message out across the country over, over a month and a half of the guys on the road.
[Tom] Oh yeah, yeah absolutely, incredible.
The convoy in itself is, is, is a way to showcase the hobby and its history in motion and that’s our magazine.
We’re changing our name up from Army Motors to History in Motion, which more accurately reflects the hobby as a whole covering off all the different services whether it’s Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard.
Any of the branches and any of our partner, Allied partners.
So, as you can see, throughout the entire complex here you have a good representation of those vehicles.
The convo itself, though, really builds that public interaction and, and we get great attention and we get great support.
And one thing you’ll find that we, we see as Canadians, when we come down here, is the support of the military, the veterans and the current serving members.
Which, we as an organization, really support.
So, the convo just fits hand in glove with us.
[Announcer] When Military Collectors continues, we meet a special collector and restorer of World War I vehicles who has a special skill despite his handicap.
If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors, be sure to go online at military collectors tv.com and you can see not only past episodes, but also read in-depth features on the people and their pasion of their military collections.
I’m a little bit country. and I’m a little bit rock and roll. I’m a little bit Memphis and Nashville. With a little bit of Mo-town in my soul. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. But I know I love it so. I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.
The all-new Chevy Silverado. It’s a little bit country and it’s a little bit rock and roll. [Music]
Wacca Wachee Marina located on the Waccamaw River in Murells Inlet, is a first class freshwater marina. For over 60 years locals and visitors have enjoyed Wacca Wachee Marina as a recreational stopover or as a launching spot on the river. Wacca Wachee offers affordable rates on wet slips, rack storage, fuel services, and a collection of amenities to enhance your boating expereince. For a great meal with a waterfront setting visit Deck 383 located dock level at the marina. Wacca Wachee Marina – Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
For 50 years, Ranger Boats has been paying tribute to America’s armed forces and their families. Not only in the United States, but those men and women who serve all over the world. At Ranger Boats, we appreciate the dedication that these men and women do each and every day. Protecting and preserving the very foundations of our freedom. Ranger Boats wants to give back to America’s real heroes with our operation troop salute program. For more information visit RangerBoats.com today.
[Music]
[Bob] Well, as we continue this week’s show, World War I has been a focus here at the convention in Louisville Kentucky but I have a special guest for you all today and, I tell you what, he’s got a 1915 World War I Ford anti-aircraft gun and his Bob Roe from Atlanta Georgia.
He traveled all the way up here but I’m not going to tell you a special secret about Bob because I want him to tell you.
And so Bob, I want to thank you very much for being on Military Collectors today but tell me about this great piece of restoration, the vehicle that you had back here, this is, this is really neat.
[Bob Roe] Well, as you mentioned it’s a 1915 Ford Model T and it’s original to the family.
My wife’s family is from Leavenworth Kansas and this was sitting in a barn along with five other model Ts and they asked me to start getting involved in restoring them.
And I said, “I don’t know anything about Model T’s.
I don’t know anything about the technology.
Give me one I can screw up.” So, they pulled this old Doodlebug, which was a farm implement tool out of a converted Model T, out of the farm and they said, “Here, go at!” All of the metal work is original.
The radiator, the fenders, the tires, wheels, everything you see is original, except the wood, of course, got eaten up by termites sometime in the last hundred and three years.
So, we got the plans from Ford Motor Company to build a light open express wooden body.
And we’ve recreated this as a World War I Light Patrol vehicle.
[Bob] Well, you know, I think, what’s so unique about it is is the quality of the restoration, okay, so now I want it, I just have to do this, because, okay, listen, (I know what’s coming!) There, there are folks that have two great eyes, 20/20 vision, but folks, I want you to understand, Bob is blind.
He is legally blind and so, Bob tell the folks out there the rest of the story because I it’s so special.
[Bob Roe] Well, I grew up and, you know, child of a baby boomer and you know a lot of stress, a lot of cholesterol issues growing up, being in the corporate world and in 2005 I had a minor stroke that caused the blood supply to get cut off to the optic nerve in one eye.
And went to the doctors and they said you know the bad news is it never happens to guys, it never happens to guys under 60, and it never happens in both eyes.
Well, a year later I won the lottery, and I lost my second eye.
So my optical prescription is 20 over hand motion.
Doctor says, “How many fingers?” I don’t know, can you see my hand?
No.
And she does this and I see them, the movement, I see the motion.
So, obviously I was unable to continue to do my job in real estate.
I couldn’t drive.
I can’t read.
I can’t write because of my optical situation.
So, I’m now retired, forcibly retired, and on medical disability and my wife says, “What are you can do with your time?” And I said, “I’ve always wanted to restore a car.
I’ve always wanted to do a car.” Which opens up that can of worms, a muscle car?
T-Bird? A Model A? a Model T? what do you want to do?
Well, I always grew up just fascinated with the history of World War II.
I built every model kit there was to build.
My father served in World War II.
Jane’s father served in World War II.
I said, “I’d like to do a military vehicle.” We went up to a farmer’s field in Cleveland Georgia that I saw on the internet and he had a 1942 Ford GPW sitting in the field, engine held in with a ratchet strap, transmission held in with a ratchet strap, wrong seats, wrong windshield, and I felt it with my hands.
And I felt the rear panel and I felt the word F- O- R- D and I said, “This one’s going home with us!” I’m born and raised from Dearborn Michigan which is corporate headquarters for Ford Motor Company and that Jeep went home with us and I restored all by feel, all by touch, every leaf spring, every F marked nut and bolt.
We took it apart.
A lot of technologies available out there on the internet to help me read.
I could put a picture on a closed-circuit television and it would blow it up with enough magnification that I could kind of make out which part went where.
My family was a big help.
It became a team effort.
You know, I lost my eyesight but I didn’t lose my vision.
And I kept my eye on the prize and I wanted to get that Jeep done and the results of that project were in 2013, my 22 year old son drove my 92 year old World War II veteran father in a Veterans Day Parade in Marietta Georgia.
And that’s, that’s, that’s a vision I’ll always have.
I’ll always have that picture in my mind.
So then, it came time to do another military vehicle.
When it came time to do the Model T, I said, “Well, I want a Ford from every World War.
So, we did it as a World War I, light patrol vehicle.
Did that research, did our homework, realize how we wanted to do it.
We had the green paint in stock, so the rest is literally history.
[Bob] Well, I have one last question for you, Bob, how long does it take you to do the Model T?
So, both vehicles took us about the same time, just a little over a year.
Being retired, so obviously, it’s not a weekend project or it’s not a late night project.
Although, there was a lot of weekends and late nights involved in both of them.
So, if out of about a year to take it off, again, every nut, every bolt, every leaf of the leaf spring, get it down to bare metal, restore the metal, prime it, paint it, put it all back together.
The technology between the two vehicles very similar.
They’re both six volt, they’re both negative ground, they both start with a crank, if you need them to, and it took us about a year.
It’s a labor of love, as those in the hobby know, you don’t do it for the money.
You’ll never get the money out of it you put into it.
You do it because you think it’s important.
You do it because they’ve got a story to tell and you want to help them tell that story.
[Bob] Well, Bob, God bless you for the, from all of the folks at the MVPA convention here, and all those folks across the country who have a passion just like you do, but your passion is special and so I want to thank you for bringing this all the way up from Atlanta to Louisville Kentucky because, again, I know it’s a labor of love but it’s great to share these things because it has a story.
It’s your story and that’s so special, thank you.
[Narrator] Stay tuned, after commercial break, we’ll take a look at an unusual and rare collection of horse-drawn wagons from World War I.
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If you are interested in preserving and collecting military vehicles, whether you’re a military veteran or just have a love for military vehicles in general, then you may be interested in joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. The MBPA is dedicated to providing an International Organization for military vehicle enthusiasts. For more information, and all the benefits a member receives with joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, go online at MVPA.org.
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[Music]
[Bob] Well, joining me now is the King of Carts, World War I carts that is, Leonard Gramel from South Bend, Indiana and these carts, ammunition and machine gun carts, you very rarely see.
Probably less than 200 left in the world, probably all destroyed after the war and this guy from South Bend Indiana, this is his passion, this is his life, his collection, Leonard, I will tell you it is an honor and a privileged to have you here in Louisville Kentucky, but I just have to ask you, how many of these do you have?
[Leonard] I have 29 carts right now.
[Bob] And, you know, really the uniqueness of these, ok, how did you start your passion, your love to collect these things?
[Leonard] Well, I was a gun dealer for 32 years and I’d built water cooled and air-cooled Browning guns, belt-fed weapons.
And the 1917 carts are considered the ultimate accessory for a machine gun, especially the water-cooled belt-fed machine gun.
And so, this is the accessory that can hardly ever be found.
[Bob] Now, this one particularly, here is again one of those original carts.
[Leonard] This is one of the three I found in the creek.
[Bob] Yeah, just, just briefly describe it because, you know, not a lot of collectors, not a lot of folks who loved the military would even recognize what this was, right?
Tell me what makes this one so unique as an ammo carrier.
[Leonard] Well, they had to carry a lot of ammo and the wooden ammo boxes.
They didn’t have the stamping steel technology to make an ammo can like we have today so they made them out of wood, quarter sawn white oak painted OD green.
For World War I, the ammo cart carried either 14 boxes of ammo at 250 rounds per box of cloth belt loaded 30.6.
Or they carried 13 boxes and a water can like you see on the gun cart.
(Right.) The gun cart only carried six or seven ammo cans or ammo boxes.
The ammo cart carried 14.
What makes this distinctive is that of the three companies that made the carts, International Harvester Velie Car Company out of Moline, Illinois and the St. Louis Car Company out of St. Louis, Missouri.
Now the St. Louis Car Company made buses, tractors, trolley cars, trams.
They worked in steel. They made steel stamped.
(Oh, end plate.) for that, for the carrier, ends of the ammo carrier.
(Right.) They were the only manufacturer to make them out of steel.
The International Harvester and Velie Car Company made theirs out of wood.
So this is a distinctive cart. In the fact, that it can be verified is made by the St. Louis Car Company because the tags on the front of the carts are are not marked by the manufacturer, they just give the nomenclature of the military ordnance company, machine gun cart, ammo cart or spare gun cart.
So, this is a distinctive cart.
And if you notice all of them were painted Vickers because Vickers was supposed to be the premier gun that the US military was going to use.
But because England had been at war since 1914, they had made a contract with Colt for the 1915 Colt Vickers machine gun for the United States military.
Which would have been in 30.6, that was our standard cartridge.
So, all these carts originally were marked St.
Louis Car Company, used paint. The International Harvester and Moline vicar…
er, Velie Car Company, engraved them in the wood. They engraved it rather than painted.
So that’s the main story behind the three standard carts.
And the spare gun cart was declared obsolete because when we started using the Browning 1917 water-cooled, you didn’t need spare guns.
It would outlast any other water-cooled belt-fed weapon, is considered the finest gun of its day.
[Announcer] When Military Collectors comes back from commercial break, we take a look at a World War I tank that a whole community got involved in to restore and preserve American history.
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[Music]
[Bob] Well, here at the 2018 Convention in Louisville Kentucky of the MVPA, our focus today is on World War I and joining me is Jim Osburn.
He’s from Vincennes Indiana, a collector, 73 years old, a former judge, but this guy has got a collection that’s out of this world!
But he has got this M17 World War I tank behind us.
Jim, God bless you and thank you so much for what you all, you’re doing for preservation of history.
But tell me about this wonderful tank.
[Jim] Well, Bob, there’s the M1917 is extremely rare.
They made nine hundred and fifty in World War I, of that, only 20 still exist, accounting this one.
So, you can understand how rare they are today.
We didn’t have one at the Indiana Military Museum and at the price that the last one went for, close to a million dollars, we were’nt gonna have one.
And so, unless we put one together, a piece one together, build it or something.
We looked into that, we started finding some original parts but not a lot.
We decided we’re just going to build the rest to scale.
We’re going to get all the dock, all the drawings and all the specs and start doing it.
We got the, we got the steel donated.
We had various other things donated along the way that all made it possible and we had two very, very skilled metal workers that jumped in on this job and said, we’ll, we’ll tackle this!
So, that was three years ago and there it sits!
So, you know, it’s a long, long trail but we accomplished it!
[Bob] Well, I have to ask you, let’s go back a little bit.
(Yeah.) How did you get into collecting and preserving things like this?
[Jim] Seven years old, I started collecting shortly after World War II.
Only, all the World War II things were around, that people were still talking about World War II.
I just started hauling things home, helmets, you know, putting them in my parents basement.
Before long, the basement was full and they begin to notice it was filling, yeah so, that’s just how it started.
I’ve been collecting ever since I was seven years old.
It just went from small things to bigger things.
We went to Jeeps and went to artillery and it went to tanks and this kept getting…
now we have aircraft as well and, and now we’ve also formed the Indiana Military Museum which is, is a, which is a not-for-profit 501 C 3.
Which whereas all these things are housed now in Vincennes.
[Bob] Well, and you’re continuing to grow obviously the museum there to house all of the vehicles but how important is it to the economy there and how important is it to history that what you’re doing because it has a tremendous impact.
[Jim] Glad you mention that, cause its important both ways, locally Vincennes, a very historic City, tourism is important there and we’re kind of an integral part of that now and we have maybe 15,000 visitors a year come to the museum.
So, I had, that’s real important and it’s real important that we have youngsters and school groups veterans groups, they all come now to see the museum, see what we have, understand US military history better, it makes us very happy, very proud.
[Bob] Well, Jim you have another key piece here, very rare.
Let’s go take a look at this because it really interests me, although it’s not American.
(Yeah.) but it’s significant.
[Jim] It’s another rare armored piece, so I’ll show you.
(After you.) This is this, is a turret Maxim machine gun turret out of a German A7V tank.
Now people think the Germans had a lot of Tanks in World War I, nope, they built 20.
That was it. Only 20 tanks.
This is, this is one of six.
There would be six of these gun turrets in each one of those tanks.
After the War, all of the Allied powers got one of these tanks as a souvenir, shipped ’em home.
You asked, the British, the French, the Australians, and so forth, today only one of those still exist in Australia in the Australian War Museum.
All the others were scrapped.
This came out of the US tank “Nixie” which was, was it’s popular name and the Germans gave it.
This came out of that tank the day it was being scrapped and was saved.
So, it’s, this is an extremely rare piece of armour history.
This turret right here.
So we built again, our people built the rest of this to replicate exactly what that gun position would look like in the tank.
This is the original piece, right here, that it emphasizes.
So, we’re really proud to have this too, I mean, it’s, it’s a, it’s an interesting cog in the wheel of all this history of armour.
[Bob] Well, you know, Jim, I will tell you, I am so impressed with what you have done and over the course of your years of collecting.
That is why we’re doing what we do to showcase folks just like you across this country. So…
[Jim] We appreciate, appreciate being a part of that and then thank you for your interest in us I hope you’ll look hope you’ll come to see us.
[Bob] Well, if folks want to come see, they I know, you have a website where they tell everybody out there how they can log on, so they can come.
[Jim] Well, in the under Indiana Military Museum dot-com .org I think both.
And we’re open every day 10:00 to 4:00, every day of the year so they come to Vincennes, just ask for the Indiana Military Museum.
It’s right downtown because it’s next to the George Rogers Clark National Park.
We’re just adjacent to that perfect location.
[Bob] Well, that’s part one of Military Collectors this week from the MVPA convention here in Louisville Kentucky I want to tease a little bit about next week’s show.
It’s a two-part series and this ambulance right here, this is my personal collection, here I’m back at the motor pool, but the WC 54 1942 Dodge Ambulance.
Our guest next week was a young soldier with Patton’s army across Europe.
He landed at the beaches of Normandy in his WC 54 and he took that thing all the way to Berlin.
And Tom Grasser is going to be a special guest on our show as well as Melvin Richardson who was a Seabee during World War II.
Those two guys, I tell you, when you hear their stories, if it doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, just about like it did ours, I’m telling you, you just really have no idea the sacrifices that these two guys made as well as every veteran of the greatest generation.
So, with all of that, I’d like to thank everybody at the MVPA who made our visit possible to Louisville Kentucky.
We hope you’ve enjoyed Military Collectors this week.
Until next week, we’ll be right back here again on another episode of Military Collectors.
[Music]

Sam Werner Military Museum – Part 2

Bob continues his visit to the Sam Werner Military Museum in Tennessee with more vehicles including a look at the rare Mighty Mites that were a collecting passion of Bud.
Bob also gives an update on his current restoration of a 1942 Dodge WC-53 Carry All.

Full Transcript

This week Military Collectors is back in Monteagle Tennessee.
We’ve got more great stuff to show you from the Sam Werner Military Museum.
So much stuff, this is part two of Military Collectors this week.
[Music]

This week we’re back in Monteagle Tennessee.
Military Collectors is back at the Sam Werner Military Museum here and some of you all may recognize the vehicle that I’m leaning up against.
Some may not.
There weren’t very many of these made.
There’s not many of them left out there, as many of you collectors may know.
The M4 42 Mighty Mite was a Marine Corps lightweight aluminum body and I’ve got an expert here, a guest that’s going to be on our show, he’s been on Military Collectors before, but this is Matt Fox, Quarter-ton Military Parts in Chickamauga Georgia.
But this guy is going to talk to us about Bud’s Mighty Mite passion and his collection.
Matt, welcome back, tell me about the Mighty Mite and the passion here that..
[Matt] Well, the Mighty Mite was, was a one-time-use vehicle.
I mean, you, you basically, you transported it to its position, you used it up, before you left you destroyed it.
And they’re only maybe 3,500, give or take, made of these things and since they were so disposable and being Marine Corps Jeep, Marine Corps was rough on vehicles and when they were done with them they were done with them.
[Bob] How big was the Mighty Mite to Bud?
Just as a passionate collector.
[Matt] Bud wanted to be the king of Mighty Mites!
Oh, he, oh my gosh, he had so many of these things.
[Bob] How many, how many do you know, walking around the yard, I mean, gosh we saw hulk after…
[Matt] Oh, there’s, there’s probably….
the 60 left, but I mean, he had hundreds of them, I mean, he was, they got them out of Barstow, they got them out of Lejeune, they got them out of Aniston.
He wanted to be the king of Mighty Mites and he had this vision of being the king.
[Bob] Well, you know, the parts that he had, I mean, and new old stock and (Oh, yeah!) there still here and you guys have spent eight years just trying to sort it all out and you’re not even close to being done.
[Matt] We haven’t made a dent in it.
We’ve not made a dent in it.
[Bob] Well, with the Mighty Mite collection, I mean, I know these, this is very unique and rare because it is an original (Yeah, you don’t see them camouflage) and these, this is a longer version, the yellow, this is a One Mark V Marines, I mean, tell me, is it a passion of yours as well?
[Matt] Uh, I never have really been, yeah, really, I really haven’t been in the Mighty Mites but, you know, as the older surplus is drying up, you got to move up to the newer, newer things and there’s a market out there for these because they’re so rare and they’re very collectible and if there’s a market people need parts and so if we can provide the parts form we will.
[Bob] Well, I’m gonna ask you, a vehicle like this, to a collector just walking up to somebody and says, “Okay, how much you want for it?” What would it normally go today in the today’s market?
[Matt] A totally restored one, the top dollar on it just absolutely beauty, you’re looking 15 to 16 thousand.
(Right.) They don’t bring the huge amounts that a lot of your World War II Jeeps and stuff like that do because they’re just not, they just haven’t taken off.
They, they’re just, they’re so few out there people don’t really know much about them.
It’s kind of a unique little vehicle.
(Wow.) Air-cooled engine, aluminum bodied, quarter elliptical suspension, yeah, they’re they’re funny little vehicles.
[Bob] Well, with all the parts that he had and still the parts for you guys to uncover, I just think this is going to be the next thing that everybody’s got to have out there.
And you know as a collector, you know what I’m talking about.
You saw it here first on Military Collectors and Matt, (Yeah, man!) keep collecting, keep restoring, keep building and then hey, keep everything open out there.
And folks, when Military Collectors comes back, we’re going to talk to a special friend and board member here at the Werner Military Museum that really was close to Bud and I think you’ll enjoy listening to what he had to say a very special collector friend.
[break]
If you are interested in preserving and collecting military vehicles, whether you’re a military veteran or just have a love for military vehicles in general, then you may be interested in joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. The MBPA is dedicated to providing an International Organization for military vehicle enthusiasts. For more information, and all the benefits a member receives with joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, go online at MVPA.org.
Every soldiers training is the same but their story is their own. From the fields of Gettysburg, to the tanks rolling across the sands of Kuwait, the story of the mounted soldier is a story of mobility, speed and the historic power to shift the mighty tides of war. The National Armor and Cavalry Heritage Foundation is asking for your help in keeping the legacy of the United States armored and cavalry and telling the stories for many years to come.
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[Music]
[Bob] We’re here at the Sam Werner Military Museum and I’ve got a very, very special guest, a lifelong friend and actually grew up around Bud and his dad over in Tracy City and that’s Freddie Cunningham.
And he’s also a board member here of the Sam Werner Military Museum Foundation.
Freddie, I want to, I want to welcome you to Military Collectors this week but you, you know, I tell you, you’ve got a special story that you want to tell all these folks about this, this MB here.
(Yeah.) Okay, tell me a little bit about the history behind this, this belonged to Bud and his dad, right?
[Freddie] Bud and his dad.
And this is a, was a Jeep, was hid for years.
And I was over there from 1971 up until he, Bud’s passing.
And in every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, we’d be sitting in the living room eating popcorn and Mr.
Samuel would say, “Bud, you turn that motor?” And it, Bud would say, “No.” [Bob] So, you’d be turned the motor with the crank.
[Freddie] Yeah, no, turn to, turn the motor with the crank.
(Yeah.) Just like that.
Like that, that’s all of it would take and this went on for years, for long as I can remember, that was a daily or monthly thing they would do to make sure this motor would not stick.
[Bob] Well, in the chicken coop, well, what, why did, why did he put it in there?
[Freddie] Hide it from somebody.
Really, keep from somebody finding and all was showing, is see, it’s all, it’s all original…
(Cosmoline.) Cosmoline.
Cosmolined up the plugs and everything.
(Oh, my goodness.) And, we call this the barn find.
(Wow!) and, and it was hidden on Carl’s chicken house and I never found it till we pulled it out the trailer two years ago.
(Really?) Yeah, and that was about what the one of the stories that I could tell but there’s a lot more that I could tell but it’d take a long time.
[Bob] Well, Freddie listen, and, and I want to say folks about Freddie here, Freddie’s a cancer survivor God bless you.
For all of that and the Good Lord has healed you, although you lost your leg.
(Yes.) but you’re still here as an active participant and you know, I know, I know Bud is looking down (Oh, yeah!) on you guys, of what you guys are doing here with his collection.
(Yeah) and carrying on his legacy.
[Freddie] That’s what I want to do.
(There you go.) I mean, I, I really want to carry on what he wanted us to do and that’s what I’m doing!
[Bob] Well, hopefully folks will come here and see this they’ll come see you and they could hear more stories, okay.
[Freddie] Yeah, and there’s more stories I can tell about him, his dad and my grandmother, they some, some pretty good ones.
[Bob] Well, I tell you what I’ll do, when I come back, I’m gonna bring some popcorn.
(Yeah!) I’ll bring a portable TV, we’ll come in on Sunday and tell stories.
[Freddie] Yeah, yeah sir, that’d be great!
There you go, well folks, listen, when Military Collectors comes back we’re gonna have more great things to show you from the Werner Military Museum in Monteagle, Tennessee.
[Announcer] If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors be sure to go online at militarycollectorstv.com and you can see, not only past episodes, but also read in-depth features on the people and their passion of their military collections.
[break]
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The all-new Chevy Silverado. It’s a little bit country and it’s a little bit rock and roll. [Music]
Take a moment to think about the food you buy and eat. Is it fresh? I mean, really fresh or is it shipped from a grower hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Well, here in South Carolina, we celebrate fresh, locally grown food and unforgettable meals with family and friends. So, choose food that’s rooted right here. Choose certified SC grown. It’s a matter of taste.
[Music]
[Bob] Well, before we head on back over to the Sam Werner Military Museum in Monteagle, Tennessee, y’all write me all the time, you send me email notes, “Bob, we’d love to see more restoration projects on Military Collectors.” Well, I’ve got another one for you and it happens to be one that I just acquired about a year and a half ago.
It was a 1942 Dodge WC 53 Carry All.
Now again, if you’re familiar with the Dodge WC series, you will know that a lot of them were made by Dodge back during the war.
Some will estimate that there was over 600,000 Dodge vehicles made during World War II.
Well, the WC 53 Carry All was kind of a special deal.
They had half-ton Carry Alls early in the war and then in 1942 they come up with a 3/4 ton that was on the same frame as this WC 57 and the 54 Ambulance behind me.
They put it on a 3/4 ton frame and I was, well, I was lucky enough to acquire one of these about a year and a half ago and I’ve always wanted a Carry All and it is just one of those vehicles, again, between six and seven thousand were made.
Other accounts, there may have been eight thousand but it was a particularly vehicle that they wanted to carry, uh, command and staff as well as General Officers to use it as a staff car.
Well, like the WC 57 and the 56 Command Cars, it became readily known as carrying somebody of prominence and the enemy bombed them every time they saw them out on the road.
So, it probably was not one of those vehicles that was safe to ride in during the war.
So, they didn’t make them, they stopped and I was lucky enough to get a Carry-All.
Now, a little bit of story about this one.
It came from the Southwestern desert area in California.
So, it was relatively rust free as you can see, once I got it, I put it on the trailer and I had to carry it down to a friend of mine in Eustis, Florida, Mr. Lindsey Orr. And on another series that we do this season on Military Collectors, Lindsey is my go-to guy when it comes to doing paint and bodywork on these old Dodge vehicles, but this is going to be Lindsey’s first crack at doing a Dodge WC 53 Carry All or actually I guess any Dodge WC 57 or 50 series.
So, with that, this thing was in relatively complete assembly, again no rust, I had all the bells and whistles with it, an engine that was, well, it ran but it was not the right engine for the truck because these trucks originally came with a T2 14 engine and here later in the restoration of all these military vehicles that T2 14 flat head 6 engine is one of those highly sought after not many of them still out there.
There’s a lot of them that are sitting in some of these old trucks.
You might see them on the side of the road, folks used them for logging vehicles back in the day, especially way out west, because a lot of these came from that desert environment where there wasn’t a lot of rust and that’s the only reason that many of them survived.
Mine, well, you might say that, “Well, why Bob, did you do the paint and bodywork first?” Well, sometimes you have to go with the guy that takes you to the dance and Lindsey had an opening in his schedule and doing the paint and bodywork, I had to get it done, so that’s why I took it on down to his place.
As you could see the disassembly of this vehicle it was relatively simple except with a couple of exceptions.
The wood in the back had to be all disassembled, the bolts had to be cut, all the glass was broken so, that had to all be replaced.
All the window crank mechanisms, all the door mechanisms, all of that stuff had to be disassembled.
Now, Lindsey took off a lot of the engine parts for me and the old engine he sandblasted because I’m going to save it, but in a later episode of Military Collectors, we’re going to talk to the folks down in Jacksonville, Florida who actually are going to rebuild and do the T2 14 engine that I found from a friend of mine who actually owned my Command Car, okay, so, I guess what I’m saying here is, this family of collectors is a really small net and there’s a lot of guys who collect these vehicles who are known to others.
They sell parts, they buy parts, vehicles, they sell parts and so the eye of that needle, not only is it small, but what goes around comes around, because a lot of these guys have done it for years and you’ll get to meet some of those guys on later episodes.
Well, back with me now is Parker Lowdes, he is the Chairman of the Foundation here at the Werner Military Museum and you know Bud, he loved wheel vehicles, okay, and all that, but he also loved armor too and so tell me about this row right here because this is this is kind of a unique piece here.
[Parker] All right, so we have three pieces here the first one is an M5 Stuart tank.
We are in the process of making it a static display.
When we found it, in his collection as we saw earlier in one of the episodes, this had trees growing all up out of it, so, it was in the woods.
We had to cut all the trees out, get it moved over here, so we’ve sand blasted it and painted the outside to make it a static display.
We’re eventually going to try to go inside and restore it from the inside out and then try to get it running eventually.
[Bob] Well Parker, let me ask you a question, out all of the armament, all the turret, all that was on here.
[Parker] Everything’s on there, just like you saw, other than the…
(Engine?) This still has two twin Cadillac engines in it.
The ah…
everything was here and in place just as you see it.
Other than not quite as pretty on the outside.
(And this one is serial number?) Serial number 961, so as we were (Early production!) So, we were, sand blasting and we found the serial number on it.
It’s a neat piece.
(Yeah, okay, and now and this one the next one.) Here was a Greyhound.
Is a M20 Ford Greyhound and likewise it’s uh, you know, it’s of course is a wheeled vehicle instead of a track vehicle, but it still has what…
(Its armor!) It is armored and in Bud liked this one, because he could get in and out of it a little easier.
[laughs] And then the one behind it is a 114 all aluminum armored scout car and…
[Bob] These were used heavily in Vietnam.
[Parker] These were in Vietnam.
[Bob] So, was he fond of the Vietnam because I know in his collection there’s a lot of 151 vehicles and that sort of thing or did he care?
[Paker] I think he was fond of anything that was OD green would be perfectly honest with you.
This particular one, you can walk around the back.
When we started on it, it had about 16 or 18 inches of sand and leaves and we have, we’ve cleaned it out to try to make it a display model and this one actually ran back in the seventies when he originally got it.
[Bob] Wow!
Okay Parker, we moved from the one one four over here Vietnam and now let’s take it back to step okay kind of where it all started, huh, yeah, and you got Hambone the mule.
Right?
[Parker] So, before, of course, all the armor pieces, the military had a lot of mules and horses and matter of fact, Camp Forest down here, which was the local base in the early 40s, had 2,800 horses and mules even during the 1943 Tennessee maneuvers that they were doing they had that many in stables down there.
This is a 1907 Studebaker.
You can still see U.S.
written here on the side (Oh, yeah!) Non- restored, but we’re proud of, proud of going on back in history and then also as we start off in one of the other segments we have in 1915 White and as we talked about earlier some of the old Liberty trucks from from World War I came out and became, this one became a log truck up here.
And was one of the things we talked about early on with the Werner family, going back to the saw milling business and industry.
[Bob] Well, now, are any of these still left on the property you think?
[Parker] There are a couple remnants of the old White truck still over there in the woods.
[Bob] Wow, that’s just, that’s just unbelievable…
(Yeah.) …at this guy’s collection.
[Parker] You can look on the inside of all the things that were in here.
[Bob] Wow!
I mean, it’s just amazing that this survived, it really…
(Yes, it is.) You know, and of course, it’s, it’s all right here at the tribute to Sam’s collection and you, you all have done a tremendous job.
So, I would just have to tell you, thank you so much for showing us around on this here piece because, I’ll tell you folks, Military Collectors, we’re out there looking for that unique collector and these guys have kept Sam “Bud” Werner’s collection alive right here in Monteagle, Tennessee.
So, again, log on to Werner Military Museum .com or go Military Collectors Tv.com and you can come up here and see this wonderful collection.
And again, if you’re a veteran, you need to come and stop by.
We got more stuff to go look at, listen, (Yes sir!) you just keep looking.
[break]
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[Music] [Bob] Well, welcome back to Military Collectors.
I’m back here with Parker Lowdes, he’s the chairman of the Sam Werner Military Museum Foundation here in Monteagle, Tennessee and as we’re doing an overview of this wonderful museum and tribute to Sam “Bud” Werner, you know, Parker, this week we’ve focused on some great things on the show and of course even last week we saw where it all started and we’re at the compound so I want to give the folks…
It’s hard to do justice to this collection in 30 minutes or even an hour or many hours!
You could do a documentary.
But as we walk and talk here, Sam’s legacy is all right here plus there’s more that you haven’t even got out yet.
(Right.) So, let’s kind of what do you think Sam would want us to see as we close out show number two this way.
[Parker] So, in a, in a quick summary of this, the museum is set up with basically War War II going down this aisle.
Korea going across the back, Vietnam and then in the Desert Storm.
See here beside us, we have a Ford GT B.
A lot of people know it as a Burma Jeep but it’s a bomb truck.
(Yeah.) We go on into several Jeeps here, one a navy shore patrol Jeep.
We also have something fairly unique, that we really like, and this is a Chaplains Jeep.
Complete with all of the communion set for going out and serving sacraments in the field.
Along with all the manuals.
We have a variety of different religious books that have been collected with this.
A pump organ so they can, can, can fold out and go play music.
This Jeep is very unique.
It actually has a graphed plotter in the back.
There is a GPS of what we would know today but this one is set up to keep up and track and make small plots that we lay over the top of existing maps.
We have, of course, a Command Car here and it’s great because this was came back from the lend-lease program out of Switzerland long with some of the other vehicles saying today.
This is an MT Tug.
There were 15 of these built this happens to be serial number six.
As you spin on around the backside over here, you’ll see the vehicles that were typically used during Korea time frame and from the M38 up through the M38 A 1s.
The big thing sitting in the corner is called High Helen.
Light armoured division made three of those and basically it’s an M 38 A 1 with adapters on it so they could try to have a vehicle that would track along with track vehicles as far as width of track in heights.
Because if you were following a 38 81, you’re always falling off into one of the ruts on one side of the other.
As we turn the corner, we have some Mighty Mites that were built for the Marine Corps.
(And again, Bud’s favorite, the Mighty Mite.) He had a lot of these since this was one of his favorite jeeps.
He, I think he tried the corner the market on collecting them as well as, collecting all the parts for ’em.
(Okay, on this side?) Okay, on this side, we have several pieces.
This is the Sparrow Hawk Missile Launcher without the upper structure on it.
We’re in the process of getting ready to restore it.
We have three Mules here.
Two-wheel, four-wheel, steer and we also have a diesel-powered one in the back one a few that I think that they converted over trying to go with with a new diesel engine in it.
Across the way over here we have the series of M15 1s all the way up through all the different series including hard tops, military police.
We have a couple Humvees in here.
This is a this high-top part one is one of the few that we’ve seen with that particular body style and then the other one over here is one of the early first ones they came out for testing and, and go through and see what, you know, how the vehicle performed.
There were a lot of changes.
This particular one, they found out that it had a flaw where it would pop up and get the old pan.
And crossing over certain ditches.
[Bob] Well, you know, I’ll tell you Parker, it is a beautiful facility, okay, and, and I know as a tribute to Bud, you guys are going to keep this collection alive for history.
The kids that come in here, the educational benefits and values, that’s really what we’re trying to do is well with you, and so, Godspeed!
I will tell you, I know Bud’s looking at all of you all and he’s very he has to be proud.
(Well, thank you.) And so with that, folks, I will tell you on Military Collectors, we’re always trying to bring the unique and Parker has done that with all of his Foundation here in Monteagle, Tennessee.
If you’re headed to Nashville, you’re on I-24, stop on in.
It’s not very far from Chattanooga.
Log on the Military Collectors Tv.com.
You can also go to their website there or you can log on to Werner Military Museum .com.
Come on up here, it is worth the time to stop.
Bring the kids bring the family, okay, if your a veteran out there, come on up, because I will tell you, you’ll find something here that’s unique for you, like me, there are some of these things that I have put a lot of “butt time” in, okay, and I know you will as well.
We’ll see you next week on another episode of Military Collectors.

Sam Werner Military Museum – Part 1

We’re in Monteagle, Tennessee at the Sam Werner Military Museum taking a look at a large collection of military vehicles and artifacts. This is part one of a two show visit.

Also, we’ll answer a question from a viewer about Japanese Military helmets as collectables.

Then Bob shows off the latest addition to his collection, a 1942 Dodge WC-57 Command Car.

Sam Werner Military Museum website

Full Transcript

Welcome to Military Collectors this week.
We’re in Monteagle Tennessee.
We’re going to be taking a look at a large collection of military vehicles and artifacts from the Sam Werner collection.
It’s the Sam Werner Military Museum right in the great state of Tennessee.
We’ve got so much stuff to show you, well we’re going to probably have to do it in a two-part series but this one I know you’re not going to want to miss on Military Collectors.
[Music]
On this week’s Military Collectors, we are in the midst of over 70 year collection and we’re gonna feature and show you exactly what 70 years of collecting military surplus actually looks like.
It’s almost all but gone now but this very site that we’re on housed hundreds of thousands of military vehicles parts.
You name it, from World War I, World War II on up even in the present day and I’m going to show you this week exactly what collecting is all about and joining me is the Chairman of the Board of the Sam Werner Military Museum Foundation and that’s Parker Lowdes.
Parker, thank you so much for sharing this story about Sam “Bud” Werner, because I will just, you know, people don’t actually believe this exists but it does.
[Parker Lowdes] Well, welcome to, to his old home place here and where he started his collection many years ago.
We are very proud to have you all here and excited to show you what he did over many years and we’re trying to go forward with and his desire to continue to honor all of our veterans and being a teaching establishment for our youth.
[Bob] Well, you know Parker, let’s, let’s talk about, let’s take this back about 70 years when when Sam was a young, it was in his 20s, okay, Tracy City, Tennessee is known for its logging and basically that’s, that’s how it came to be here, just, well, right now a current day off I-24 for a few minutes.
But, but tell us…picture and take us back a little bit about what Bud was doing back during those early years.
[Parker] Well, when the family originally moved here they were in the logging business and they logged all over the top of this mountain.
In fact, on this site, there are still some beautiful old steam engines part of the old sawmill that was here and they set up and worked a lot of community in this local area doing log working throughout these mountains.
[Bob] Well, then let’s take it forward, okay, so, part of the whole deal here is logging needs trucks so then how did all this this get here then.
[Parker] As we walk around this facility, you’ll see that some of the old pieces that came out, some of the old white trucks that we know of years gone by being Liberty trucks are still here.
They’re still some chain-driven trucks here we have one in the museum that we’re …
trying to preserve and carry forward.
And then on up through the sand and coal business they continue to buy like Deuce and a half to be working vehicles here.
Today you’ll still see a lot of old Deuce and a half bringing sand rock and stone out for new houses that are being built in local area.
[Bob] Well, you know, now Sam is a young 20-something, of course, buying all of this stuff.
What would he just go around at different sites, military bases, and buy up the surplus and then bring it here.
[Parker] He did, we would, I grew up knowing him as a young man and he would bring back vehicles here and on the weekends when I would come up we would be unloading truck after truck of things that he would store this very field very similar to what you see stacked up behind us here.
And he collected things for many years and what he collected then was like what we’d be collecting today but over the last 50 or 60 years you just can’t find that stuff anymore.
And so we have a lot of interesting things and we’re still digging out of this this very site.
[Bob] Well, now Sam’s passing, he passed in 2010.
[Parker] Yes.
[Bob] Okay, and so from that and his home site here, you guys are kind of repatriating some of this, going to the museum, you’re putting it in there.
What do you do with the rest of the collection?
Are you going to liquidate, continue to liquidate some of it to help run the museum?
[Parker] Yes, what we want to do is, we’re going through, right now, in between what we have and then as we move forward, any things that we have that are, you know, duplicates that we can then maybe swap with other interesting pieces to help the museum and/or, you know, sell to help, you know, the museum go and survive over many years to come.
[Bob] Well, I have one final thing because I can’t wait to get to the museum.
And folks listen, when you go along with us, we’re gonna take a look at some of these trailers and stuff with thousands of items of things that Sam collected and, you know, again, I know he he was a veteran as well but he was a very eccentric guy and, you know, those kind of folks just kind of blend into the community and, and, and that’s what they do.
[Parker] Yes, so right, well, let’s go look and see what we can show you on the museum side of the world.
[Bob] Let’s do it.
Thank…
[Parker] Thank you.
[Announcer] If you have missed any past episodes of Military Collectors be sure to go online at militarycollectorstv.com and you can see, not only past episodes, but also read in-depth features on the people and their passion of their military collections.
[Music]
[commercial break]
Welcome back to Military Collectors.
We started where all of the collection began in Tracy City, Tennessee at Sam “Bud” Werner’s.
We’ll actually, his home place, which is still there.
We couldn’t do justice to what was left but now we’re back here and joining me again as Parker Lowdes.
He is the chairman of the board of the Werner Military Museum Foundation.
And, you know, Parker, I’ve got to ask you, okay, we’ve come from Sam’s lot….
[Parker] Yes.
…what’s left of it and there’s still a lot of stuff over there, okay, now to this beautiful place that Sam wanted you all to establish as a foundation.
Tell me about how you started this.
[Parker] All right, well, when Sam passed away he had asked several of us to be on a board of directors for him to start a military museum with his name but to honor all veterans and to be a teaching establishment for our younger generations.
And we were lucky enough to find this facility which was almost move-in ready and we were able to move in here about two years ago and start doing a soft opening into this museum.
We currently have almost 70 vehicles in this facility now and are bringing more in every week because we’re collecting and moving them over from the old site we were just that there and Tracy City.
What, you know, I think one of the things is so unique is, is, is Sam, just, he was a hoarder.
[Parker] Oh yes.
[Bob] Okay, and and the other thing that I really find unique about Sam, as a lot of the collectors are, of course, Sam was not married, he had no family.
This was his family, this was his life.
[Parker] Right.
[Bob] And so, of course, they started with logging and, and doing all that and then he ended up here with with all this military.
Now did Sam serve in the military?
[Parker] He did he actually, served during Korea and was a dentist, believe it or not, or worked in the dentist profession in the military and came out and then ended up with all these Jeeps and trucks and tanks that you see in this facility today.
[Bob] Well, I have to ask you, of all of the things that Sam really collected and he liked, what was the most unique?
[Parker] There are so many things that are here, personally, I think that these four vehicles that we have here, with the ultra lights for the 1943 glider program, these four are very unique.
That’s what makes this museum different than any other museums that I’ve been in to.
[Bob] Well, Let’s kind of walk and talk for just a little bit.
Tell me about this Chevrolet here.
[Parker] All right, well, first off, the military wanted something to go in the gliders that is a little bit lighter.
So they asked for a set of vehicles to be under 1,300 pounds and air-cooled four-wheel-drive.
Chevrolet made two of these.
It has an Indian motorcycle engine in it.
Which is very unique in itself.
It has a transverse Leafs suspension in the front.
There’s some really interesting technology that that you can see that the military and the different companies came up with.
I can show you a little bit more on different vehicle we have over here.
Kaiser came up with this version and there were two different versions of this but this one had a continental aircraft engine in it.
There were six of these that were originally delivered to Aberdeen for testing.
Crosley made this version and there were 36 originally and they had to Waukesha engine in it and see that a little bit difference.
And then the last one, in the, in the series here was a Willis.
Willis made six of these.
There’s only one would still know in existence and it’s got a Harley-Davidson engine in it.
[Bob] So, in the early part of the war, they were really after something that would fit inside of a glider.
[Parker] That’s right.
[Bob] That was air transportable but yet then could get around on the ground.
[Parker] That is correct.
[Bob] Did any of these actually see service?
[Parker] No.
These these, never made it in the service and I have some pictures that we have in one of our displays over here from Camp Forest during the 1943 maneuvers where they actually had the full-size jeeps inside the gliders and they went on in with that series you know of course when we jumped over into Europe.
[Bob] Wow!
Do you think Sam is watching you guys now?
Do you think he’s proud of what you guys have established?
[Parker] Well, I think he’s very proud of everything.
There’s been a lot of hard work.
We have a lot of volunteers who were his friends for many years, of course, he called his family, both all of his friends, like several of us that are on the board and friends who do this but then he also had a bunch of dogs that he called family.
If you knew Bud, he had how up to 20 plus dogs at any given time, so, but yes, I think he’s very proud of all the things that we’ve done and are still doing.
We’ve got many years still to go bringing all this stuff back to life.
[Bob] Well, you’ve certainly got a great collection here and it’s just one of those things that I appreciate you sharing with Military Collectors this week.
And so, if folks would like to come visit, okay, you guys after eight years of establishing this place you now started to open it to the public.
[Parker] Right, we opened in May of last year with a soft opening and we are currently opening on Fridays and Saturdays also by appointment.
We have a website which is WernerMilitaryMuseum.com and we have a Facebook page.
So you can find us and contact us.
You can watch us as we do different activities and share those on both of those sites.
[Bob] Well, folks listen, we’re Military Collectors comes back, we’re going to be talking about some other very unique things that Sam collected in all of those containers in that place where we started the show today, where Sam began his collection over 60 to 70 years.
[commercial break]
[Music]
[Bob] Well, our letter this week comes from Bill in Bangor Maine and Bill writes, “Bob, I’m trying to get into collecting Japanese World War II collectibles.
What are some of the more unique helmets that I might be able to get into and what might they be worth?” Well, Bill, I appreciate you writing into our email notes this week.
I’ve got an expert here that I think can answer your question.
Matt Fox from Quarter-ton Military Parts down at Chickamauga Georgia.
He is also a Japanese helmet collector.
Ok Matt, I got ask ya.
[Matt] Uh-huh.
[Bob] Bill wants to get in to collect the these, ok, what are kind of the differences here in what you find?
[Matt] Well, your standard Japanese helmet, just a lightweight helmet looks about like this, you don’t have a star in the front.
(Okay) That they’re very, very common.
They’ve gotten expensive since all the movies have come out.
(Right) But if you’re really wanting to get into something, that’s a little bit more interesting, not your norm.
You can get into like, like this is a naval marine.
Japanese naval marine.
These are very collectible.
These are the northern Japanese and since they were taller than your normal Japanese they consider them, more I guess, you could say, scary or more intimidating because they were larger.
I mean, they were large, ya know, and so, they made them Marines and it’ll have, of course, the anchor on the front and the later style will have a painted anchor.
Now, if you really wanted to get into some really weird Japanese helmets.
This one here for instance, this is a Japanese machine-gunners helmet.
These are extremely rare and what they did is they went one step from, one step further from a German helmet that had the brow plate and they actually integrated the brow plate in the front of the helmet.
This was actually found in a bunker in China by Chinese digger.
These were very unwieldy they were so heavy on the front that they would, you know, the, the movement of the gun would cause the helmet to follow with the eyes of the guy shooting it.
So, they weren’t real popular.
So, there was very few of them made this.
One was probably thrown down and a normal helmet picked up.
But if you really want to get into weird Japanese helmets, this is a good, this is a good find.
[Bob] Well, let’s tell Bill, this one’s worth what?
Five hundred.
[Matt] It’s probably worth, it’s missing the liner, yet it’s about 500.
[Bob] Okay, this one as it’s rare?
[Matt] This one?
I wouldn’t even know where to start.
I’ve never seen one before.
This is the only one I’ve ever seen.
I would say ballpark I mean, 2 – 300 bucks.
I don’t know.
I really don’t know where to even start.
[Bob] Well, most of the time when these things, when you start collecting them, you’ll get lucky and find it (oh, yeah, yeah.) But when somebody knows exactly what they got, you’re probably looking, in two to three thousand dollars for something like that.
(Wow, yeah.) So there you have it.
Well Matt, thanks so much for your knowledge, okay, and Bill, I hope that’s answered your question.
[Announcer] If you would like to have your military restoration project or collectible featured on the show, just send an email with your photos to photos at militarycollectorstv.com
[Music]
[commercial break]
Well, welcome back to Monteagle Tennessee here at the Sam Werner Military Museum.
Now Parker, one of the things that Bud did, he’d like to find one of anything.
(That’s correct.) Okay now, this particular 51 Jeep by Ford, tell me the story about this because it’s very unique and Sam had the market cornered.
[Parker] Right, so this is actually a prototype.
This is an XM-408.
It was built by Ford and they built four of these in 1958 and delivered them to the military.
It is a six wheel drive.
Of course, we see today, a lot of times, people have tried to make an adaptation out of some of the old 51s and into a six wheel drive, but this is one of the original four.
Bud had two of these in roughly the shape sitting on wheels and then a third one that was in very rough shape as far as just kind of the body and frame.
We know where the other one is up on full, full tires like this one is sitting.
This one is not restored.
He did have a coat of paint put on it just to kind of keep the rust down over the years but we do plan on restoring this as we move forward but we have a non-static display now people for people to enjoy it.
[Bob] Let me ask you this question and you may not even be able to touch it.
How did he get all of these together?
Well, the same place?
Different places, you think?
[Parker] Bud was very instrumental in going and finding the oddball things.
As you saw the ultralights earlier in the show, he was able to track those out those were a very limited.
Bud liked the unique things, he liked the ones and two type of vehicles.
The odd things that you just didn’t see.
I mean, you can go to a lot of museums and see jeeps and trucks and we all have, just like we have in here.
But these are the odd things that you don’t get to see every day.
[Bob] Wow, well, you know Bud, I know, was special to you all.
You as even a youngster when he was alive and you got to travel around and this museum, this, this tribute to his life and his collection has got to be something special that I know that you and your other board members and even on into perpetuity will continue to carry on the legacy of Bud Werner.
[Parker] Yes, we’re very happy with all the hard work it’s been a lot of sweat equity into it and we are trying to make sure this goes on for many generations to come.
[Bob] I want to show you a vehicle that’s in my collection, that during season two, you saw the front end of this vehicle. I had just acquired it but I was up trying to get some of the restoration work done and the drivetrain has now been complete.
Everything else has done to this vehicle and I want to show you just a little bit about my 1942 Dodge WC-57 command car.
Now, let me frame the Command Car for a lot of you folks who may not understand what this vehicle is and what it was.
There were a little over 6,000 of these WC 57s and they’re the ones with the winch.
They were made during World War 2 and if you remember the movie Patton, George C Scott when he went in North Africa to his first assignment he rode in one of these.
Patton had just had a fetish for the command car.
The command car kind of fell out of grace merely because the enemy used to ID it because they knew that there were high-level ranking officers or high-level staff in those vehicles and they’d bomb them first.
So anyway, I was lucky to acquire this vehicle several years ago.
It’s one of my World War II vehicles in my collection other than my WC 54.
But, I still, we’ll do a little walk-around now, okay?
I know it ain’t Jay Leno’s Garage but we’re back here at Bob Redferns motor pool.
So, let’s take a look at my Command Car.
Now, this particular vehicle here was all disassembled and taken apart and I want to show you a little bit about the engine.
It is a T2 14 Dodge Flathead 6.
This this engine is a brand new engine in this vehicle.
Everything on it and or about it was redone.
I had new wiring harness put in complete.
The steering gearbox has all been redone, radiator, you name it, it has all been redone in here.
Now, for a lot of you purists out there, you would think that the original transmission that these came with should go back in them but if you want to drive them, and many of you folks who are military collectors out there, know what a synchronized transmission is and what is not.
So, what I had was, I took the transmission out of an M37, which is a truck made by Dodge in 1952 and up through 1969, I took the power transfer case and the transmission that was synchronized and had hit retrofitted into this vehicle.
So, when you drive it, you’re not grinding gears and doing all those kinds of things, so.
Those are just a couple of things.
All of the drivetrain was redone, all of the bearings, all of the seals, everything that had something that, that moved had been replaced on this.
Well folks, the drivetrain on this 57 is an absolute mint condition now and it ought to be, ok.
Folks that want to get into collecting these vehicles, World War II stuff, probably is one of your better bets as for as investment is concerned.
There are folks that argue with me about that but the amount of collectible vehicles out there from World War II, the eye that needle is getting smaller.
I did put, the canvas has been installed on these the canvas doors.
Driving it in the winter is a big deal and so I’ve retrofitted it with new reproduction canvas doors.
Now you’ll see that the bodywork is not complete on this I didn’t do it back to what I would call pristine concours condition there are some dents and stuff and and that’s okay.
It shows that that’s this is a motor pool ready parade ready collectible vehicle but because of its rarity, and they estimate there’s probably less than 150 to 200 of these left on the road, by talking to some of the experts, the WC 57 Dodge Command Car, again, is one of the most collectible of the World War II vehicles.
There are a lot of others and a lot of the folks would argue with me, not just because I have one, but I will tell you that this particular vehicle they just didn’t have that many made and there’s not that many left.
Well, I’d like to thank each and everybody again up at the San Werner Military Museum in Monteagle, Tennessee.
Military Collectors is so honored, it’s a privilege to be around such great Americans who are preserving history.
If you want to know more about the Sam Werner Military Museum log on to Militarycollectorstv.com and you can go up there, pay them a visit.
I know they’d enjoy it.
Well, until next week, we’ll see you right here on another episode of Military Collectors.
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Quarter Ton Military Parts

Bob travels to Chickamauga, Georgia to visit Matt Fox at Quarter Ton Military Parts. Matt turned his passion for military collecting into a full time business, helping others find those unique and rare items they may need to finish a restoration.
In this episode, Bob will highlight some of Matt’s personal collection and we’ll even get a peek at his “secret stash” of very rare items.

Quarter Ton Military Parts website

Full transcript

[Bob Redfern] Welcome to Military Collectors. This week we’re in Chickamauga, Georgia. We’re going to have a special guest, the CEO of Quarter Ton Military, Matt Fox. He’s got a great store down there for all of you military collectors who need items from World War II, on up, for Jeeps, you name it Matt Foxe’s got it. Right here on Military Collectors. [Music]
[Bob] Well, folks when America’s wars have gone silent from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam. When they all go silent a lot of these things end up in collectors just like the one we’re gonna introduce you today and it’s Matt Fox in Chickamauga, Georgia at Quarter Ton Military Parts. And Matt I want to welcome you to Military Collectors. No, thanks Bob. You are one of those special guys then that you locate and find that has a boneyard like this. Tell me a little bit about you and your your, your passion for collecting and Quarter Ton Military parts.
[Matt Fox] Oh well, we start, I started this back when I was about 13. I got my first Jeep and got taken away from me when we drove it through the back of the garage. Knocked the wall out and crushed my sister’s bicycle but been doing it ever since. Went to school, for ah, got a degree as a park ranger or outdoor recreation and park management and started doing that but kept collecting these things and lost a job and started selling my collection off and I guess it’s kind of the American dream, you know. Your hobby turns into a business and then it kind of quits becoming a hobby and turns into all business. So, it’s, it’s interesting.
[Bob] Well listen, I mean, you, you came to Chickamauga here which is right on the backside of a one of the famous Civil War battlefields here in North Georgia. How did you… how did you end up here, you know, I mean pick this spot? Because I mean of all places that you could have come I know you were, you were living at Lookout Mountain and that sort of thing, I mean, it’s unique.
[Matt] Its default [laughter]. This little area was cut off when they built the bypass and we basically… property was cheap and this place was overgrown and falling apart and me and a friend I actually went together and bought it and we ran two businesses out of here for several years. And he ended up buying a larger building and we bought him out and moved up to the front building. And now we have the whole piece of property and well we’re kind of filling it up.
[Bob] Well, you know, one unique things as I walk around and I see all this lines of old historical..(yeah!)…actually pieces of and it’s not junk, you know. To the most folks they would say “Man, what do you do about..?” Listen, there’s somebody out there who will pay big bucks for the smallest or the largest parts and you have it here. I mean, you you, obviously have had a lot more but you still got a lot.
[Matt] [laughs] I don’t know, it’s the nature of the beast, you know. These things, they don’t make them anymore and every little small part counts. You know we don’t scrap. Anything we don’t have to because there’s somebody out there who needs this stuff and when you can’t find it where do you go? You know?
[Bob] Well, Quarter Ton Military Parts is you, focus on… just give the folks that kind of a gist of the years. Okay, you you kind of stopped short of Vietnam but you’re from World War II all the way up.
[Matt] Right, we deal with the… of course the MB, the G-P-W the CG-2A, 3a, 3B ah… the M38, 38a1 and the N170. Now we do get occasionally we get some M151 parts. That’s just… you know, stuff like that’s usually mixed in with everything because a lot of is interchangeable. And then now we’ve got a hold of a couple of surplus yards and we’re actually doing some bigger truck parts. Just kind of by default, you know don’t want to see the stuff get scrapped so we’re trying to you know, get that stuff out so people can use it.
[Bob] Well in your 33 years, okay I’m gonna kind of date him because he’s 46 certainly 47, you’ll have a birthday coming. But in your 33 years of collecting and doing this business amassing a collection like this for business that, that, that has to be exciting for you and still finding pockets of stuff out there. It’s out there! [laughter] How do you locate?
[Matt] It’s uh, uh, it’s kind of funny. Craigslist! We get a lot of Craigslist. We do a lot of work with museums and people will actually contact museums and say well my husband died or my granddad died or you know we have all this stuff that dad collected and we don’t want… to know what to do with it. Do you want it? We’re gonna throw it away or what? And they’ll contact me or, you know, and say well, this stuff is available we don’t want to see it get scrapped and we’ll go in and you know make an offer and buy it or, or help you know, help the people sell it or you know, just whatever, whatever we can do to get the stuff out people on the market out there because they don’t make it anymore.
[Bob] Well, you know, and I, I want to focus on a little bit of that and folks stay tuned for more Military Collectors because when we come back, Matt is going to show us some of the more unique items that he’s found at some locations and for a lot of you collectors out there who may have a World War II era Jeep or maybe a Korea, um…some of the things that we may show you will surprise you that it’s still out there. Stay tuned, won’t you?
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[Bob] Well, every collector has his secret stash. Every collector and folks there in the business they also have new old stock parts okay and I’m looking at one right here. You know Matt, this thing still got the tag on it. Oh yeah! But one of the unique things that you have here… tell me about what’s in these crates.
[Matt] These are actually new old stock N38 A1 fenders. It’s a left and a right. (Wow!) And a lot of people don’t realize that there’s still a few out there it’s the it’s the right front fender that you can’t find because actually the government never requisitioned the right front fender as a spare part. So anytime you find a new old stock right front fender, it’s normally an M170. They did for the N170 ambulance but for the 38A1 they didn’t do it. (I’ll be darned!) So they’re extremely rare and and this one here is a new old stock right front fender. And that’s the one that everybody always hits and tears up.
[Bob] Yep, because the driver couldn’t see what…
[Matt] Exactly! and it’s the early style with the with the leg that goes down that’s what you would see, uh… you know, 53, 52, 53, 54.
[Bob] And you got it here at Quarter Ton Military Parts.
[Matt] I got one or two, they’re kinda hard to find.
[Bob] Well, now I have to ask you now, this secret room that you guys always have…(Oh Lord!) Everybody always has that secret room with the parts that nobody ever knows about. [Matt] Yeah, you caught me!
[Bob] Okay, well listen. Folks, we’re headed over to the secret room, okay, and you’re going to get a Military Collector first right here Quarter Ton Military Parts!
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[Bob] Well folks, I know this room in here doesn’t look like much, okay, to a collector, this is where the secret stash is, okay. One of the most unique things that you’ve got in your secret parts stash, okay, because I see when we were talking new old stock, still original packaging and all that kind of thing.
[Matt] Oh yeah! [laughs] I think the prize of my collection is well, it’s it’s a Ford… it’s a new old stock Ford steering wheel. I mean it’s still in the original box with the original label on it but what’s so unique about it it’s the early black one. It’s a sheller. You don’t see the early black ones like that especially in in normal production. This is what you would have seen on their early script Fords. Having a very first production for jeeps that were, you know, the first contract. (Right!) And so, that kind of makes this the rare of the rare, I mean.
[Bob] Is this the only one you have?
[Matt] This one, only one I’ve got.
[Bob] Only one. What’s that thing worth, roughly?
[Matt] I sold some, some metal spoke new old stock ones I found years ago and they went for fifteen to seventeen hundred…I, I don’t really wouldn’t even know where to price it. I mean, it’s probably, it’d probably bring probably, two thousand or something but I mean, the thing that it’s still in the box would be almost a shame to use it. (Exactly!) I mean, it’s just, yeah, they just don’t exist and it’s, it’s some.. it’s more of a Museum piece than it would be on a Jeep.
[Bob] Exactly! one other item, okay?
[Matt] Oh yeah, it’s my favorite over here… okay, good old greasy Cosmoline!
[Bob] Listen, I don’t want to…
[Matt] Oh yeah, I found these at a surplus yard. This was kind of… I know it looks horrible but it’s a, it’s a YS 637. It’s early with the penny and the bowl. These are some of the rarest carburetors for the M38, that’s the flat fender 24 volt Jeeps. We just, just a dumb discovery. We covered, uncovered them cleaning out a storage container and the guy who had’em, it actually… He knew what they were. He actually stashed’em away back in the very back corner of a cabinet. And they were rebuilt by the government and they were sprayed with Cosmoline and then covered up in this whole greasy stuff.
[Bob] Goodness! And those are worth what? Five, six hundred?
[Matt] Yeah, they’re anywhere from four twenty five to five. Okay. I mean, yeah, there’s a little bit of surface rust on it but hey, it’s, you know, 50, 60 years old and it’s been in storage that long. But yeah, this is one of the one of the rare carburetors that’s really hard to find and very sought-after by the the purist when, when they’re building an M38. I also got the newer style. This is a first, first style of the 637.
[Matt] Wow! Well, I tell you Matt, this is impressive and folks listen, there’s so many more things in his secret stash room. We just can’t cover them all but listen if you’d like to talk parts. Reach out to Matt Fox at Quarter Ton Military Parts okay. Go to. MilitaryCollectorstv.com. His icon will be there, his emails, his phone numbers. This guy, if you are restoring a vehicle, this guy’s probably got the parts to do it with right here. One of the largest in the country, maybe even one of the largest in the world right down here in Chickamauga, Georgia. Okay, stay tuned, when we come back, this guy is also a restoration expert, okay, and I say expert because again the things that we’re going to show you and the one vehicle that he restored will really surprise you. Stay tuned for more Military Collectors.
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[Music] Welcome back. Military history still lives in Chickamauga, Georgia. Not Civil War but we’re talking Matt Fox and Quarter Ton Military Parts and he’s going to show us some of his restoration projects, okay, we’ve got several here inside the shop. You know Matt, let’s talk about this one because this is headed to a museum…(mm-hmm)…up in Monteagle Tennessee, yes? right? Tell me just a little quick run over about this.
[Matt] Okay, this is actually a 1964 USMC MCM38A1. This was a contract Jeep. A lot of those jeeps, a lot of these in this area were released out of Albany to the Civil Defense units. And since nobody ever restored civil defense jeeps and I like weird stuff. It’s a Civil Defense Jeep!
[Bob] I’ll be darned!
[Matt] We put it back to its former life and this is more or less a realistic restoration. I mean, we don’t go around and knock all the dents out and I mean, it still got flaking paint and all that on it but when a civil defense unit got a wore out Marine Corps Jeep they were like that to begin with so it’s, it’s very realistic I mean, it still has the holes where the rectifier went for the radio or the the xenon Searchlight. We just basically left, left it beat up just like the civil defense would’ve got it. So, it’s not over restored, I mean, there’s like overspray… (yeah) …you gotta remember, these guys weren’t worried about it (nope) It was used for rescues and so we’re trying to put it back as realistically as we can.
[Bob] We’ll see, I’m probably dating myself, but I still remember back in the 60s when they were rotating out the civil defense, I mean those big tins with them biscuits! I remember those! All right, let’s walk over here because you’ve got a project in progress here. Tell us about this one real quick.
[Matt] This is a WC 21, is that right? (Yes!) Can I get, I get my numbers all mixed up it’s a, it’s a WC 21 command car. It’s a, it’s actually a European bring back. It was in Denmark. He was in England during the Second World War and since the half-tones were too light for combat according to the army, it never really went into mainland Europe until after the war. It was brought back through Savannah. It was purchased by a surplus dealer and basically stuck in a, stuck in his barn or shed for, for years and when he died, we bought it off the estate and I started building it.
[Bob] And this color, this is kind of unique to help you yeah because they’re gonna think well that’s not that…
[Matt] Everybody thinks it’s progress. (it’s not) No, this is, this is actually, oh, it’s ugly, I know it’s ugly but this, this is called pre-war olive drab. It’s, a lot of people say, “Well, hey, you picked it before it was right!” but no, that’s, that’s what this vehicle… that’s what the original color was.
[Bob] Oh, and also over here, of course this is this, that’s the the body.
[Matt] That’s the body still in the Danish blue (Wow!) and we got the scratching on it to find the original color and there it is. (Wow) That’s the original, the pre-war green under, under all the other different colors of olive drab.
[Bob] Now how long, just roughly, will you and your guys work, will it take to work to get this thing back in the museum show? (Wow!) year or two?
[Matt] Yeah, it’s gonna take… we’re not, I don’t normally work on Dodges, this… I like weird stuff and the weird stuff usually takes a whole lot longer to restore than just a Jeep. A Jeep? Ah! that’s easy. (I gotcha) But but when it comes to Dodge that, I’m not real familiar with it’s all, like it’s a learning curve. I’m learning all about this and it’s, it’s. I think the fun part is just learning about’em.
[Bob] I tell you what, I’m kind of excited about this next one, okay, and, and folks, we’re headed over now and we’re going to take a look at another project that is a restoration beauty that I know some of you guys out there will recognize and Matt has really done it up well. Stay tuned, because when we come back, well, this is going to be a surprise restoration project here at Quarter Ton Military Parts.
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[Bob] Well folks, what we find all over the country, folks that are in the business, they’re also passionate about collecting as well as restoring vehicles and in their own collection, we’ve got a special one here down at Quarter Ton Military Parts, Matt Fox has got a M2 Scout car that’s absolutely immaculate. All right Matt, back it up Bud! Oh my goodness, this thing is absolutely beautiful my friend. Look at this thing, Wow! Okay, tell me quickly about the backstory on this thing.
[Matt] This one was actually in North Africa during the Second World War and was basically followed up the boot hill of Italy and after the end of the war the Greek government got it and to rebuild their army with and in the early sixties a place called Sarafan imported a couple of these and the government made them cut them all up and we literally put it back together. And here she is! Well now, you acquired this when, roughly? [Matt] I’ve had this about five or six years now. (okay) I got it from a buddy of mine, a customer, and he done a pretty good job on it and we had to go back through it and fix a lot of stuff that he just got, I think he just got tired of working on it. So.
[Bob] I mean, military vehicles, they’re expensive, (yes, they are.) [Laughter] Expensive to maintain, they’re neat, but as long as they are running…
[Matt] Yeah, but when they ain’t… it’s a whole different story.
[Bob] Well, I tell you you know one of the things, if you had to pass on some advice out there for a future collector, okay. Now you sell the parts, you’re a collector, you’re a passionate guy about all this stuff, what one big piece of advice would you give for somebody that wanted a Jeep okay uh-huh and called you and said, “Hey, Matt, I want a Jeep!” What would you tell’em?
[Matt] I’d say first of all do your research, research, research, research! That’s 100 percent of it and a lot of people don’t realize that the older the jeep you get the more expensive they get. And I know, the World War II Jeep is the icon, that’s what everybody wants. But, um, you know, if you’re starting out restoring a vehicle, some of the easiest ones are the M-series jeeps. Like the M38 and the M38A1. The M38A1s are very plentiful and also there’s a lot of CJ 2a and 3a is out there that people are cloning up as World War II Jeeps. But I think research is the biggest, the biggest part of it, you know. You know, price, price a water pump. price the distributor. Price stuff you have to, you have to have to keep the vehicle maintained. If you get a really unique vehicle, you’re gonna pay really unique prices because the stuffs just not out there.
[Bob] Well you know, the vehicles that I have, I bought, not only do I use in the production of the show (mm-hmm) but I also bought them as an investment and I just like’em. [Laughter] I’ve had all the way to twelve and I’m down to three and my wife is happy, okay, because a happy wife, happy life! (Exactly!) But, you know, for those folks that really want to do this, I think that you’re exactly right that’s great, great advice. But they need to find an honest guy like you here at Quarter Ton Military Parts because again what we find across the country (yeah, yeah) You know what I’m saying.
[Matt] Oh yeah, yeah, look out for the paint and drives, yeah.
[Bob] With that I want to go in, and see one last unique collection, (okay) then (okay) probably a lot of folks will be interested. So, let’s head on in. You park the Scout car man. (yeah!)
Well, Matt is a collector at heart and he’s got a special collection that he really puts all of his energy into and thats collecting World War II German helmets. Okay, now one like this one, I mean, listen, where on earth would you find with the original plus the guy’s name still in it? (Oh yeah!) Plus, you have a collection of nine that are kind of very very unique that you collected your personal self in Europe.
[Matt] I dug these.
[Bob] You did? Okay, what makes those nine so special.
[Matt] Well, the thing is, the the place you get’em and there’s no question that they’re real. (I got you) Especially when the guy’s still in them (right) but anyway, yeah, this one was dug at Stalingrad. We got this, well, out of a, out of a bunker that had collapsed and it’s kind of sad but the guy was still wearing it. But we, we, you know, you turn the remains in and everything’s good. He gets put back in his country and all that (Right) and buried in a grave but just it’s, just, it’s history it’s, it’s stuff that’s just not around anymore and you can’t, you can’t, hide history.
[Bob] Well, in your collection how many total of these German helmets do you have.
[Matt] I have no idea. I probably got…(50, 60, a hundred?) Probably… nah, I probably got about sixty five or seventy (do you really?) that and Japanese. I like to, I like the Japanese stuff too because, well, back when I was collecting those hot and heavy they weren’t reproducing them. So, you can, you know, now everybody’s reproducing stuff and it’s harder to find the original.
[Bob] Well, I mean, yeah, how unique is this?
[Matt] There’s no, there’s no question about when you dig it out of the ground if it’s real or not.
[Bob] Wow! well, well, you know Matt it’s been an awesome visit here. Military Collectors, it’s been… it’s just been an honor and a privilege to be here to showcase you, your collection, just Quarter Ton Military Parts. And so, if folks want a part for a jeep, they need to come here, they need to call you, go on the website, okay, and I do want to talk one quickly thing. Go to eBay, okay, because you have a great eBay store.
[Matt] We’ve got a big eBay store.
[Bob] And so, folks, if you want a part for a jeep, this guy’s got it. Okay, if he don’t, he’ll get it for you, okay.
[Matt] Or find somebody who has it.
[Bob] That’s our show this week from Chickamauga, Georgia and Quarter Ton Military Parts. I’d like to thank Matt Fox and all the great folks down there, his staff do a great job. If you need paint to parts and you’re restoring a military vehicle or jeep or you need one, reach out to Matt, go to militarycollectorstv.com and you can get his website from there and you to become a collector of military history. We’ll see you next week, right back here on Military Collectors! [Music]