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Dan Starks, founder next to the Sherman tank that he Day facility Vietnam War.

I{EW$T OO MILLICN I{ATIOI{AL MI]SEUMOF MILITARY YEHICLES HOI{ORSYETERANS I A private eollection of military vehieles has tuined into a full-scale mrrseum in Wyoming. The m&n behind it says he does it to honor veterans' saerifi.ees to America, to preserve history and educate others.

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a bringing Sherman tank to a town of stories about his time in Vietnam, li a little less than 1,000 people. and I had become fascinated by the "People have said they would have Vietnam War experience," Starks said. Mil*rt*i*t never gotten a chance to see one ifit 'After getting some insight from him Sherman tank. The tank had been wasn't for that," Starks said. about the war, I read every single non- abandoned as a target on a Virginia By 2015, Starks owned eight mili- fiction Vietnam War book I could get shooting range in the 1950s. tary vehicles. Through the next sev- my hands on. At one point, I couldn't "It was completely rusted out," eral years, Starks purchased even find any more to read." Starks said. "There was no floor. If more vehicles - jeeps, tanks, trucks, Starks also has a family connection someone had climbed in the hatch, pickups and motorcycles. He bought to the military. His father served as an then they would fall out of the bot- military weapons - artillery, rifles officer in the Nary in WWII. tom. No engine, no transmission - and guns. He also bought amphibious "Ever since I could first read, I was just a rusted-out hulk." landing crafts. fascinated with American military his- Even with the tank's major flaws, Today, Starks has enough military tory," Starks said. "I haven't lost that. I Starks decided to buy it for $50,OOO. vehicles and weapons of war to fill a would say I have an unusual amount of He believed he would be able to sal- museum. And more. passion for military history." vage and fully restore the tank. .TO "My goal was to make it completely TO EDUCATETHE PUBTIC PRESENYE A]ID SHARE'HISTORY functional," Stark said. "I wanted every- Last year, Starks opened the National The National Museum of Military thingto work except for the cannon." Museum of Military Vehicles, located Vehicles, a $1OO million venture about eight miles southeast of Dubois on located near Jackson Hole and IO HOilON UETERA]IS U.S. Highway 26.The museum, which Yellowstone National Park, continues Once the tank was finished, Starks displays about200 vehicles, is housed in to be built. On Memorial Day week- had the idea to drive it in the Dubois, a 140,00o-square-foot-building. end, the museum opened new Korean Wyo., Fourth of July Parade. Little did Starks is the sole investor of the War and Vietnam War exhibits. he know, the tank would take eight properly and collection. He made his Starks' daughter, Alynne Catron, is years to fully restore. fortune in the medical device industry. the executive director of the National "I got impatient four years into the Starks said he wanted to create the Museum of Military Vehicles. She process," Starks said and laughed. "It National Museum of Military Vehicles said she enjoys her work at the muse- was moving at a snail's pace. I wanted for three reasons - to honor the ser- um and that many museum staff to drive the tank in tribute to veterans." vice and sacrifice of the nation's vet- members are military veterans. Out of frustration, Starks decid- erans and their families, educate "I love working with veterans," ed to purchase another Sherman that future generations on the history of Catron said. "It's very rewarding. I was fully operable to be able to drive American freedom and preserve and see how passionate they are about through Dubois'Ramshorn Road in share historic military vehicles. their work, which makes me even the patriotic parade. That tank cost "I wanted a place where we can more passionate about the muse- him $5OO,OOO. teach school children and the public um. It's easy to come on to a project At that point in 2014, Starks at-large about the service and sacrifice like this and make sure it's successful purchased other World War Il-era ofour veteransi' Starks said. "The civil- and running smoothly, but I always militaryvehicles for his private collec- ian-veterans relationship is very import- remember why I'm here. I'm here to tion and had a total of seven vehicles ant to have. We ready for Dubois' 2014 Independence need to help veter- Day celebration. ans tell their sto- OTHER VENruRES FOR VETERANS "During the parade, I remember ries because they Besides the National Museum of Military Vehicles, Dan Starks has been involved with other veteran-centered poects. driving along the route and hearing a cannot do it them- lot ofhonking outside," Starks said. "I selves without our ln 2009, Starks founded American Shooters, a shooting range came out of the hatch to see what was help." located in Las Vegas. His idea was to own a business that would help going on, and I saw this senior citizen, Starks, who transition veterans into civilian life. His son-inlaw Mick Catron, is who no doubt was a WWII veteran, in isn't a veteran the president of the business. his pickup truck honking its horn." himself, said he Starks said it was "wonderfully has a close friend Starks and Catron also were instrumental in the creation of the gratifying" to see and hear the reac- who served in Nevada State Veterans Memorial located north of downtown tion of those who were witnessingthe combat in the Las Vegas. The two-acre memorial features 10 statues depicting Independence Day parade. He said Vietnam War. military service members through America's history according to he has been thanked many times for "I heard these the Nevada Department of Veterans Services website.

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CPt. CHANCE PHEI.PS r The National Military Vehicles Museum {s. t ffi near Dubois, Wyo., has a theater named for a hometown Marine who died in lraq \ in 2004.

Marine Pft. Chance Phelps, who served ABOVE: Patrons of the National Museum of Military Vehicles observe with 2nd Plt., Battery L,3rd Bn., 11th the World War ll Battle of the Bulge exhibit. The museum, located Marines, was killed in the lraq War on near Dubois, Wyo., displays about 2OO vehicles in a l4o,OoGsquare- .; April 9, 2004, during a convoy escort, foot building. which included then-BriB. Gen. John years l-ance Cpl. Chance Kelly' Phelps was 19 old' Phelps museum on um then, but we were absolutely After the convoy was attacked and Phelps May 15. He and blown away by what he already had set was wounded, he manned a machine gun to coverfor the evacua- other represen- up," Rish said. "It's even greater now. tion of the rest of his convoy. He received a posthumous promotion tatives the He has given back to veterans some- to lance corporal and received the Bronze Star after his death. of Department thing that will keep giving to future

Phelps'remains were buried in a cemetery in Dubois, where he participated in generations." received full military honors. a ceremony in Rish, a Vietnam War Air Force veter- remembrance of an, said he was "absolutely" impressed An account of Phelps' death was turned into an HBO movie called the SS Mayaguez with the attention to detail that was "Taking Chance." The movie, stairing Kevin Bacon as Marine Corps rescue, which given at every exhibit of the museum. Col. Michael Strobl, was released in 2009. The screenplay was writ- happened 46 "The other thing that was as ten and director Ross Katz. by Strobl The movie was about Strobl's years ago. The impressive as the museum was Dan's account of escortinE the remains of Phelps back home. U.S. merchant knowledge of military history" Rish Bacon received a Golden Globe award for the role. ship was seized said. "He was our tour guide, and he by troops of knows everything about past wars. He make sure we honor veterans." Kampuchea (Cambodia), and the res- doesn't read off a script, either." Her husband, Mick, served as an cue mission resulted in the 41 KIAs The museum currently has fully Army Green Beret in the Afghanistan and rvounded 50 other U.S. troops. restored vehicles from \Ar\MII through and Iraq wars. Mick is the president Last year, the Department's midwin- the Vietnam War. Starks said he hopes and chairman ofAmerican Shooters in ter conference took place in Dubois. to expand the museum in the future. Las Vegas (see sidebar) and a member Rish said that Starks invited all the "We still haven't even had our of VFW Post 12101 in Henderson, Nev. conference attendees to the National grand opening," Starks said. "We are VFW Department of Wyoming Museum of Military Vehicles. just getting started." O Commander Jim Rish visited the "Dan was still working on the muse- EMArL [email protected]

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