HUBBARD MILITARY MUSEUM Their mission: bring World War II to life

One military equipment vendor from Boardman makes the hobby a family affair.
& lt;a href=mailto:yovich@vindy.com & gt;By TIM YOVICH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- If you're in the market for a $2,900 original leather flight jacket or a 50-cent P-38, the World War II Vehicle Museum and Learning Center is for you.
Oh, a P-38 is a military can opener known to soldiers who slugged it out in the field while getting to their rations.
The private museum on West Liberty Street is sponsoring its second vehicle rally and swap meet through Sunday.
At 10 a.m. today, World War II re-enactors representing various nations will conduct a tactical battle complete with functional equipment.
"I'm trying to keep it alive," museum owner Henry Venetta said Friday of his efforts to educate the public about the war -- what occurred overseas as well as its stateside support.
"In 10 years, there won't be any more World War II veterans," Venetta, a contractor by trade, pointed out.
Because the museum isn't supported by any government funds, the weekend is also a fund-raising event.
Living history
The learning center aspect includes not only the museum with volunteers giving tours, but its living history.
Visitors can see how American, German and Russian soldiers lived in the field during combat.
Dressed in a full German uniform, Phill Reyes of Conneaut discusses the role of the 250th Infantry Division, also known as the Spanish Division or Blue Division. During World War II, the division fought on the side of Germany in the Eastern Front against the Russians and in defending Berlin until the end.
Reyes is not only hoping to educate the public, but to earn some money to help construct a division museum in Erie.
In the museum itself, visitors can get close to artillery pieces, tanks, trucks and track-mounted guns. They all function, said Robert Brienik of Austintown, museum coordinator.
For collectors
About 65 vendors are available to sell or trade parts for equipment and sell everything from patches to helmets to unused World War II men's underwear to complete uniforms.
James Buck of Frewsburg, N.Y., has the $2,900 jacket that was used to fly in China, Burma and India.
He also has anything from ammunition belts to army-issue handkerchiefs.
The retired Buck considers himself involved in "a full-time hobby." He got interested when his brother sent him memorabilia from overseas during the war.
It's a family gathering for Sam Farinelli of Boardman, his wife, Colleen, and their three daughters.
Farinelli, retired from the Youngstown waste treatment plant, offers a gamut of goods, from patches to machine guns.
Farinelli said he makes some money, but "I just buy more stuff" as he pointed to his parked Jeep.
"It's just good family fun. We try to make it a family affair," said Farinelli, who travels about 30 weekends a year, most of the time during the winter.
One man dressed in uniform and surrounded by equipment for sale termed himself a "collector."
"I bought more junk today, so I'm not a vendor," he noted.
& lt;a href=mailto:yovich@vindy.com & gt;yovich@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;