Man to display his military memorabilia

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) -- It started with a World War I helmet.
The Christmas gift from his parents years ago was the first piece of Michael Russell's collection of military uniforms and gear.
"Some little guys want to be firemen or policemen, I wanted to have a military museum," Russell said.
Russell planned to open his military museum to the public on Memorial Day. His personal collection, most of it obtained from Scioto County residents, includes gear from every branch of the military and from every 20th century war.
The oldest piece is the World War I uniform worn by Sgt. Earl Hayes, who was in the Army's Balloon Corps. The latest addition is a piece of stationery from Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, and a picture of the former leader of Iraq from the fallen government's ministry.
Russell joined the Marines in 1981 after he graduated from high school. After he returned from the service, he began setting up displays around this city about 85 miles south of Columbus.
"People would see those and give me their dad's uniform," he said. "That's how it kept growing and growing, because people knew I would take care of it, and it wouldn't end up in a rag barrel someplace."
Besides uniforms and medals, the museum also will display postcards, photos and "trench art" -- spent artillery shells shaped into art pieces.
Russell said he plans to rotate exhibits every six months. He estimates he can only show a quarter of his collection at a time at the museum, located in space his parents set aside in their glass shop.