Vietnam Vet Takes Depot Marines Back To Yesterday's America
(January 15, 2011) |
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| SAN DIEGO - At first glance, the building of Only Yesterday
Classic Autos and Hall of Heroes looks like any other
industrial office establishment found riddled throughout San
Diego's suburbs. However, once inside, one may feel as if
they have entered a time capsule containing some of
America's most beloved autos and historical treasures. |
Although it's not a time capsule, Only Yesterday
Classic Autos and Hall of Heroes is more of a
showroom and museum for Chuck Spielman's private
stable of classic autos spanning from the 1930s to
the present, along with a priceless collection of
military memorabilia from throughout the last
century. Spielman, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and
retired commercial real estate executive, opened his
collection for private viewing in 1998 in New York,
then moved it to San Diego in 2001 after the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
For 20
senior Marines and sailors from Marine Corps Recruit
Depot San Diego, an afternoon tour of Spielman's
priceless dream collection was an opportunity to |
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Bob Rabourne, community outreach representative, Only Yesterday Classic Auto and Hall of Heroes, briefly explains the history of Spielman's 1967 Chevrolet SS convertible to Marine Drill Instructors of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Jan. 7,
2011. The tour of Spielman's private collection was an opportunity to gain a greater appreciation of 20th century Americana and learn more about military history from different perspectives. |
| gain a greater
appreciation of 20th century Americana. Deeply
inspired by his patriotism and a dream to pay
tribute to war veterans, Spielman privately funds
his efforts as a whole. |
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“My inspiration in creating the Hall of Heroes is due to a
life-long interest in World War II and a desire to pay
tribute to its veterans before they all pass away,” Spielman
said.
During the guided tour of Spielman's personal
automobile collection, he and his community outreach
associate, Bob Rabourne, split the service members into two
groups briefly explaining the history of how each vehicle
was acquired. Some of the vehicles featured during the tour
included a 1964 Pontiac GTO convertible, a 2010 Corvette ZR1
with a 638 hp supercharged V8 engine, and a 2010 Ferarri
Scuderia, one of only 499 produced worldwide and 90 imported
in the U.S.
After seeing the lineup of modern
marvels, the service members toured the Hall of Heroes,
which places an emphasis on WWII. Here, Spielman and
Rabourne explained intricate details of the background of
some of the military artifacts that he has collected over
the years. From the fork and spoon of Eva Braun to the
service uniform of a WWII veteran, each had a story behind
it. This proved intriguing to some.
“The highlight
of the trip for me was to try and put myself in the moments
in time from which some of these pieces came from,” said
Sgt. Maj. Wayne Pedersen, battalion sergeant major for
Support Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
“The people, the places and events that were represented
affected world history forever.”
For some service
members, seeing the vast collection of autos and how
pristine they have been restored was also a highlight.
“Learning about the history of how each vehicle was
acquired and what events surrounded that period was very
interesting to me,” said Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Velis, company
gunnery sergeant, Headquarters and Service Company,
Headquarters Battalion, MCRD San Diego and a native of Los
Angeles.
While Spielman's dream collection has proven
its value and importance to military service members
throughout the years, the Only Yesterday Classic Autos and
Hall of Heroes museum are not open to the public. Having the
privilege to tour Spielman's venue is limited to ages 16
years and older who have requested and been granted an
appointment. This provides a small group of people the
opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for America's
past.
“This is the stuff you don't learn in the
history books,” said Velis. “The way they presented what
circumstances surrounded each artifact and each vehicle at
the time was a major highlight.”
Meanwhile, the next
item on Spielman's list of things to do includes completing
a third phase of the Hall of Heroes.
“We are
currently working on several sections that pay tribute to
women in the military and the allies of the second world
war,” Spielman said. “We also plan on having a display of
various veterans' memorabilia that includes their personal
stories.”
While veterans and active duty service
members alike will continue to share in Spielman's dream
collection, the fact remains that his tribute to the
military is a reflection of genuine American patriotism.
“I just want people know that Spielman's time, resources
and personal effort into this facility is really an honor to
our veterans, active duty service members and military
supporters who do so much for our country,” said Rabourne. |
Article and photo by USMC SSgt. Marc R. Ayalin
Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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