NEW  AT  THE  VMM

​HOME  TOWN: Ben's Workshop 
Comes to the VETERANS MEMORIAL MUSEUM
​New display case created by Ben Napier & Scott Eastwood on HGTV's HOME TOWN: Ben's Workshop
to house the VMM's relic from the USS Arizona

Minnesota Veteran Donates
Captured ​Weapon to the VMM

The Veterans Memorial Museum was recently the recipient of a very generous donation by a Vietnam War veteran from Minneapolis, MN.  Mr. Greg Grim read about the VMM in a featured article that was published in the May edition of FIREARMS NEWS magazine. After reading the article about the museum, he decided that the VMM was where he wanted to donate his French MAS 36 7.5mm rifle that he captured from a North Vietnamese soldier.
​During his service in Vietnam, Greg was an E-4 RTO (radio telephone operator) for an FO (forward observer) that was assigned to an Army RECON unit. One day on patrol, Greg’s unit happened upon a lone North Vietnamese soldier guarding a large cache of weapons, explosives, and food. The enemy soldier, who happened to be enjoying a bowl of rice (which he did not get to finish), was wounded, but managed to escape. When he fled, he left his rifle and bowl of rice behind.
​
The patrol captured dozens of different types of rifles and Greg secured the French MAS 36 for himself as a souvenir. Along with the donated rifle, Greg also provided the museum with all of the proper documentation (framed) that allowed a service member to carry home a war souvenir. Greg is hoping to make a return trip to Laurel at a later date and bring the bowl of rice and chopsticks the soldier was eating with, which, unfortunately, he was unable to locate prior to this trip down south.

FIREARMS NEWS 
Issue 9/May 2021

The VMM is both proud and excited about being featured in this month's FIREARMS NEWS magazine (Issue 9/May 2021). The article, written by Will Dabbs, MD, from Oxford, MS, features the VMM and the stories surrounding many of the weapons on display at the museum.

Also featured is an article about Jimmy Bass, one of the founding members of the museum,
​written by Dr. Dabbs nephew Walker Dabbs.
The VMM Parking Lot
​Gets a Facelift
​(WDAM News Story)
Eagle Scout Project Donated to the VMM
The Veterans Memorial Museum is now home to an Unserviceable Flag Depository Box (with Bench) thanks to local Boy Scout Tyson Sherman. Sherman, a 14 year old Life Scout in Troop 33 (Chartered by First United Methodist Church of Laurel) is completed this project to earn his Eagle Scout rank. 

Pictured in this slideshow are Tyson Sherman, friends Kaden Melton & Lane McAndrews, fellow Boy Scouts Broxton Reon & Fletcher Horne, Scoutmaster Neil Sherman, and Troop Adult Leader Julia Reon...All of whom assisted Tyson in completing this project. 
MODEL DONATION
U.S.S. Cairo - Civil War Era Ironclad Mississippi River Gunboat...Scale Model
​Created by Henry Cummings 
(Ocean Springs, Mississippi) 

*Also pictured are pieces ​of coal taken
from the actual USS Cairo.
​