MISSION STATEMENT
The
Museum of the Forgotten Warriors and Library Center is dedicated to all veterans.
TO REMEMBER, RESPECT AND HONOR VETERANS
To all of our veterans:
Thank you for your
service
Welcome Home!!
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And our Museum continues
to grow
VISIT US!
LOCATION
We are located in Yuba County in Northern California
We are east of the city of Marysville, and west of Beale Air
Force Base
Our address is:
5865 A Road
Marysville, CA 96901
Driving Directions from Sacramento
Take the I-5 North
To the 99 North
To the 70 North
Exit North Beale Road
Take North Beale to the East
Continue on North Beale Road Past Yuba College
Turn Right on A Road. There is a museum sign on the corner
of North Beale Road and A Road.
We are located near the end of A Road on the left hand side.
HOURS
We are
open every
Saturday from 10am to 3pm as well as Thursday from 7pm - 9pm
Special
Days to include:
Veterans Day
Memorial Day
Armed
Forces Day
ADMISSION: No charge
OUR STORY
Where We Have Been
At the age of ten, Dann
Spear, founder of the Museum of the Forgotten Warriors,
started collecting military memorabilia, patches and photos
from his friends to whom he wrote while they served in the
Viet Nam War. In 1965 he had a dream of someday having a
museum to honor veterans who served. He was invited to a
reunion of World War II Veterans of the "Flying Tigers-AVG"
who flew in China, and was given a photo from Tex Hill, a
squadron leader and fighter ace. It was signed "To my young
friend, Danny," and he included a note saying that he hoped
the picture would make a nice addition to his museum. As
early as 1966, Dann's dream had been formulated. Dann
continued to collect personal photos and stories from
veterans, and set up display at conventions and museums.
Dann and his wife, Roberta,
moved to Marysville in 1977. In 1981, after displaying
portions of his collection throughout Northern California,
he and his good friend, John Showers, began work on what was
to be the first museum building. The official opening was in
January, 1985, with Brigadier General Don Matson in
attendance as the guest speaker.
The response since the
opening has been tremendous, with a second and third wing
added to the museum between 1985 and 2003. The over 46,000
artifacts in it have continued to grow. The items range from
tanks, cannons, and helicopters, to the oldest a relic, a
remnant of a blanket from Colonel Galbraith's
great-grandfather, who had the blanket when he was captured
by the British in the Revolutionary War. Dann has a brick
that was sent to him by Master Sergeant Roscoe Presley, from
a building that was taken by the Americans from the Taliban
during Operation Enduring Freedom. All of the displays
represent a personal tribute to each person who has served
our great nation throughout our history. Personal letters to
Dann from friends in Viet Nam are displayed as well as
uniforms, equipment, photos, papers and relics that have
been dug up from the ground after battle. He also has full
sized mannequins dressed in enemy uniforms.
The Museum of the Forgotten
Warriors continues to grow and now is established as a
non-profit corporation with a 501c(3) tax-exempt status. At
the urging of many people, Dann had decided to expand the
museum once again and add a new library center. Since 1985,
Dann and Roberta have financed and built the museum and
additions without any financial aid or monetary donations,
and have kept it open to the public free of charge. Now that
the museum is tax-exempt, the museum Board of Directors may
accept donations to build the proposed 6000 square foot
addition and library center that will be overseen by its
Board of Directors. The Board will ensure that the museum
remains an asset to Northern California, its veterans and
their families.
Where We Are Going
On Memorial Day 2007, the
museum had a groundbreaking ceremony for its new addition, a
6,000 sq foot wing which will house exhibit space and a
library center. For the first time in its more than 20
years, the museum is accepting donations specifically to
fund this expansion. Please visit out EVENTS page to see
pictures of the groundbreaking and visit our SUPPORT page to
see how you can help us move into our next phase.
*Click here for the Site Map*
Our Board of Directors and
Staff
This photo
shows the original Museum Board members during a
ceremony for a new display at the museum. In front of
the Honor Guard flag bearers from the local Veterans
Group Posts, the original Board members who started the
museum's 501(c)3 share in the ceremony: Left to right
are: John Showers (Korean War Vet), Brandon Spear,
Captain Carson Spear (Iraqi War Vet), Ken Anderson, Dann
Spear with shovel (Curator / Founder), Roberta Spear,
Don Schrader (Viet Nam War Vet), Vern Sorensen (Viet Nam
War Vet) and Col. Nicoll Galbraith (Desert Storm Vet),
Not in photo was Board member Edith Galbraith. The Board
was formed in late 2006 and this ceremony took place in
the Spring of 2007.
In memoriam of John
Showers
Date of Birth February
16, 1938 LaRue, Ohio
Date of Death
November 4, 2010 Yuba City, California
Interred at Sacramento
Valley National Military Cemetery Dixon, California
This is
John Showers who is the Museum's Secretary of the Board
of Directors. He is also very involved in fund raising
and Donations. John helped at the beginning of the
original Museum building with his construction equipment
in 1983. He continued to take care of the grounds,
sealing and striping the parking lot through the years.
He is retired from construction and devoting and
donating his time to the museum. John is a Korean War
veteran. He served on the USS Kawishiwi AO-146 as a MMFN
in the US Navy. He and his wife Pat live in Yuba City,
CA. Their son Roscoe Is a Master Sgt in the USAF
Security Forces having served 2 deployments to
Afghanistan and 1 to Iraq. John also has a granddaughter
serving in Iraq. John is the Museum's first Board
Member.
Vern Sorensen, Board
Member and Chairman of Construction / Repairs has been
Volunteering at the museum since 1992 for 17 years now, everything from
memorial services to the Chairing the Annual Veterans
Potluck set up. He is also a docent at the museum.
Vern helps homeless and in need Veterans as Chairman of
the Yuba Sutter Stand Down Committee and co-facilitates the area Veterans Focus Group. Vern
received 2 Purple Hearts in Vietnam for wounds in combat
while with K Co. 3rd Bn 7th marines operating out of
"Dodge City" Ashau Valley, Viet Nam May 67 - June 68.
Vern Retired as a Floor Contractor and has dedicated his
life to helping Veterans. He lives in Live Oak, CA with
his wife Brenda and Daughter Tina. His son mike is in
the Army having completed a tour in Iraq with the 2nd
ID.
This is Don
Schrader Museum Board member. Don is in charge of
publicity, having created the new museum brochures with
color photos. Don and his wife Peppi live in District 10
outside Marysville. Don was a 3 term County Supervisor
on the Yuba County Board whose District included the
museum of which he has been a long time supporter. He
served early in Vietnam with the Special Forces Groups
in 65-66, is a member of the VFW and was a delegation
member to the VFW National Convention and also a member
of the Viet Nam Veterans of America. He has also
represented the VFW at the Republican
National Convention.
Tony Pinto is the Head Docent
for Tours at the Museum and Chairman for restoration as
well as being on the Museum's Board of Directors. Tony
was the Wreath Layer at the original opening ceremony of
the museum in Jan. 1985 as a member of the Viet Vet
House Honor Guard. He served in Vietnam at An Khe with
the 8th Engineers of the 1st Cav Division 2 tours 1967 -
1969. Tony is a great asset to the Museum staff and all
Veterans. Tony can always be counted on to help a Vet
in need and give council to those who have suffered with
PTSD. Tony has been involved with Veterans
organizations for over 30 years and serves as a role
model for those now coming home from Iraq and
Afghanistan. He lives in Live Oak, CA, with his wife
Sally who is also very involved with the Women's Focus
Group for Veterans.
Mary Webb served
in the Air Force, administrative specialist,
from Feb 65 - Feb 73. First assignment was
Westover AFB, Massachusetts
followed by Beale AFB, CA, and one tour of duty
at Tan Son Nhut AB,
Vietnam
Dec 70 - Dec 71. Mary retired from the Sutter
County Auditor's Office in 2006. Effective Jan
2009 began serving as Treasurer for the Museum
of the Forgotten Warriors. In April 2011 Mary
completed her fifth year as a tax counselor with
AARP/Tax Aide serving the local community. This
is the largest free volunteer tax preparation
service. Volunteering also includes one day a
week at the Beale AFB Thrift Shop. Calendar
year 2011 finds Mary busy purchasing and
planning for Samaritan's Purse Operation
Christmas Child boxes for the 11th
year. These gift boxes go to the neediest of
the needy in third world countries. Dozens of
letters have been received from
Guyana,
Bangladesh,
Philippines,
Mexico,
Panama,
Rwanda,
Mongolia, and
Nepal.
Austin Webb is a
member of the board. Austin entered the Air
Force in March 1952 with service at McConnell
AFB, Kansas, Sidi Slimane, Morocco, Westover
AFB, Massachusetts, Anderson AFB, Guam, Beale
AFB, CA, Binh Thuy AB, Vietnam (Dec 70 - Dec
71). After 26 years,
Austin
retired at the rank of SMSgt. Since 2009
Austin
has been serving as a board member for the
Museum of the Forgotten Warriors. In the 1980's
Dann's mother-in-law, Ethel Eskew, shared Dann's
dedication to honor veterans and the beginnings
of the museum.
Austin took a number of
items to Dann's home and dropped it off with no
information! At some point,
Austin
spotted a display with some of the patches and
items he dropped off and Dann then knew who
donated them. Austin and Mary are avid yard
sale shoppers year around and have been
fortunate to find some unique items for the
museum. Those having yard sales have often been
very gracious to sell or donate 8 X 10 frames
for the museum for veterans pictures. This also
gives
Austin a grand
opportunity to share museum information with
people and hand out business cards.
Richard Sawyer
is a Docent and the Honor Guard Chairman for Memorial
services at the museum. Richard has been an avid
supporter of the Museum for years. He is a Vietnam
Veteran who went on to participate in the
SR-71 "Blackbirds" program. He and his retired
USAF MSgt wife Elizabeth live in Marysville, CA. He is also
represents the DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
Marysville Post at the DAV National Convention, is a
certified scuba diver and was a smoke jumper. The museum he says is his home away
from home.
Harlan Hatfield is now serving the museum
as the volunteer webmaster of the web site "The Museum of
Forgotten Warriors." He served 20 years active duty in the
United States Air Force, retiring in 1979. During the year
of 1967 was stationed at Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN. During his
first six years in the AF, he was a Fire Control specialist
(Radar Controlled Gunnery systems) on B-47E and B-52H
bombers, then 14 years as a
Precision Measuring Equipment Laboratory Specialist. Shortly
after retirement suffered a heart attack and has been on
disability ever since.
Wayne Leikham Sr. standing by one of
his diorama's. Wayne is now the official Diorama maker
for the museum, and is a Navy Veteran, serving on ships such
as the USS Oriskany! Thanks Wayne.
PLEASE VISIT US AGAIN SOON!
Dann Spear - Museum
founder, director, and curator.
(530)742-3090
cws21779@aol.com
Any
comments or suggestions may be sent to the
webmaster.
This page was last updated on
January 28, 2012