SAR
Newly Enlightened
28NOV07
FYI
aul Long is a really well know sheath maker and Matt is a good friend from another forum
We had to come down to San Antonio once last time for some Army business, we finished that business a day early so decide to move on to our next destination which is Austin to visit with some friends. We had hoped to visit both Paul long and then go up to see Matt, we made it to Paul's and ended up spending a couple of hours. The longs where really super Paul's wife Jackie was as sweet as grandma's can be, her, the kids, and Corbe hung out chatted while Paul showed me the great things he does and where he does it. So we had to stick to a time line and realized we would not make it to Matt's really sorry bro I wanted to visit.
Paul gave us the route to Austin, we said goodbye and we where on our way.....this gets pretty good, as we drove through a beautiful very founded by Germans type of town. the type if we had more time we would have really had a look around, lots of nice shops, beer gardens and some good looking restaurants. We got about midway through town when I spied what really looked out of place but really caught my interest, I mean really what the hell was the National Museum of the Pacific War doing in the middle of Texas.
http://www.nimitz-museum.org/
It was a very weird feeling that somehow i would become connected to this museum before i left. This is how it happened, If some of you remember my post on the knives I recently received from a good friend who had passed away last month John miller. Of all the knives received one really had me intrigued, the knife stand alone really was nothing special it was the fact that it had been engraved with a simple message that read "To my darling Philippines 1945" some simple type drawings on a hut and palm trees.
So we entered the museum and talked with a elderly gentleman, I said I had a knife and would be interested in donating it to the museum if they found it would fit in with the rest of the artifacts. The guy first gave me that look of "hey bud did you miss your meds"
well he picked up the phone and called the head curator. Me and the old guy talked for about 10-15 minutes the kids and Corbe walked around and checked the place out, it is brand new and done very very nicely. A young man and a lady came in and shook my hand and i told them quickly about the knife and with out even seeing it they where very much interested. I removed the knife and they oohed and ahed over it and said they would research everything they could, I said it very much reminded me of the WWI trench style art. My bet is a soldier bought or traded for the knife and in his spare time he embellished it for his girl back home. They said they had read of such things and where simply delighted to have something of this nature they could display, I also asked them if the could put in loving memory of John L. Miller and they said yes it would be no problem beings it was a donated piece. I did some paper work deeded them the knife, took a picture with the curator thanked them for preserving history shook hands and we where back on the road all and all it took 45 minutes tops.
They said they will send me an invitation to the museum, when they are done and the knife goes on display. I will also call Brenda and let her know about the whole story.
So you see its weird how timing plays such a big factor and things can be hit and miss, had we traveled onto Matt's we may have taken a different route to Austin or more than likely the place would have been closed, if we had stayed another 30 minutes at Paul's the place would have been closed.
Instead of this knife remaining in my collection thousands of people will get to enjoy what i think is a beautiful piece not so much the knife but the thoughts that it Brings when I looked at it and held it.
Thanks for reading this what a great day except for not seeing Matt next time bro
Spencer
FYI
aul Long is a really well know sheath maker and Matt is a good friend from another forumWe had to come down to San Antonio once last time for some Army business, we finished that business a day early so decide to move on to our next destination which is Austin to visit with some friends. We had hoped to visit both Paul long and then go up to see Matt, we made it to Paul's and ended up spending a couple of hours. The longs where really super Paul's wife Jackie was as sweet as grandma's can be, her, the kids, and Corbe hung out chatted while Paul showed me the great things he does and where he does it. So we had to stick to a time line and realized we would not make it to Matt's really sorry bro I wanted to visit.
Paul gave us the route to Austin, we said goodbye and we where on our way.....this gets pretty good, as we drove through a beautiful very founded by Germans type of town. the type if we had more time we would have really had a look around, lots of nice shops, beer gardens and some good looking restaurants. We got about midway through town when I spied what really looked out of place but really caught my interest, I mean really what the hell was the National Museum of the Pacific War doing in the middle of Texas.
http://www.nimitz-museum.org/
It was a very weird feeling that somehow i would become connected to this museum before i left. This is how it happened, If some of you remember my post on the knives I recently received from a good friend who had passed away last month John miller. Of all the knives received one really had me intrigued, the knife stand alone really was nothing special it was the fact that it had been engraved with a simple message that read "To my darling Philippines 1945" some simple type drawings on a hut and palm trees.
So we entered the museum and talked with a elderly gentleman, I said I had a knife and would be interested in donating it to the museum if they found it would fit in with the rest of the artifacts. The guy first gave me that look of "hey bud did you miss your meds"
They said they will send me an invitation to the museum, when they are done and the knife goes on display. I will also call Brenda and let her know about the whole story.
So you see its weird how timing plays such a big factor and things can be hit and miss, had we traveled onto Matt's we may have taken a different route to Austin or more than likely the place would have been closed, if we had stayed another 30 minutes at Paul's the place would have been closed.
Instead of this knife remaining in my collection thousands of people will get to enjoy what i think is a beautiful piece not so much the knife but the thoughts that it Brings when I looked at it and held it.
Thanks for reading this what a great day except for not seeing Matt next time bro
Spencer
