Store is stocked to the hilt

Rima Shah

Paul Milbury isn’t just in business to make money.

His store, which sells antique military equipment, is also a way

for Milbury to preserve history.

Walking into Military Historical Arms and Antiques, 6912 San

Fernando Road, is, in many ways, like walking into a museum.

Various kinds of rifles, war uniforms of many countries and

periods, a giant propeller, war insignias, Confederate bonds,

military and historical documents and papers are all crammed tightly

into the store.

Milbury and his wife Virginia Milbury point out to a recent

visitor the pouches and bags used in various wars, elaborately carved

bayonets and knives, Nazi war pins, war propaganda and photographs.

His wife pointed to a U.S. World War II insignia with Donald Duck.

“This is valued here, not only because of the war but because of

Disney,” she said.

Milbury fished out a pair of shoes with the soles loose.

“These were slave shoes,” he said. He also showed a promotional

certificate awarded to a soldier in the Civil War.

He chuckles softly when recounting a letter he found which was

written during the Civil War.

“Sometimes when we come across some of these things, it is almost

as if we know these people,” Milbury said.

Many of his customers share the Milburys’ passion for history and

antique firearms.

David Segal has been visiting the store since it opened seven

years ago, mainly to buy old firearms.

“You wonder who wore them, how they wore them, when they wore

them, where they wore them,” Segal said, pointing to some shoes.

Laid off from his job seven years ago and, not wanting to work for

someone else, the history-fanatic started his store.

While Milbury supplies to collectors worldwide, the movie-industry

is also one of his biggest customers.

The store has supplied relics for movies such as “The Last

Samurai.”

Once a woman walked in saying she wanted to buy stuff for a movie

being made on the Navy.

“She sat down on the floor and brought 80% of our Navy stuff,”

Milbury said.

The movie ended up being “Men of Honor,” Milbury said.

World War II toilet paper, shaving kits, underwear -- these are

some of the things that the store carries and is valued by the movie

industry for period pieces.

Milbury buys most of his stuff from other collectors and estates.

The store has military equipment from all over the world, much of

it brought back as souvenirs by U.S. soldiers.

“The British fight for king and country, Milbury said. “The French

fight for glory. The Americans fight for souvenirs.”

The shop requires more than 10 licenses to operate, and many

similar shops had to close down or leave the state for what he calls

California’s anti-business atmosphere, especially for shops selling

firearms, he said.

His shop specializes in equipment from the 1700s to the Vietnam

era, and he considers it is his calling to preserve the past.

“People are throwing away history every day,” he said.