Collecting Soviet Memorabilia

I thought it strange when I learned that a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, man collected memorabilia from the Soviet Army during World War II. Then I met Glenn Williams and had my suspicions confirmed when I asked what his friends think about his latest hobby.

"They think I'm a nut," Glenn, 62, laughs.

Through the years he's become a fishing fanatic, a hunting addict, a golf guru and a builder of remote controlled model boats. (See today's Ramblin' column in The Gazette.)

A few years ago Glenn got the World War II collecting bug. Having served in the Navy in the 1960s, cruising the Mediterranean Sea on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga while Russia was keeping an eye on it, this only seems natural.

While Glenn has found a Soviet rifle sling and a mess kit at Uncle Stan's surplus store in nearby Marion, he orders most of his memoriabilia via catalog or computer. That's one reason he's ultra excited about a cruise he and his wife, Susie, will take this spring down the Volga River. They'll travel from Moscow to what was Stalingrad.

"Can you image the Army surplus stores they have there," he's told his wife.

Glenn's collection includes authentic, authentic post war production and reproduction items. He hopes to add more authentic things on the trip but knows how those can be much more expensive than items in the other two categories. Specifically, he'd love to find an authentic World War II Soviet Ushanka (fur hat) and Great Coat.

If he finds those pieces of clothing, you can bet that Glenn's mannequin, christened Ivan Alvinakov, will be wearing them in the little museum Glenn has created in his Cedar Rapids home. You can find out all about his museum by clicking here.

Obviously, when visitors see that Ivan has brown skin, they'll ask Glenn if that's authentic, too. It most certainly is he learned as he researched the World War II Soviet Army.

"He overcame discrimination by working his way up through the ranks," Glenn wrote as he created a fictional characterization for Ivan. (Soviet soldiers were known as Ivan, just as American GIs were known as Joe.)

"He is a very good professional soldier during a time when Soviet Russia need strong men to lead the fight," Glenn continued. "Ivan fought bravely at Stalingrad winning the 'Order of Lenin.' He has other medals -- but chooses to wear only this important one. He dreams of someday becoming a 'Hero of the Soviet Union.'"