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Armed Forces Museum Opens With Salutes

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 16, 2008

A new museum featuring a replica of a World War I battle trench, two full-size World War II torpedoes, a Sherman tank and a U.S. field hospital aims to bring visitors as close to history as possible.

The Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo celebrated its grand opening Saturday with busloads of seniors, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts ogling the collection of military artifacts collected over decades by former Marine John J. Piazza Sr., a retired businessman.

"He's a historical buff," said Shelly Bauer, a spokesman for the museum. "He's got warehouses of items that are not even on display."

Piazza launched the museum at 2050 34th Way N. inside a newly renovated 35,000-square-foot building he owns, Bauer said.

Its mission is to educate "current and future generations as to the sacrifices made by so many to preserve our freedom," the museum's Web site states.

"It's not a proponent of war or an opponent of war. It's just history," Bauer said.

The museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable foundation. Piazza started it in 1996 as a large mobile unit with 16 displays. In 2006, he and others on the board of directors decided they needed more space for the growing amount of memorabilia and military vehicles, according to the Web site.

Exhibits currently range from World War I through World War II. Highlights include a full-size amphibian craft from the D-Day beachhead invasion and model replicas of Japanese warships from the attack on Pearl Harbor that were used in the film "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

Additional exhibits to be completed by January will represent the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm and recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The property also includes a memorial walk and garden where families can purchase bricks engraved with the names of loved ones.

ARMED FORCES MILITARY MUSEUM

Where: 2050 34th Way N., Largo

Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; closed Mondays and New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Admission: $8 adults, $5 children ages 7-12, free for children age 6 and under, free for active and retired military with ID

Information: (727) 539-8371; www.armedforcesmuseum.com

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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