hudson above west point, and, historian tom johnson says the castle and the island are essential parts of american military history. some call this island the mecca of military memorabilia. explain that. well, it is. it was where many of the items that are now collected and sold on the military collecting market spent some of their time and were stored out here. stored by the island s name sake, francis bannerman who many referred to as the father of the army navy stores, in the 1890s he purchased 90% of the captured military goods from the spanish american war and, what did he do with that. some as stored here and that was the reason the island was purchased and the arsenal constructed. but, primarily, he sold it through the store, 501 broadway, new york city and his catalogue. reporter: in the 1940s and 1950s, the island and cassal were dear to the americans and were featured that s final scene