I don't think the Connecticut Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War created its American Heritage Award just for Bernie Bastura of Middletown, but members were so impressed with Bastura's Submarine Library Museum that they didn't want to let his work go unrecognized.

"I thought it was one of the greatest things I've ever seen," said Senior Vice Commander Ross Dent of Vernon, who found the museum in a Connecticut travel guide. "It just blew me away. You don't have to be a military historian to fall in love with the place. It's beautiful and the library is astounding."

The Civil War group created the award to honor a group or individual that presents and preserves American history for people to see. Bastura is its first recipient.

"The department rarely gives out awards like this." Dent said. " We wanted to recognize Bernie."

Bastura, 72, received his award in October at the Sons of Union Veterans headquarters at the New England Civil War Museum in Rockville, where he also received special recognition from the state legislature. He appreciates the historical significance of his passion, but having the museum is reward enough.

"I never expected anything like this," said Bastura.

Bastura is among few people who get to live their dreams. He stated in his high school yearbook (he graduated from Middletown High School) that he wanted to be a museum curator.

"Well, here I am," he said.

Bastura also has been fascinated with submarines most of his life. When he was growing up in Portland, he saved newspaper stories about submarines. He also played with paper pop-out submarine models that he found in a magazine.

"But I did a bad thing," he said. "I left them outdoors, and you know what happens to paper when it's left in the rain. They were ruined, and I never saw anything like it again."

He started the museum in 1954, while he was still working at Standard Knapp in Portland. Ill health forced him to retire in 1958, but retirement also allowed him to work full time on his growing submarine memorabilia collection. It now fills seven rooms of his two-story home at 440 Washington St. and contains a wealth of information about submarines and the people who served on them.

Ask him how many items he has, and he couldn't tell you, but he knows the collection as well as he knows his name.

My late father-in-law, Leroy Clark of Higganum, served in World War I on the USS O2. He told me it was the second sub the Navy built, and he was proud to be part of its crew. Bastura knew all about the sub.

"That's an oldie," he said. "I have a whole file on it."

Many artifacts are one-of-a kind pieces of naval history - a flag that flew on the USS Hake in Tokyo Bay the day the Japanese signed surrender documents aboard the battleship Missouri and a floor section from the Nautilus, America's first nuclear-powered submarine. He even talked the Navy into donating the periscope from a rare, two-man Japanese sub from World War II. One case contains a display of hand-carved scale models of every submarine model the Navy has launched. Bastura carved them over a 10-year period.

The walls of one room are filled with patches from every submarine the Navy ever launched or is planning to launch.

"He's a walking encyclopedia," said Dent. "You have a tremendous resource in Middletown."

The museum relies on donations. Many items come from World War II submarine veterans because they know Bastura will keep their treasures safe. He also has spotters around the country on the lookout for submarine mementos. Bastura even has made provisions for the collection after his death. It will go to the St. Marys Submarine Museum Inc. in St. Marys, Ga. It opened in 1996.

"Now, I can sleep nights, knowing it will be taken care of," said Bastura.

He doesn't advertise his museum, and it's easy to miss. Only a modest sign hanging from the porch identifies the home as the Submarine Library Museum. Still, up to 2,800 people from all over the world come to view his collection. Sharing it brings him as much joy as having it.

Bastura didn't serve in the Navy - he was an Army draftee - but on Nov. 4, 1964, a dream came true. The Navy invited him to spend a day aboard an active submarine during training maneuvers in Long Island Sound. The boat made 10 training dives.

Many things impressed Dent about Bastura and his museum - its organized look, the wealth of knowledge and Bastura's friendliness - but he couldn't keep the awe out of his voice when he said, "He does it for free."

(Address & phone number deleted due to Ben's passing)