RE-ENACTORS: CAPE PAIR ENJOY GETTING BOMBED IN NAME OF PAST WARS

World War II killed more people and destroyed more property than any war in the history of man, but Jay Sproat of Cape Girardeau would participate in a World War II battle every weekend if he had the chance.

That might seem unusual because World War II has been over for almost 50 years, but for Sproat and thousands of other war re-enactors, participating in the re-enacting of major battles is an avid hobby.

"It costs anywhere from $450 to $600 to get suited up, have weapons and buy blanks," he said of his hobby.

Sproat, 38, said his unit re-enacts the 35th infantry division of the Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas National Guard. Sproat said his unit is actually specialized even further. He and four other participants don the uniforms, stripes and bands to sometimes become World War II military police.

Last summer, the group participated in the 50th anniversary for the D-Day invasion that occurred June 6, 1944. Sproat and four other people from the Cape Girardeau area participated as military police in the June event featuring thousands of other re-enactors.

The unit rode a land craft utility -- a troop transport from the large ships to the beach -- and fought the Germans. This time the battle wasn't at Normandy. It was on the Virginia beach.

"Military police also were part of the landing forces," Sproat said.

Sproat said he also has donned the German uniform for some of the battle re-creations.

Jackie Sessoms of Cape Girardeau was a participant in the re-creation of D-Day near Virginia Beach, Va., last summer.

"I was the only woman to hit the beach," she said of her experience.

Sessoms, 23, works at the Southeast Missouri State University. She also likes to participate in the weekend re-enactments with her boyfriend, Sproat.

"I wish there were more woman in it," she said. "There are some women who are nurses, but I'd like to see more in other areas."

Sproat and Sessoms participated in two re-enactments in the last month. The group was in Nashville for a Russian-front battle during the last weekend in October. A couple of weeks ago, the group was in Memphis for the re-enactment of another European battle site.

Sproat also participates in re-enactments for World War I and Vietnam, but participation in those wars is more difficult and costly for re-enactors.

"The World War I uniforms are small and the war was a lot of trench warfare," he said. "Most folks don't like us digging the trenches. After that's done, the land is ruined for a while."

Sproat said participating in the Vietnam re-enactments has become expensive because of bans on weapons and increasing expense of blank shells. Sproat blames President Bill Clinton.

"World War II blanks are $20 per 1,000," he said. "Vietnam expenses have gotten out of hand. It costs $700 to $1,500 for a war, just for blanks."

Sproat lives much of the history of previous wars through his store in Cape Girardeau, the Santa Fe Military Hobbies shop at 439 Broadway. The store features clothing and other articles from previous wars.

"We want people to know we're not fanatics," he said looking around his store and laughing. "We want them to know we're not nuts."