Russell Deese built a career around restoring historic military vehicles, yet he frames the work less as mechanics and more as preserving memory. As the founder of Russell's Military Vehicles, Deese has spent more than four decades restoring historic military vehicles, with projects ranging from World War II Jeeps to larger transport trucks and heritage vehicles preserved for collectors, museums, film productions, and military families.
Raised on a cattle ranch in Florida, Deese says his path into restoration began with an old Jeep he rebuilt at 16 years old. After selling it, more requests followed. What started as a hobby eventually became a full-time business in the early 1990s. According to Deese, he spent years balancing ranch work during the day while restoring Jeeps at night before realizing the restorations had become his life's work.
"I restored this old Jeep when I was 16 years old, and someone loved that Jeep, and I sold it," Deese says. "Next thing I know, somebody else wanted a Jeep, and that was my love, to just work on an old Jeep."
Russell's Military Vehicles now operates as a specialized restoration business focused on preserving military vehicles from earlier eras rather than modern combat equipment. The company sources parts, rebuilds rare vehicles, and restores them with close attention to historical detail. Deese explains that many of the projects involve tracing a vehicle's lineage before any work begins, especially when owners bring photographs or family stories connected to a Jeep.
That connection to memory remains central to his process. Deese explains that some customers arrive with faded photographs of relatives beside wartime vehicles, hoping to recreate a specific moment from decades earlier. He says every scratch and marking can carry emotional significance for the families involved.
"They bring me the picture of their granddad, or a black and white photo of their dad in a Jeep," Deese says. "I'll take that picture, take their Jeep, and reproduce that picture, every number, detail, every dent, every smudge on it, the way it was."
According to Deese, throughout the years he has restored vehicles that later appeared in museums and historical collections. He has also provided vehicles for film and television productions, though he says the focus has always remained on the stories tied to the machines themselves. According to Deese, he prefers projects that carry historical context rather than restorations done purely for display.
Historical accuracy also shapes every stage of his work. Deese says he studies military manuals extensively and researches serial numbers, paint markings, and manufacturing details before beginning a restoration. He explains that military vehicles from the 1940s carried distinct specifications that deserve preservation.
"There are nine shades of green," Deese says. "People say paint it army green, and I say what year?"
For Deese, the vehicles represent craftsmanship as much as history. He often compares restoration to art and says the process requires precision and emotional investment. Some projects take months or even years to complete, especially when rare parts or historical records are involved. He also remains selective about the projects he accepts, choosing vehicles that carry meaningful stories or historical significance.
One restoration continues to stand out in his memory. After completing a family Jeep, the owner became emotional because a bullet hole her grandfather had once made in the floorboard had disappeared during the rebuild. Deese later recreated the damage to preserve the family memory attached to it. "She wasn't asking for perfection," Deese says. "She wanted the memory that came with that Jeep."
Although Deese never served in the military himself, he says years spent studying manuals and vehicle histories shaped his understanding of preservation. He explains military Jeeps as symbols of American ingenuity during a difficult period in history.
"I see these vehicles as pieces of history and memory," Deese says. "For me, they represent peace, preservation, and the people connected to them." He hopes the restorations continue long after he is gone, allowing future generations to experience the stories connected to each vehicle.
Looking ahead, Deese says he hopes his work continues preserving American military heritage for future generations. He believes the vehicles offer a tangible connection to history while honoring the people who once relied on them. Even after decades in the business, he says the work remains deeply personal.
"It's blood, sweat, and tears," Deese says. "It's my blood, it's my sweat, but it's the customer's tears."
