Mike Chirio enlisted in the army upon completion of his degree at the University of Michigan in history, and a minor in international relations. He was also an ROTC member, and is able to speak several languages. Mike entered the army on October 11, 1953 and was sent to Fort Benning in Georgia for officer training. He then moved on to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for basic training, where he became company commander, because he was the only officer in the company. Mike stayed there for nine months. At Ft. Benning, he was part of an experimental program (Operation Gyroscope), focused on keeping new soldiers together as a unit. Mike then transferred to Fort Richardson in Alaska, where he stayed for two years. He discussed the lack of fresh food during his time there, and the excitement of the wives when his unit was transferred to Ft. Lewis in Washington, where fresh food was available. Mike spent three years in Washington and was part of the 4th Infantry division there. He spent time at Camp Desert Rock outside of Las Vegas, for nuclear testing maneuvers. Here, Mike was promoted to a First Lieutenant, and then Captain, and a rifle company commander. His unit returned to Fort Lewis. He was then appointed to a position at Central Michigan University, as an ROTC instructor. Mike remained there from 1960-64. In 1964, military intelligence became a separate branch, and he was invited into this unit by a Lieutenant General, via a letter. His next stop was in Maryland, but outside of Baltimore, where he went for more training. He had orders to go to Turkey, but they were changed and he was sent to Vietnam instead. He arrived in Vietnam in February, 1965 as a part of the Army Security Agency (the electronic intelligence part of the army.) His unit was the 3rd RRU (radio research unit) of the 509th ASA battalion (Army Security Agency) and they were stationed outside of Saigon (on an airbase). Their job was to monitor communications including radar, voice, etc. and analyze it. They employed linguists, morse code specialists, etc. He was the security officer for the group, and his job was to keep the enemy from gaining information about what the group was doing, as well as to protect the physical security of the staff (150 military MPs assigned to him). At one point, his staff included an MP dog platoon. When Mike returned from his first tour in Vietnam, he went to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. In 1968 he was assigned to Detroit as part of the 13th MI group during the race riots. His job there was to run background investigations, and his rank was now Lieutenant Colonel. In 1971, he was sent on his second tour of Vietnam, as the Chief of Counterintelligence for the US army there. Mike was responsible for all of its counterintelligence, including keeping information from the enemy, and interrogating POWs. He returned home in 1972, and retired from the army in 1977. Mike became a professor of Military Science at Eastern Michigan University. At the time he arrived, cadets refused to wear uniforms because of harassment. He insisted that they wear uniforms, and talked to professors to calm things down. He spent five years in that position, then retired and stayed on at EMU for 24 more years, as the budget officer.
When he found out that there was a good chance that he was going to be drafted into the Army, Chuck decided that he would rather enlist in the Navy. He did so in 1941 and went into officer’s training. After his training in Chicago, Illinois, his orders were to report to Charleston, South Carolina on the cargo ship AKA6 U.S.S. Alchiba. While on the Alchiba, he traveled with its cargo to Bora Bora, Chile, New Zealand, and Fiji. Chuck finally ended up part of the invasion of Guadalcanal. After the invasion, his ship made many trips to the island Guadalcanal with cargo. During this time, the Alchiba was torpedoed twice, so after the ship had been repaired, it returned to the states. Chuck then got orders to report to a new ship, the U.S.S. Whitley AKA92, also a cargo ship. While aboard the Whitley, Chuck was at Iwo Jima and Bougainville. The ship headed back to the states due to a cracked stern and was in Hawaii when the war ended. After the war, Chuck remained in the Navy, and went on to the Philippines and Japan. At this time, he became a Lieutenant Commander. After serving in the Navy, he met his wife, and came to Michigan State University, to get a degree in landscape architecture. He went on to get his masters from Harvard, then taught at Cornell for ten years and Michigan for twenty-seven.
Mr. Chase was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on February 17, 1922. He graduated from St. Thomas High School in Ann Arbor in 1941. He was drafted into the Army in November 1942, serving in the 409th Infantry, 103rd Division. Mr. Chase was deployed to the European Theater, arriving in Marseille, France. Mr. Chase saw action on many occasions and was ordered to the front line by his commanding officer. As they traveled north from France, they either slept on the ground or in foxholes. Winter time was difficult due to the cold weather. On occasion, they were able to stay in the homes of civilians. Since they could not speak their language, most communications were through hand jesters and smiles. Many of the homes were occupied by women and children only, as the men were off to the war. He was an anti-tank gunner who received the Bronze Star, the Combat Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, Infantry Badge, Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, and the European AFR Mideast Medal. After his service in France, he moved on to Germany and Austria. Mr. Chase was honorably discharged as a PFC, in November 1945. Post service, Mr. Chase worked for 43 years at Michigan Bell, as a Local Testing Technician. He was also President of the local union chapter of the Communication Workers of America for 25 years, and a member of the Ann Arbor Chapter of the VFW. Mr. Chase was married (widowed) and had four children, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
Bill Carter was born in Huntsville, Alabama on July 15, 1941. His family moved to Detroit when Bill was very young. He did not complete high school, but later got his GED. His father helped to get him into GM at the age of 18. Although he tried to join the Army, they refused him, but drafted him later at the age of 23. With only a few months remaining on his tour, he was extended for six months and sent to Vietnam, where he was a cook for the "Grunts." After leaving the Army, he returned to GM and was able to retire at the age of 47, after 30 years of service (Army time counted towards retirement). Bill never married; but he did have a couple of long-term girlfriends, although he has no children. He receives medical care at the Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor. Although he had malaria when he was in Vietnam, it has not returned. He is still being evaluated for the effects of "Agent Orange" since he does have breathing problems. Bill now lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Mr. Campbell was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but was an American citizen moved to the United States when he was young. Wanting to join the conflict, Mr. Campbell crossed the Detroit River to enlist in the Canadian Royal Navy. Even though he was born in Canada and was a Canadian citizen, he was often referred to as a Yankee. The veteran was given a Canadian Naval Ensign that flew over his ship during the Invasion of Normandy. During this oral history, Mr. Campbell describes several experiences he had in the North Atlantic and in the British Isles.
Joseph Butcko was born in Ypsilanti, and at the time that World War II broke out, he was apprenticed in the tool and die business. He was drafted into the armed forces at age 19. Joseph was already married at that time, to his high school sweetheart. Both of his brothers were also serving in the war, both in the Pacific Theater. He chose to enter the Navy and went to basic training at the Great Lakes institution, in Chicago, IL. Joseph traveled briefly to Norfolk, VA, and then was sent back to Chicago, to practice gunnery at Navy Pier. He was eventually shipped out to Guam, as a helmsman on a Landing Ship Tank (LST). There were over 100 men on his crew, and despite the fact that it was considered a big crew, he eventually got to know every soldier on it. While on Guam, he saw many soldiers returning from the battle of Iwo Jima in ambulances and taken to the hospital up the mountain - this experience really drove the reality of war home to him. Joseph took part in the attack on Okinawa, in which he drove a shuttle landing craft (a small craft) back and forth from larger boats, to carry marines to the beach. There were many Japanese Kamikaze planes involved in this battle, and he saw his brother's ship hit by two Kamikaze planes - luckily, no one was killed. While serving in the Pacific, Joseph ran into many friends from Ypsilanti, as well as both of his brothers. After the war was over, Joseph served in China, keeping the peace. He also helped facilitate the transportation of Japanese soldiers and civilians, who had been occupying much of China, back to Japan. When he was discharged from the Navy, he returned to Ypsilanti to work in the tool and die manufacturing business.
Bruce Bryan was born on May 20, 1920, in Metro, South Dakota. He always knew he wanted to be a pilot and joined the Air Corps in 1941. His basic training began immediately upon joining the service. At first, Bruce was too underweight to become a pilot, but within a few weeks he gained 14 pounds, making him eligible for pilot training. Three months after he joined the Air Corps, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. For the first three years of the war, Bruce remained in the United States. When he was finally sent overseas, he began flying missions over Italy. One day, his plane took two direct hits and went down. He was quickly captured, and spent the next eight months in a POW camp in northern Germany. Although the Germans allowed him to write letters, his family never received these letters, and were told he was missing in action. Bruce states that for the most part, his treatment was acceptable. One guard did "knock him around" but that was not the treatment that he usually received. In April 1945, Russian troops liberated his camp. When VE Day arrived, he was turned over to U.S. forces. In May 1946, Bruce got married. He and his wife of over 60 years live in Allen Park, Michigan.
Donald Brown volunteered for the draft, after one and a half years at Harvard. He was feeling guilty about being one of the few young men in upstate New York who was not serving. Shortly after entering military service, he was put into the ASTP program, and given a choice of which college he wanted to go to for his studies. He chose Indiana State, where he later met his wife. Eventually, he was assigned to a Medical Unit of the 20th Armored Division and was sent to Europe. After months of minor skirmishes, his unit took part in a major battle outside of Munich, where there were many casualties. On May 1, 1945, his unit was sent to Dachau near Munich, "before it was cleaned up for the Tourists." He never forgot what he saw there. After V-E Day, his unit was meant to be sent to the Pacific. On one of the train trips through France, he was told to go up to one of the front cars. He chose to stay with his unit, which turned out to be a lifesaving choice. The first four cars of the train were completely destroyed in a wreck. While on furlough, just prior to being sent to the Pacific, he got married, and soon afterwards, the Japanese surrendered. Donald spent 13 years teaching at Berkeley after having completed his studies. There, he was eventually fired because he refused to sign a loyalty agreement. He went to Bryn Mawr College, and in 1964, began teaching in the Psychology Department at the University of Michigan, where he retired in 1997. He currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and teaches a class on WWII at the University.
Charlie Brown entered the Service shortly after completing high school in Ann Arbor. He was working at the A&P at the time. After his Basic Training, he was sent overseas. It wasn't too long before he was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. There was a great deal of mud that the trucks that he worked with had to get through. Charlie and his group had to cut trees, so that the trucks could avoid it. There were no power saws, so everything was done by hand. At one point, Charlie was asked to drive one of the trucks, because the regular driver was not available. They hit a landmine and the truck was blown up. The two men next to him received shrapnel wounds. Three men in the back were blown out of the truck, and although they were bruised, they survived. Charlie received minor bruises. After taking a pounding from the Germans, his Colonel decided to surrender. The Colonel told the Unit that they had a choice. They could surrender to the Germans or try to find a way to escape. Charlie and a group of about 50 G.I. 's decided to try the latter. The 50 plus group spent a total of 4 days behind the German lines. During this time, the group tried to avoid detection. Charlie reported that one time he was so close to a German soldier who was looking for his buddy, that he could have tripped the German. Of course, he didn't. Another time, the exhausted group took a nap. One of the other soldiers woke Charlie, because they were in the middle of a German tank assembly area. For all 4 days, Charlie only had one candy bar to eat. When the group finally got back to the American lines, they all ate much better, but since they had not eaten for so long, the food did not stay with them. Charlie was still in Belgium when V-E Day was declared. Afterwards, they were packed up and prepared to go to the Pacific. Everyone was relieved when V-J Day was declared. He then started his trip home. While awaiting his discharge, Charlie was in Indiana, near enough to his relatives to visit. On one occasion he was taking a shortcut through a cemetery. There was an empty grave that he jumped into, to see how it felt. His cousin told him to get out. The gravestone was for CHARLE W. BROWN. He used the G.I. Bill to get an Associate’s Degree from Cleary College. He then went to work for the State of Michigan, and finally worked up to Assistant Business Manager at the local State Hospital. Charlie was married for 50 years before his wife died. His second wife was a widow after 40 years of marriage. They have been married for seven years. Charlie said that he has been married for 97 years.
Maggie Brandt was a surgery resident in New Mexico in 1992, when she was recruited into the Army reserves. She wanted an opportunity to give back to her country. Therefore, Maggie went to officer basic training in San Antonio and was assigned as a reservist to Brook Military Hospital’s burn unit. As an army reservist, she was assigned to the 452nd combat support hospital, out of Fort McCoy. Her first deployment was to Afghanistan in 2003, where she was stationed at the air base in Bagram. While in Afghanistan, she saw little active combat. She worked with small mobile medical components, of about 30 beds. She took care of local nationals (Afghan citizens) and Americans in Afghanistan. The most common injuries were from mines. Most Americans were evacuated to Germany within 72 hours because of the better specialist care and proximity to home. The most severe and common injuries were mine-related, but Maggie also saw sniper injuries and vehicle crash injuries. She thought the Afghanistan countryside was beautiful. Maggie’s second tour of duty was in Iraq, where she was stationed in Baghdad, from May to August of 2007. She was commander of the 9th Forward Surgical team, made up of 20 staff who practiced emergency surgery. She was a part of the “90-day boots on the ground rule,” which states that doctors who land in combat zones are there for 90 days. This was implemented to allow for an easier return to practices back in the US. Prior to her arrival in Iraq, she had already spent three months in further training at Fort McCoy. They worked in Saddam’s private hospital, which had been taken over by US troops and located in the “fortified green zone” near the palace. Their building sustained indirect fire almost every day, (mortars, rockets etc.) and she described it as busy and scary. In Iraq, Maggie saw many injuries, mainly due to specific weapons, particularly IED’s (Improvised Explosive Device) and EFPs (Explosively Formed Penetrator). These weapons cause devastating injuries, and many burn injuries result from them. There has been an active burn surgeon in Baghdad since 2003, because of the injuries caused by these explosives to soldiers. The objective was to get American burn patients airlifted out within 12 hours. To do this, they would scrub and dress wounds prior to the patient’s flights to Germany. If the soldier was very sick, they would stay until they were safe to move. It was physically hard work and it was very hot. Maggie had to be very precise in her work. The first American nurse killed since Vietnam had been sent to this hospital, and Maggie took care of her. She said it was hard to take care of people you know personally. Maggie, and the physicians stationed with her were ordered to wear body armor after they first arrived, whenever they left the building. After the death of the nurse, these orders were resumed. As Maggie’s tenure as commander was ending, she was transferred to the IMA (Individual Mobilization Augmentee) in an active-duty post. This means that if the Army needs a substitute or additional physician, she is on call for the position (burn unit specialist). Maggie now works at Henry Ford Hospital, in downtown Detroit, as the associate Director of the surgical ICU, and the program director of critical care fellowship.
Frank Bostic was born in Detroit, Michigan. His family moved to Ann Arbor when he was very young, and he attended the city’s high school. Frank played football and ran track (he was the first Black athlete to be voted captain). While going to school, Frank worked as a paper boy. He said he earned more than his father, who was employed by WPA. After high school he was drafted. He relates many instances of prejudice, including being assigned to sleeping in tents. He was told it was to prepare him for battle conditions; however, it was only the Black soldiers who slept in tents. Frank was eventually assigned to the 92nd Infantry, an all-Black unit. He fought in Italy and was seriously wounded. In spite of his wounds, Frank is credited with saving three other soldiers, for which he earned his Bronze Star. He spent nearly a year in hospitals before being discharged. When Frank returned from service, he tried to join the VFW. They refused him membership because he was Black. He eventually joined a different VFW. Frank married after the service and had six children: three boys and three girls. During his married life, he worked as many as three jobs to make sure his children received an education. His wife died just short of their 50th anniversary.
Nathaniel Blair was born in Detroit on April 15, 1915. He has a degree in Forestry from Michigan State University. Before the war, Nathaniel was a parts inspector at a machine shop and had two children. He was commissioned in the U.S. Navy on March 28, 1944. After basic training in New York, Nathaniel signed up for P.T. Boat training. Three months of training in the Atlantic involved notable exercises with destroyers. Afterwards, he reported to San Francisco, assigned to Round 24, and shipped out to the Philippines. They pulled into Leyte Gulf near Samar. His P.T. Boat was heavily armed with guns on the deck, and never once fired a torpedo or sank a Japanese vessel. Most patrols were done at night. During the invasion of Zamboanga, his ship patrolled around the invasion area, but never fired upon the enemy. After the P.T. base at Caldera Point was destroyed, a converted tender aided them for about four days until another Navy tender could arrive. Nathaniel remembers a trip past the island of Bongo. Despite being at least a mile out, their boat came under fire. A man in the turret was hit in the neck by shrapnel, the only casualty his boat ever took. The boat was damaged and had to be towed back to the tender. Two other boats in their squadron had been lost. One was destroyed in a radar check. These involved passing the shore while idle, or quiet. If the enemy shot at you, then they had radar. This ship took so much fire during a check that it was split in half. The boat took at least four casualties, including a man who had only been in the Philippines for a month. Nathaniel's squadron destroyed enemy objects such as oil tanks and docks. He remembers a lot of trouble around Jolo. The Moros tribe supplied information to the Americans. Nathaniel received a ribbon with a star for serving in the Philippines, a ribbon for serving in the Pacific, and a ribbon for the victory. He received $165 a month, $150 of which he sent straight home. Nathaniel went into inactive reserve on April 8, 1946. He worked for the City of Detroit's Parks and Recreation service until retiring in 1973.
Roy Birmingham, Jr. was born in Dayton, Ohio on December 21, 1928. He was nearly 22 years of age when he was drafted in 1950. After basic training and specialized training, Roy was assigned to the 8th Army Headquarters (EUSAK) Signal Corp. He spent time in Taegu and Yeondeungpo, Korea. Roy obtained the rank of Sergeant First Class before he was discharged in 1952. Roy currently lives in the Fox Run Living Center, in Novi, Michigan.
Edna Bauman supported the war effort by working as a civilian employee in the Willow Run Bomber plant, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She had graduated from high school and wanted to make more money than the average office worker, so she applied for jobs in industry. Edna was hired at the Willow Run plant in May 1943, when she was 23 years old, and worked on B-24 planes until August 1945. She was originally hired as a riveter, but the station of the plant where she worked did not have the type of riveting that she knew how to do, so her supervisor put her to work sound-proofing the airplanes. Because she was trained as a riveter, her supervisor offered her the higher male riveter wage to keep her on the line as a sound-proofer. Edna was the only female worker at her station, and she remembers many comic moments and always being treated fairly. During the war, many famous people visited the Willow Run plant, and Edna was present when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt toured the facilities. Edna was one of the last workers to be laid off after the war ended, because of her specialized sound-proofing training, in August 1945. Edna, who had been married for four months by the time she left Willow Run, remained jobless for a year and a half. She then applied for a job in Plymouth and was hired to stuff cushions on an assembly line, taking time off to have a child, but remaining employed until her retirement.
Thomas Barton was born in Winnipeg, Canada on November 14, 1919. He enlisted in the Army from Detroit, Michigan shortly after Pearl Harbor. He had his basic training at Camp Haan in California. Afterwards, Thomas was sent to San Francisco, and eventually was assigned to the 78th Coast Artillery. Thomas was first sent to New Zealand, and later took part in the invasion of Bataan and Corregidor, for which his unit won a Presidential Citation. During and after his service, Thomas had malaria 13 different times. After his discharge he settled in Southgate, Michigan.
John Bahadurian was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1925. In high school, John took a class on Morse code. By the time that he turned 18, most of his friends were in the Air Service. When John enlisted upon graduation, he was sent to Calcutta, India. Because of a myth circulated amongst the other soldiers about Calcutta - if you stayed in India for too long, you would not be able to have children - John asked to be reassigned. He was sent to China with the Flying Tigers, a group of the American pilots attached to the Chinese Air Force. There, John was transferred to and did cryptographic work for the XX Bomber Command including, work as a finder that guided lost planes back to base with radar, and as a decoder of messages from Washington. About once a week, his base was bombed by the Japanese from Nanking. John recalls meeting Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang’s wife in Shangdu. John was sent from there to Shanghai, where he awaited the boat home. John was 21 when he left China.
Ernest Aroffo attempted to enlist in 1942, but he didn’t weigh enough, and was turned away. He was drafted six months later in 1942. Ernest was sent to Fort Custer for training in October 1942 and stayed there for two years at the request of his superiors. In 1944, he was sent to Fort Sheridan for more training, and then to the field hospital group at Camp Grant in Illinois. His last stop in the US was in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was promoted to 1st Sergeant of the 1st platoon. As 1st Sergeant of the 1st platoon, he had control of duties in the ranks. He and his others arrived at the Normandy beaches in October 1944 after D-day. Ernest later described his experience arriving on the beach after the battle. His mobile hospital unit was 29 men, with two nurses and two doctors. Their job was to work with the 3rd Army and keep up with them, and to perform medical services, mainly surgery. Ernest’s unit traveled with two jeeps, a two & one-half ton truck and an ambulance, while the 3rd Army was mostly a mechanized division. From France, they traveled through Belgium and Luxembourg, staying for about three days each. Eventually, his unit and the 3rd Army would enter Germany and visit cities like Metz and Nuremberg. The mobile unit mainly worked within cities, using ambulances to transport those in need of treatment (from the field and those within the cities). They were within 15 minutes of conflict, so they had access to the wounded. His unit later entered a concentration camp and was assigned to delouse the detainees. He described to listeners what he saw, including the barracks and the victims. Ernest’s last stop was Nuremberg. and he later described to listeners the two hospital buildings he worked in, and the patients he saw. While in Germany with the 3rd Army, he volunteered to rescue an injured man in a snow-covered minefield. He successfully brought this man back to the medical unit. Ernest was twice given a bronze star for his heroism. The first was from General Patton, who at the time was not a full 4-star General, and thus without the proper authority to award the star. So, a second General, who was a 4-star, awarded Ernest a second bronze star later. He kept a memorandum while overseas documenting the experiences he had. His old platoon now meets as a veteran’s group.
As students at Notre Dame, John and his roommate enlisted in the Naval Reserves. He was called up when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and was allowed to finish his studies in an accelerated program. He first applied for submarine duty but “flunked that.” Afterwards, he trained in underwater demolition. He was shipped to the South Pacific where he spent 30 months. He became a Beach Master, with a responsibility to go in with the landing Marines. While on the beach, he would direct the supply ships, and would send the wounded and dead out to the hospital ship. He recalled one incident in which someone tried to countermand his order to bring men out to the waiting ship. He had to pull a gun to make sure that his LSV1 would bring the wounded out to the ship. Several years ago, he ran into one of the marines who was transported to that ship. The now-civilian told John he saved this man’s life. John saw duty on Saipan, Guam, New Guinea, Iwo Jima and several other islands. He was impressed with the number of graves on Iwo Jima – 2,605. John was eventually sent to Hawaii for a rest. While there, he was told to go to Manila to prepare for the invasion of Japan. John feels that dropping the Atomic Bomb saved his life, and those of many other GIs. After the war, John went to the University of Detroit Law School, but never practiced. He got married, had five children and went into the hotel business. Now, he is in Economic Development, trying to “sell” Farmington Hills.
Russell trained at Fort Knox, Fort Polk, and Fort Benning before being sent to Vietnam. He was a squad leader and went out on numerous patrols. For most of his tour of duty, his squad was fighting the VC, except for one soldier in a Chinese uniform that they killed, which was unsettling. Russell was wounded after only three months in Vietnam. He was shot in the stomach but fortunately his belt buckle took most of the impact. Russell was operated on, losing a kidney as well as other internal organs. He was awarded for Valor; having gone out into a situation that he was not required to go on. Russell has an 80% pay for disability from the Army. When he returned, he got married and had five children. He returned to work at GM. One incident that he mentioned happened when a supervisor had a heart attack and died near him. This triggered PTSD because it brought him back to his Vietnam experiences. Nevertheless, Russell has a very positive attitude about his Army experiences.
John Anderson was born in the small town of Catch All, Tenn. on May 26, 1923. John was always interested in airplanes. After graduating from high school, he joined the Navy on August 11, 1941 because he could see that war was coming. John was trained as a machinist in Norfolk, Great Lakes, and River Rouge, where he met his wife. Enlistments lasted for six years at that time. He was shipped to Guam and later to Guadalcanal, where he serviced fighters that were stationed there. Since the island was not completely secured, servicemen were continually finding and killing Japanese soldiers. John said that he and others were continually bombed by Japanese airplanes, mostly at night. John did not receive any wounds, but he did have malaria three times. John was discharged in 1947, and returned to Tennessee. He took a job as a watch repairman, and eventually had his own business. John would repair watches for jewelers in the area Until he retired in 1988. John was very proud of the fact that he built his house, a three-bedroom one, in Tennessee. When he fell down the stairs last year, his family got him to move to Michigan, where his four children live. They were concerned because his Tennessee home was nearly half hour from the hospital. Here in Michigan, John has been and continues to be treated by the Veterans Administration Hospital. He and his wife live in American House senior living, in Ypsilanti. John was especially proud of his Tennessee ancestors who, during the Civil War, helped a severely injured soldier from the North. When other Northern soldiers were in the area looking for food, this recovering soldier told them not to bother this family, since they had saved his life.
(Newspaper Article from January 3, 1945): Roy Irving Albert, 20, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Albert, 312 Saginaw, has been missing in action in Germany since December 12, his parents were told in a telegram from the War Department received yesterday noon. Overseas since September, he served as a gunner in an Infantry Division believed to be attached to the Third Army. His parents know that he participated in at least three battles prior to the one in which he was reported missing. In his last letter, dated Dec. 3, he wrote that he was living in a cellar in France, waiting to be sent out again. A graduate of Norway High, Albert was a pre-med student at the University of Michigan when he was inducted March 15, 1943. He received his basic training as a rifleman in the Infantry at Camp Roberts, California, following which, as the result of an aptitude test, he was selected to attend the University of New York as an engineering student in the ASTP program. During his training period in the states, Albert tried to get into the Air Corps. With this in mind, he dropped his studies as an ASTP student. After serving in various camps, he was notified last summer that his transfer into the Air Corps was approved. A month after he arrived at the Balden Air Base in Mississippi for his Air Corps training, the Aviation Cadets were discontinued, and he was sent back to the Infantry. He was last home on furlough in June. Albert's parents were notified in a letter written May 9, 1945 that he had been liberated and was safe in Germany.
A printed copy of the Central Business District Association's monthly newsletter with a September 1987 calendar with events in Downtown Detroit and Downtown Windsor, Ontario with the inclusion of Pope John Paul II's announcement of his speaking at Hart Plaza.
The inside cover of a printed copy of the Detroit Club By-Laws and House Rules. The first section title of By-laws printed on the right page in blue typeface.
The outside printed cover of a certifying document from the Michigan Department of State to the Detroit Club. The document certifies the updated amended articles of association for the Detroit Club. Present on the document are notations of when the document was received by the Michigan Department of State as well as the Wayne County Clerk's Office.
A black and white photograph of a the Main Dining Room with set tables. Take in the evening and lit by internal lighting, a fireplace is seen on the right with the Detroit Club logo above the mantel.
A black and white photograph of a large meeting space with rows of chairs set to face a podium. Two windows are seen on the back wall and large framed paintings hang from the walls.
A black and white photograph of a private, furnished hotel room available to members of the Detroit Club. A bed and comfortable chair are separated by a small television. Two slightly open windows are in the foreground.
A black and white photograph of a separate, private dining room. A large table is set for dining with a white table cloth and dinnerware. Table is surrounded by chairs. The walls of the room are wood with trim and framed art hangs from walls. Curtained windows allow light to enter the room.
A black and white photograph of a conference room space. A large wooden conference table is surrounded by wood chairs. Large curtained windows allow light to enter from the foreground.
A black and white photograph of the Detroit Club's Powder Room for women circa 1950's or 1960's. Tables and chairs arranged for sitting as well as to apply makeup in a large, lit mirror that spans most of the wall.
A black and white photograph of a Detroit Club dining room with set tables and dinnerware. A gold framed portrait can be seen hanging on the wall in the background.
A black and white photograph of the Main Dining Room of the Detroit Club building. Tables are set to evening dining and taken at night. The Dining Room fireplace is on photograph's right with the Detroit Club logo above the mantel.
Large printed outline of the fourth floor floorplan of the Detroit Club clubhouse. Printed on dark stock paper, handwritten writing is seen above original typeface.
Large printed outline of the third floor floorplan of the Detroit Club clubhouse. Printed on dark stock paper, handwritten writing is seen above original typeface.
Large printed outline of the second floor floorplan of the Detroit Club clubhouse. Printed on dark stock paper, handwritten writing is seen above original typeface.
Large printed outline of the first floor floorplan of the Detroit Club clubhouse. Printed on dark stock paper, handwritten writing is seen above original typeface.
The typed third page of a first draft letter of interest being sent to Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital doctors as part of a recruitment campaign. As a draft, the letter was first sent to the Detroit Club's legal counsel whose edits are present on the document. This third page highlights and included membership packet and payment options.
The typed second page of a first draft letter of interest being sent to Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital doctors as part of a recruitment campaign. As a draft, the letter was first sent to the Detroit Club's legal counsel whose edits are present on the document. This second page describes valet parking options, reciprocal club agreements, and payment options. An editor of the document has crossed-out a reference to the Detroit Club's location to the People Mover.
The typed first page of a first draft letter of interest being sent to Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital doctors as part of a recruitment campaign. As a draft, the letter was first sent to the Detroit Club's legal counsel whose edits are present on the document.
A typed letter from Detroit Club General Manager Robert C. Dale concerning the age and ability of a Detroit Club bartender. Letter is a correspondence between General Manager Dale and Local 24 union Secretary and Treasurer Herb Triplett.
A typed copy of a letter sent to all union member employees in regards to updates in employee procedures in the Detroit Club's House Rules. Listed changes are designated areas for employees to eat that are not their workstations and a limit in payroll deduction advances.
A printed copy of the Central Business District Association's monthly newsletter with commentary about Pope John Paul II's visit to Detroit. Among the commentary is the route the Pope was scheduled to take through Detroit.
A copy of a letter of evidence given to Detroit Club employees to be able to park downtown Detroit in anticipation of parking troubles around the Detroit Club building for the Papal visit to Detroit of Pope John Paul II. Attached is a news article from the Detroit Free Press about parking trouble in Downtown Detroit.
A black and white photocopy of a hand-written complaint against the Detroit Club, submitted by M. Williams to the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 21. Handwritten document submitted with official union letter as a grievance against the Detroit Club.
A printed letter from the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 21 to Detroit Club representative Mark Gryzbowski highlighting a grievance between an employee and the Detroit Club.
A printed announcement of available tickets for Detroit Club members to attend a Michigan Opera Theatre event with Luciano Pavarotti at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. The announcement requests interested members reserve tickets prior to February 29th and that tickets are expected to cost between $100 and $110.
A printed announcement of an event for the International Freedom Festival between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. Event includes cocktails and casual dinner at the Detroit Club Building and then fireworks viewing on the Rooftop Terrace of The Money Tree Restaurant. Announcement states children are welcome and a per person tariff of twenty-six dollars is required for reservation.
A printed announcement of available tickets for a performance of Les Misérables at Detroit's Fisher Theatre. The announcement states that a reservation includes available tickets for guests of members as well as dinner and transportation to the Fox Theatre at a club tariff of seventy-two dollars.
