SEARCH: Grosse Point War Memorial

 

Grosse Point War Memorial

by Michele Roger

If you’ve ever seen the movie, “Grosse Pointe Blank,” starring John Cusack and Mini Driver, you’ve seen the beautiful strip along Lake Saint Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. The final scene has the two lovers escaping the city in a convertible as they drive down Lake Shore Road. The Grosse Pointe War Memorial is situated along the same, gorgeous stretch of road.

The Grosse Pointe War Memorial is rooted in a family legacy where the grounds have been repurposed to serve as a local arts, history, and patriotism center. Once a family home, the historic Alger Estate offers programs to honor veterans. Additionally, its gardens are dedicated to the military and veterans who have served in all countries. Many “Grosse Pointers” visit the memorial each year to show their children and grandchildren their family names of soldiers who served as far back as WWII.

The Alger house itself is built in an Italian Renaissance-style which was completed in 1910 for Russell A. Alger, Jr. and his family. While the stunning architecture is a photographer’s dream, its Italian American style was invented by architect Charles A. Platt. Ellen Biddle Shipman was hired to design and install the landscaping…. Continue reading it the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH Magazine.

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SEARCH: What I Learned in the Army

What I Learned in the Army
by Steve Mix

I learned a thousand lessons in the service and not just from leadership. I remember being nervous the first day we had to throw a live grenade.

My buddy said, “Mix, you know, even if you are nervous, you should try and be confident around your brothers. Fear and nervousness is the most contagious thing in the world, and the one thing that can quickly doom us all.” I’ll never let go of that lesson. It is why, even when petrified, you’ll see me square my shoulders and stand tall.

My time there carries memories I will never forget. In basic training, we had a guy named Jackson. Some folks called him, “Baby talk” because he had a lisp. He would say things like, “We ish going to go over here guysh.” He sounded quite a bit like Elmer Fudd from the old Looney Tunes cartoons.

We had to wear burlap strips on our helmets, since most of our training was in the forest around Fort Benning. You cut up pieces of burlap and wrap them around your helmet to help camouflage you in forest settings. Burlap strips tend … Continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH magazine.

SEARCH: Brian and Patricia Dake

SEARCH Author Spotlight
Brian and Patricia Dake

What’s an article you’ve written for SEARCH that you enjoyed?
The Angel Hair with Garlic, Ricotta and Fava Beans recipe is my absolute favorite because I grew those favas in my garden. Brian is the inspiration behind all the recipes. They are primarily his creations so being part of the process in its earliest stages was immensely satisfying for me.

What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
Brian enjoyed doing projects with his father, some of his favorites being woodwork, metalwork, artistic welding, and of course, cooking. I was, and still am, a voracious bookworm. Now I read mainly romance, but growing up, I delighted in historical fiction and learning how people did everything for themselves from building their own homes to growing and preparing their own food.

Do you have a hot tip for us?
Brian owns many knives. Some are expensive and many are “high-end culinary brands.” In cooking for himself, he finds the knife he uses most is a Victorinox 8 Inch Swiss Classic Chef’s Knife. It handles well, is not too heavy, and rarely needs sharpening. At $40-$45 dollars, it is quite affordable … continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH.

SEARCH: Ten-Hut Boot Camp Workouts

Ten-Hut Boot Camp Workouts
by Donna Medina

Through the years, non-military people have taken the military approach to physical training by taking advantage of the many benefits that it offers.

It’s not surprising that so many are inspired by the fitness regimen of military people.

Exercise Boot Camps

Exercise boot camps offer extensive types of exercises modeled after military training that can help your body in many ways. The boot camp regimen typically include running, jogging, push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and resistance training. These activities help condition the whole body, thus improving all aspects of your well-being and fitness in only a short period. Completing a sixty minute efficiently programmed bootcamp can help burn over 450 calories and aid in building mature muscle.

Boot Camp Training Benefits

Among today’s civilian workouts influenced by military training include Krav Maga, TRX, capoeira, and boot camp training. Military training influenced many fitness trends, and boot camp is the most common of them…. continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue.

SEARCH: Troop Themed Books

Troop Themed Books

by Emerian Rich

5 books to explore the soldier’s life.

1. Artillery at the Golden Gate by Brian B. Chin
If you enjoy the views and history of our feature article on the Presidio, check out this book for detailed information on the harbor defenses of San Francisco in World War II. This book tells the story of the “concrete soldiers,” the U.S. Army coast artillery men who manned the huge seacoast rifles and underwater minefields guarding the San Francisco harbor entrance during World War II. Beyond the tactics and technology of the Harbor Defenses, this book paints a rich mosaic of the memorable Army personalities, both officers and enlisted, and their experiences in the wartime city.

2. I’ll be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan
What a touching, addictive journey through two women’s lives during the war. From the first letter I was hooked. The women are so different from one another and seem as if they have nothing in common, but their differences strengthen their friendship as they deal with …. continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH.

 

Happy Holidays from SEARCH Magazine

From all of us at SEARCH Magazine,
Happy Holidays!
May your season be merry and bright. 🙂

SEARCH: Military Research

Military Research

by Kristin Battestella

Many armchair researchers have become interested in ancestry and family trees thanks to the increasingly available access to genealogical resources, and the Freedom of Information Act can be valuable source for obtaining a relative’s military records. Several years ago, we requested my grandfather Anthony L. Battestella’s file– a surprisingly easy process, yielding a boon of research.

Here are a few tips to begin your research through the Freedom of Information Act.

Have as much of your family member’s information as possible.

The mail-in request form from the National Archives includes not only the basics such as name or maiden name, birth date, and address, but also social security number and military information such as branch and time of service. Simply writing ‘World War II’ or ‘Korea’ is too broad a search. Just listing ‘Army’ or ‘Marine’ is also too basic, especially when the branches have changed. Relatives must also realize such generic hear-tell may also be incorrect, and not being specific may lead to …  Continue reading the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH Magazine.

SEARCH: Calgary, Canada

Calgary, Canada

By Timothy Reynolds

Calgary, Alberta is a western Canadian city you might not have heard of if you didn’t watch the 1988 Winter Olympics, aren’t an NHL hockey fan, don’t compete on the professional rodeo circuit, or aren’t involved in the oil and gas industry, but those are just tips of this urban prairie ‘iceberg’.

Internationally famous as the gateway to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Calgary is only ninety minutes from the wilds of Banff National Park. You don’t, however, have to leave the city to see wildlife. Calgary is home to Fish Creek Provincial Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. Deer and coyote are common and occasionally moose, bear, or cougar wander through. It’s also a birder’s playground, ranging from Rufus Hummingbirds to American White Pelicans.

Although, Alberta beef is world famous, Calgarians love variety. All tastes get met in cool little neighborhoods like Kensington, Inglewood, and Chinatown. It’s a very family oriented city with the Calgary Zoo (hosting pandas until 2023), Telus Spark Science Centre, Heritage Park Historical Village, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Calgary Tower  … continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue.

SEARCH: Entertaining the Troops

Entertaining the Troops
by Elliot Thorpe

The image of the British ‘Tommy’ marching resolutely in the face of adversity while singing spirited, patriotic, and catchy Music Hall tunes is one many are familiar with, and sometimes falls into cliché. In 1914, it was an optimistic view that many shared, believing the war would be over by Christmas.

By 1916, the long lists of the wounded and the dead had all but obliterated the notion of a quick conflict.

As the world began mourning, sparks of hope, that indomitable human spirit, were still being lit, and part of that process was taking morale straight to the fighting man. George Robey, an English comedian, singer, and actor was one such person who saw the necessity of this and raised thousands of pounds for various Armed Forces charities.

Yet, it wasn’t as easy as that to start with. The War Office was of the impression that soldiers made their own amusement with cards, dominoes, playing soccer, writing a few letters. When actress, impresario, and suffragette Lena Ashwell approached the generals … continue reading in the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH.

SEARCH: Gifts for Deployed Troops

Gifts for Deployed Troops
by Kim Richards

Back in the early 2000’s, my son was deployed in Iraq. I struggled with what kind of Christmas gift to send him, until a veteran came up to my counter at work. While I worked on his printing, we talked. He suggested a pair of wool socks.

I took his idea to heart, though as a simple gift I worried it wasn’t enough. My son told me later how much he appreciated them because, even though he was in a desert climate, it did get cold at night.

I recently asked deployed and retired veterans what they enjoyed receiving for gifts. Just as with my son’s socks, they all mentioned simple everyday items. Jason says he was always the hard candy man, because he loved to share the hard candy he received. Chocolate melts into goo before it gets there, but the hard candy is nice when you want to keep your mouth moistened. Wes mentioned how unscented hand lotion was valuable in the drying heat. Sam liked getting paperbacks that were easy to stow and share around. He mentioned a one room library his group set up at one point with all the books sent to him and the others.  Continue reading the Winter 2018 issue of SEARCH Magazine.