Our Missing Men of March

This month we will cover Michigan’s Vietnam MIA from March 1966 – March 1971. We also have wonderful news on the recovery of two of the MIA personnel profiled here in last December’s story  “The Lost Men of World War II.” First, the good news.

81 years after his disappearance, WWII U.S. Army Air Forces 2LT Francis E. Callahan, the 22-year-old navigator of the missing B-24 Liberator Little Joe (#42-521850), was returned to his family for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Pictured is his niece, Kathleen Callahan-Kaminski, receiving his burial flag on February 24, 2025.

Kathleen Callahan-Kaminski receives her uncle’s flag, 2LT Francis E. Callahan

Also after a loss of 81 years, 22-year-old waist gunner, U.S. Army Air Forces SSG Yuen Hop,  was returned to California after being shot down over Germany. Seen here is his 96-year-old sister, Margery Wong, being presented with his burial flag at Golden Gate National Cemetery, February 5, 2025.

Margery Wong  finally greets her big brother again, SSG Yuen Hop

Never give up.

2LT Francis E. Callahan

SSG Harry Medford Beckwith, III

We lead with the almost unbelievable story of 22-year-old U.S. Army Sergeant Harry Medford Beckwith, III of Lansing, MI. SGT Beckwith served with Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division; this was already his third tour of duty in Vietnam. He was determined to make a lifelong career in the Army just like his father, Sargeant Major Harry Medford Beckwith, Jr., who was likewise in Vietnam after having served in both WWII and the Korean War. SGT Beckwith had already been hospitalized a few times but talked his way back into active combat after beating two U.S. medical boards. For his latest exploits during April of 1970, he had been awarded the Silver Star for holding off enemy troops with a machine gun and providing safe evacuation for his men while severely wounded from a grenade attack on the tank he was commanding. SGM Beckwith was present at his son’s award ceremony and noted approvingly that “he was bullheaded, just like me.”

Tragedy had struck the Beckwith’s in 1962 when their two youngest children, ages 11 and 9,  had both drowned in a surprise flash flood, so Harry, the eldest, was the only one left. He was resolute in his decision to do himself, and his parents, proud in the military.

Events took another fateful turn for the family on March 24, 1971. SGT Beckwith was a crewmember on an OH-58A Kiowa that was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire that then crashed shortly after departing Ham Nhi, South Vietnam. An extraction helicopter team was quickly dispatched to the crash site to recover his body, which they did. Once they were aloft, that aircraft also came under enemy fire and had to take quick evasive action. While executing an escape maneuver, SGT Beckwith’s remains fell through the helicopter door to the ground. Attempts by search aircraft to locate it proved unsuccessful, and his DPAA status was assigned as unaccounted for, Non-recoverable.

SGT Harry Medford Beckwith, III is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). His name is also inscribed along with all his fallen comrades on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

There is a memorial cenotaph for SGT Beckwith located next to his two young siblings, his mother, and SGM Harry Medford Beckwith, Jr. in Section 1079 of Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, New Jersey.

SSG Beckwith’s memorial cenotaph

CDR Donald Joseph Woloszyk

24-year-old Naval flier from Attack Squadron 55, CDR Donald Joseph Woloszyk of Alpena, MI was solo piloting an A-4E Skyhawk (bureau number 152057, call sign "Garfish 401") on March 1, 1966. He launched from the USS Ranger (CV 61) as the second of four aircraft embarking on an armed recon mission over North Vietnam. CDR Woloszyk radioed that he was going to follow one of the other aircraft as he had lost sight of the leader in heavy clouds; he was not heard from again. After extensive searches, neither he nor a crash site were located. CDR Woloszyk’s DPAA status remains unaccounted for, Active Pursuit.

He is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, and his name inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. CDR Woloszyk also has a memorial cenotaph at Holy Cross Cemetery in Alpena close to his parents’ graves.

Four members of U.S. Army 128th Assault Helecopter Company,11th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade set out on a troop insertion mission in Cambodia. On March 17, 1971, their UH-1 Iroquois (tail number 16664) was shot down by heavy enemy ground fire. Aboard were crew chief SSG Craig Mitchell Dix, 21, of Livonia, MI; pilot CW3 Richard Lee Bauman, 22, of OH; co-pilot CW2 James Hardy Hestand, 21, of OK; and gunner SSG Bobby Glenn Harris, 19, of TX. SSG Harris was blown out of the door of the Huey when it was hit with gunfire before it impacted the ground. The bodies of the remaining crewmen were not found during search attempts at the time, and they were listed as unaccounted for.

SSG Craig Mitchell Dix

Only four of the five are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, and their names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

Not appearing on the monuments is CW2 James Hestand, who somehow managed to survive the crash but was taken prisoner almost immediately. He was freed February 12, 1973, in a group of 28 American POWs (18 servicemen and eight civilians) released by the Viet Cong at Loc Ninh, South Vietnam, about 10 miles south of Cambodia.

Former POW CW2 James Hardy Hestand being queried by American military at the prisoner exchange at Loc Ninh, 2/12/1973 (Photo: SSGT Herman Kokojan / USAF)

CW2 James Hestand speaking with military escort officers and other released POWs in the Travis AFB passenger lounge during the long flight home, 2/12/1973 (Photo: SSGT Phillip M. Porter / USAF)

On December 2, 2002, DPAA announced that SSG Bobby Harris’ remains were located by a joint U.S. / Cambodian investigative team. He was finally returned to the U.S. and buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Muskogee County, OK, on  September 3, 2004. Besides family members and the huge throng of well-wishers present to honor SSG Harris was CW2 Hestand, who spoke of SSG Harris’ final gallant moments of battle.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed missing team members’ SSG Dix and CW3 Bauman’s cases to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

CW3 Richard Lee Bauman

On March 25, 1969, three team members of the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division were conducting a road interdiction in Kontum Province, South Vietnam. Their unit became involved in a firefight with enemy forces, and one member, SFC Prentice Wayne Hicks, 22, from AL, was seriously injured. Two team members, 20-year-old SFC Richard Dean Roberts of Lansing, MI and 19-year-old SFC Frederick Daniel Herrera of NM, loaded SFC Hicks onto a litter (military stretcher) and proceeded down a hill. At some point while being fired upon again, the three became separated from the rest of their unit and disappeared. A search April 5 by a recon team found some personal possessions, but no other signs of the three men; they were designated as unaccounted for.

According to Lansing State Journal reports, SFC Roberts had finished basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Polk (now Fort Johnson) the beginning of January, and by March 19 was assigned to the 4th Infantry near Pleiku, Vietnam; he went missing six days later. He left behind his parents; wife, Linda; and 2-year-old daughter, Melinda.

SFC Richard Dean Roberts

The three riflemen are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, and their names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.  SFC Herrera also has a memorial cenotaph at Santa Fe National Cemetery next to his parents’ headstones. SFC Roberts’ double-sided cenotaph is at Mount Rest Cemetery in St. Johns, MI next to his daughter.

DPAA assessed their case status to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

SFC Richard Dean Roberts’ cenotaph next to his sister’s headstone (Photo: Russ Rademacher, Mount Rest Cemetery)

Two aircraft embarked on an emergency medical evacuation mission from Hue-Phu Bai to Da Nang, South Vietnam, on March 26, 1968.  A crew of four plus three patients were flying as wingman in poor visibility conditions. Their pilot put the UH-34D Choctaw (bureau #144654, call sign “Murray Medevac Chase”) on instruments so that he could better try to see the lead aircraft. While under instrument control the copter went into a sudden nose-dive into the South China Sea. Search and rescue immediately got to the crash site and were able to rescue the pilot and co-pilot. However, the crew chief, CPL Larry Edward Green, 21, of Mt. Morris, MI and aerial gunner, LCPL Ernest Claney Kerr, Jr., 21, of OH perished as did the three patients they were transporting: LTCOL Frankie Eugene Allgood, 37, of KS;  CPL Glenn William Mowrey, 21, of OH; and LCPL Richard Evancho, 20, of PA. None of their bodies were recovered and their status assigned as unaccounted for.

CPL Larry Edward Green

The names of the five are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. In addition, LCPL Evancho (St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Cemetery); CPL Mowrey (Overly Chapel Cemetery); and LCPL Kerr, Jr. (Hillside Memorial Park) have memorial cenotaphs at their family cemeteries.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed their cases to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

SP5 Michael Frederic May

On March 2, 1969, Vassar, MI native, U.S. Army SP5 Michael Frederic May, age 24, of SOA-C5 5th SFG, and ten other members of a Special Ops recon team embarked for a combat mission in Cambodia. As they approached their objective, enemy fire wounded one soldier in an ambush and the team retreated to elevated ground. Their call for a friendly gunship provided a temporary reprieve, but the enemy attacked again once it had departed. A rocket shot at the team exploded just over their heads wounding eight and killing two, SP5 May and team leader, SGT William Anthony Evans, 20, of WI.  The wounded team members were able to escape, but they could not retrieve the two bodies as they were again overrun by the enemy. The two were subsequently listed as unaccounted for.

Both men are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Their names are also inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed their cases to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

SGT Evans was the eldest of eight children. His father, a WWII Army veteran, was described as inconsolable after his son was lost and reportedly commit suicide a year later at age 42.

SP5 May’s family disclosed that he was a very gifted athlete in an array of sports, setting state records in high school and college. His military basic training was at Fort Knox (KY) followed by his Green Beret training at Fort Bragg (NC). He was posthumously honored by the Special Forces Association of Michigan by having a chapter named after him, The Michael May Memorial Chapter (SFA Chapter LV).

OH, LIFE OF MY LIFE

Oh, where lie your bones, oh, flesh of my flesh,
Oh, first-born pride of a mother's travail?
Do they lie exposed in green jungle mesh
Where greedy growth hides all hint of a trail?

Oh, where lie your bones, oh, blood of my blood,
Oh, sweet-bitter promise born of my womb;
Relentlessly washed by tropical flood;
Sun-bleached, abandoned without any tomb?

No clue found to mark where you bled
Nor a survivor that carnage to tell.
No body to mourn, no stone for your head,
No remains shipped from Cambodian hell.

Posthumous medals awarded your strife.
Oh, sad recompense, oh, life of my life.

Memorial poem written by Doris Kennard for her lost son, SP5 Michael Frederic May

Credits: Marty Eddy, Michigan Coordinator, National League of POW/MIA Families; DPAA; Lansing State Journal (4/10/1969); Baltimore Sun (8/20/1971; Flint Journal (8/25/1971); USAF; family photos

The story behind National Vietnam War Veterans Day

March 29th is celebrated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day, and you may be wondering why that specific date was chosen. The answer is simple and appropriate for the question: on that day in 1973, the last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam and the last prisoners of war held in North Vietnam arrived on American soil. Appropriately, on February 26, 1974, President Nixon proclaimed that March 29th would be the first Vietnam Veterans Day. 

The current iteration of the day came about with the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, signed into law in 2017, which formally designates March 29 of each year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. That may sound like a semantical difference, but what sets them apart is that Nixon made a proclamation in 1974, whereas the 2017 edition was signed into law and recognized as a national day of observance. 

With the celebratory day coming later this month, we are proud to host our second annual Vietnam War Veterans Day Luncheon on the same day, March 29th. The luncheon will celebrate the honor and service of our military members that fought in the Vietnam War, while providing them with a free meal prepared by our Executive Chef and his culinary team. 

We would also like to take this opportunity to look back at The War Memorial, and the Alger family’s roles in the conflict. If the following looks familiar to you, that is because some of it is pulled from past historical writings done by our in-house historian, Betsy Alexander. 

First, we will look at the Alger family service during the war: 

The Vietnam War came calling for PFC Frederick “Fred” Moulton Alger, III (12/20/1934 – current) who entered the Marine Corps July 3,1959 just after getting his MBA. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, CA, and joined Company A, 3dAmTracBn (Rein), 1st Mar. Div. (Rein), FMF, CP, CA. 

PFC Fred Moulton Alger, III and his company in 1959 (Camp Pendleton, CA)

If you know anything about the 1st Division, you know they are the oldest and most decorated Marine Division. They also pride themselves on being extremely big and extremely fierce. Fred was involved with “the operation, employment, maneuver, and maintenance” of amphibious assault vehicles in the 3D Amphibian Tractor Battalion, known since the mid-1970s as the 3D Assault Amphibian Battalion. PFC Alger stated that he and his mates were gung ho to get to Vietnam to do some serious damage – he used a bit more 1st Marines-type parlance – and were very disappointed they didn’t get called up. He also advised he became a crack shot with a rifle while at camp as a youngster, which he illustrated while in the service winning medals in Shooting. PFC Alger mustered out July 23, 1964, in New York City where he turned loose that 1st Marine motto of  “No better friend, no worse enemy” successfully for decades on Wall Street.  

Post-war peacetime meant that it was time to begin honoring the brave members of our US Armed Forces. The War Memorial began the process of putting together a plaque to commemorate the service of local Grosse Pointers.  

The original criteria for inclusion in the plaque was written as, “The veteran must have lived in Grosse Pointe when they enlisted or were drafted; they must have served between the years 1963 and 1975; and they must have been physically present in Southeast Asia, which includes Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and on Navy ships serving in the area.”  

One oddity that was found was that twice the Grosse Pointe News reported some sort of wooden plaque that was dedicated and installed on Memorial Day of 1974, but The Vietnam War wasn’t over until April 30, 1975, nearly a year later. This could possibly have been done to coincide with President Nixon’s proclamation earlier that year. 

Another plaque, or an appended wooden plaque, with 340 names, was dedicated Memorial Day of 1984. It was photographed in the front circle of The War Memorial, but no written mention was made of installing that plaque; it may or may not have been. The final Vietnam War plaque that is present today, was bronzed, re-dedicated, and installed in the Alger House entrance hall Memorial Day of 1989.

To see all that The War Memorial is doing to commemorate the Vietnam War, click here.

February Michigan POW / MIA’s of Vietnam

The short month of February cost seven of our Michigan service personnel their lives during the Vietnam War; all of them were lost while flying. As The War Memorial commemorates the Vietnam War in 2025, today we are looking at and for those who are still Missing in Action from our state.

On February 18, 1969, a KA-3B Skywarrior (bureau number 138943, call sign "Tenpin 017") with a crew of three U.S. Navy personnel took off from the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea on a tanker mission over the Gulf of Tonkin (North Vietnam). Onboard were navigator AMS1 Stanley Milton Jerome, 31, of Detroit; pilot LCDR Rodney Max Chapman, 33, of Alpena; and CA crew member/navigator, AO1 Eddie Ray Schimmels, 29. The three were from Heavy Attack Squadron 10 (VAH-10), Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15), USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), Task Force 77 (TF-77), 7th Fleet. While communicating on its return approach to the carrier, the Skywarrior disappeared suddenly from radar and crashed into the Gulf in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q YE 434 856. An extensive search of the area found no sign of the aircraft or its crew both immediately after the crash or the following day; the “Tenpin 017” men remain Unaccounted For.

LCDR Rodney M. Chapman of Alpena

Chapman had been a flier for eleven years and in the Navy for thirteen. He left behind his wife, Dorothy and daughter, Audrey at their base home in Oak Harbor, WA; AMS1 Jerome and AO1 Schimmels were single. All three are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (“Punchbowl”), and their names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. AO1 Schimmels also has a memorial cenotaph at Oakwood Memorial Cemetery in Oakwood, OK next to where his parents lie.

Based on all information available the three crewmen were categorized by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) as Non-recoverable.

AMS1 Jerome, LCDR Chapman (both back row, left), and AO1 Shimmels (front left) with two unidentified men

*** 

On February 5, 1971, an AH-1G Cobra helicopter (tail number 66-15340) with two U.S. Army members took part in an extraction mission near Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. The Cobra’s pilot, 19-year-old WO Carl Mitchell Wood of CO and his co-pilot, WO1 James Lee Paul, 22, of Koester Street in Riverview, MI, were members of Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Shortly after takeoff, the Cobra entered heavy cloud cover and, while climbing for better visibility, impacted a mountainside and exploded. Aircraft accompanying the Cobra immediately began a visual search of the area and located the crash site at the base of Hill 1015. Investigation of the crash site recovered the remains of the pilot, CO Wood; he was buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO.  However, WO Paul’s remains could not be found and he was marked as Unaccounted For.  

WO1 Paul is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. and his memorial cenotaph is in Arlington National Cemetery.

WO1 James L. Paul’s cenotaph in Arlington

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed WO1 James Lee Paul to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable. 

  *** 

Last September, a group that should have received special government recognition decades ago finally did when the Congressional Gold Medal Act, S.2825 (118th) was signed by President Joe Biden. These were the Vietnam War U.S. Army personnel responsible for the emergency aeromedical casualty evacuation from the combat zone. Officially they were called CASEVAC, but they were more commonly known as Dustoff crews. Units were identified by their air ambulance call signs “Dust Off” then their assigned number.  

The typical four-member Dustoff crews that manned these emergency evacuation flights frequently skewed very young, in their teens or early 20s. They knew they would be heavily fired upon while landing or rappelling down from their helicopters – usually “Hueys” - to get to the wounded, then again while boarding them for evacuation to camp hospitals. They had to be absolutely fearless as they faced a 1-in-3 chance each mission of themselves being killed. 

On February 12, 1968, a Bell UH-1H Iroquois (tail number 66-17027, call sign “Dust Off 90”) took off from Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam on a nighttime emergency evacuation mission to Gia Nghia Special Forces Camp. Aboard were the lanky 20-year-old crew chief, U.S. Army SFC Wade Lawrence Groth from Greenville, MI; SSG Harry Willis Brown, 24, medic, SC; CW3 Alan Wendell Gunn, 19, pilot, TX; and aircraft commander CPT Jerry Lee Roe, 25, TX.

SFC Wade W. Groth of Greenville

They were all members of the 50th Medical Detachment, 43rd Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade. The aircraft failed to reach its destination, and an extensive search was initiated, but search and rescue teams were unable to locate the Huey. The entire “Dustoff 90” crew remain Unaccounted For.  

SFC Wade Lawrence Groth and the other three men are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. His memorial cenotaph is at the Groth family plot at River Ridge Cemetery in Belding, MI. 

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed all four missing crew members of the “Dust Off 90” to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

U.S. Army Dustoff Memorial, Fort Sam Huston, TX

*** 

U.S. Navy LT Robert Clarence Marvin, 27, from Dexter, MI, served with Attack Squadron 115 aboard the USS Hancock (CVA 19). On  February 14, 1967, LT Marvin piloted a single-seat A1-H Skyraider aircraft (bureau number 139805, call sign "Arab 511") that launched from the Hancock on a combat mission over North Vietnam. Ten minutes later, he radioed that he was rapidly losing oil pressure and would return to the ship. Shortly he radioed again that he would have to immediately ditch the aircraft in the Gulf of Tonkin. This was the last communication from LT Marvin; he was not seen or heard from again. His wife, Mary, was notified of his loss at their on-base home on Crusader Avenue at Lemoore NAS. 58 years later he remains Unaccounted For.  

Lieutenant Marvin is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and his name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. His cenotaph is at Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, IL.

LT Robert C Marvin’s cenotaph

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed LT Marvin’s case to be in the category of Non-recoverable. 

*** 

U.S. Army Specialist 4 Arthur Wright, 31, of Lansing served in Battery A, 1st Battalion, 44th Artillery Group. On February 21, 1967, he was manning a listening post at the gate of a U.S. Marine Corps combat base in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, with two other soldiers. During his shift, SP4 Wright told his two companions that he was going out to check the perimeter wire for intrusions, and that if he did not return by a certain point to report him to the Battery A orderly room (administrative office). He then left his post and proceeded forward, where he told a crew from Battery B that he was going to check the wire and not to shoot. SP4 Wright headed for the wire and was not seen again. Subsequent searches for him or his remains were unsuccessful.  

Specialist 4 Wright is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and his name inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the case to be in the analytical category of Deferred. Per the DPAA, Deferred means that “there are no new or viable leads, or have restrictions to site access which makes field operations impractical.” 

SP4 Wright left behind his wife, Uvah, and four children. Uvah passed away in 2016 at age 84, never remarrying. His memorial cenotaph is at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in DeWitt, MI adjoining Uvah’s headstone.

SP4 Arthur Wright’s cenotaph with wife in DeWitt

35-year-old pilot, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Marvin Maurice Leonard from Grand Rapids, was a very well-seasoned member of Company C,159th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. He was a 16-year Army veteran, and a Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal recipient; this was his second tour of duty in Southeast Asia. He had served in Korea in 1966 for one year before transferring to Germany for another year. He was in Vietnam for 10 months starting in late 1968, then back to Germany for a year. He returned to Vietnam in November of 1970, where he was making flights into Laos.

CW2 Marvin M. Leonard of Grand Rapids

On February 15, 1971, he was flying "Regard 25," a CH-47C Chinook (tail number 18506) carrying four other crew members of Company C plus one passenger, taking part in a combat support resupply (fuel carrying) mission over Laos.  During the flight, "Regard 25" caught fire, exploded, and crashed near the Pon River in Savannakhet Province, Laos. Another helicopter that had witnessed the incident performed an aerial search of the crash site but found no sign of the crew. The remains of the crew chief, SP4 Donald Everett Crone, 22, CA; door gunner, SP4 Willis Calvin Crear, 21, AL;  flight engineer, SP4 John Lynn Powers, 22, ID; and passenger, WO Barry Frank Fivelson, 21, IL were eventually recovered and identified December 11, 2000. However, the remains of 25-year-old 2LT James Harry Taylor, CA, the aircraft commander, and CW2 Leonard were not. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed their cases to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

Official badge of the “Regard 25”

Today, CW2 Leonard and 2LT Taylor are memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and their names also inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC along with the other crew members. Rosettes were placed on the two monuments next to their four companions’ names once their DPAA status changed to Accounted For.  A separate monument to the downed crew of the “Regard 25” is located at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 6, Site 8016.

Memorial to the “Regard 25” crew at Arlington

CW2 Leonard left behind a wife, Doris and three young children, two daughters and a son. A church memorial service was held for the benefit of his family and friends in Grand Rapids, April 16, 1971.  

In his last letter to his family Leonard wrote, “I feel I’m in Vietnam so our children, and others, can play in the schoolyard in peace and see Old Glory fly. Also, you can bet on our POW’s getting some relief soon. I won’t even rule out a couple more attempts to rescue them, like the last one. Pray for Peace.”  

Vietnam Helicopter Pilot and Crewmember Monument, Arlington National Cemetery

CREDITS: Thank you to Marty Eddy, Michigan Coordinator, National League of POW / MIA Families; and DPAA, Fort Sam Huston, and Arlington National Cemetery for information and photos.

A Bit of Good Old English Cooking

There are a few names that can be mentioned to longtime War Memorial visitors that evoke strong sentiment, such as Miss Mary Ellen Cooper, Vincent DePetris, and Chet Sampson. But one name recalled with great affection really stands out as she kept the nascent Association organized, rolling smoothly, and well fed – its first employee, Mrs. McGinty.  

The story began in England in 1918, when 25-year-old Irishman, Francis (“Frank”) J. McGinty from County Down, found himself happily separated from both the British Army and WWI after being shot once in the leg and gassed even more times. He landed in Liverpool, England and happened upon a lovely blonde lass with a big, ready smile and dimples, Miss Anne Franklin. The 21-year-old Liverpudlian had been working for the Lyons’ restaurant and hotel chain in Britian and Wales as a waitress and then as a hostess. She found she excelled at cooking, serving, and hospitality, and loved the work. Not long thereafter, the couple married and settled down in Liverpool and soon had two daughters, Norah and Anne.  

After a few years they decided to “move across the pond” to America. Francis went first in 1923, to test the job market; Anne and the girls would follow once he was established. By 1926, he was ready. Francis was situated in Detroit, working at the Detroit Steel Products Company, which was located where the huge GM Factory ZERO now sits near Hamtramck. He toiled away with 1,500 Americans producing the in-demand Detroit Springs used in the majority of automobiles and the wildly popular Fenestra steel windows. All Anne had to do was wait in Windsor, Ontario while she was being processed, then join him across the River in Detroit. She quickly found a job as hostess at the upscale Prince Edward Hotel on Ouellette and Park Streets. Once allowed in as a U.S. citizen, she had successive hospitality jobs at affluent downtown Detroit locations: the beautiful Colony Club on Park; the Women’s City Club; and as assistant manager of the Savoyard Club atop the Buhl Building. She also worked on the hallowed 14th Floor of the General Motors Building in their exclusive Executive Dining Room. These were jobs that were not for the faint of heart and served her well, getting her “maximum face time” and experience with the upper echelon of greater Detroit business and society.  

Briefly she took on a partnership in a somewhat unusual business venture: a small cottage rental business in the Upper Peninsula’s rather desolate village of Newberry. The census count for Newberry in 2020 was still under 1,500 citizens, and it remains billed as “the Moose Capital of Michigan” to this day. Up there, decades ago, Anne was reportedly “very lonesome” and possibly bored with no people, five cabins, and many moose; she quickly abandoned the Newberry partnership for Detroit again.  

To enhance her education of the hospitality business, Anne attended Wayne University (now Wayne State University) and completed their Institutional Management, Nutrition, and Quality Cooking and Buying courses. She also studied at Scranton’s Women’s Institute of Arts and Domestic Sciences. Her next job was not as an assistant or hostess, but as the manager of Detroit’s old Chimes Cafeteria for three years. She now expertly knew the daily ins-and-outs of running an institutional food business, back and front of house. 

In spring of 1949, shortly after its inception, the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association appointed her their House Manager, with Francis joining her as the Houseman (maintenance). Anne was the cook, housekeeper, Daily Events poster, and general organizer of everything House-related. Francis was all manner of heavy cleaning, repair, upkeep, and overnight security guard. If it was on the property, he deep cleaned and painted it - repeatedly.  

The McGinty’s, undated 

The McGinty’s lived on the second floor inhabiting the northern wing, the former servants’ quarters. The original horseshoe-shaped cluster of seven very small rooms, bathroom, and back stairs were turned into an apartment featuring a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and bathroom, with their own private stairs. At night they would stroll through the gardens or sit by the lake and enjoy the view, probably in the manner the Alger’s used to do so before them. Their two daughters were now grown and married, and there were curious grandchildren who were known to prowl the rooms and grounds afterhours and on holidays.  

Three generations of McGinty’s,1955

The former Alger House had nothing in it when taken over by the War Memorial Association, so the grandiose idea of soon holding numerous large events and preparing and serving food was daunting, even to someone with such an extensive food service background as Anne McGinty. The very first items purchased were fifty card tables and 200 folding chairs as they needed something for the Board, Committee Members, early guests, and the McGinty’s to sit on and work from. 

The just-created Board of Directors encouraged “friends” of the new “Memorial Center”, as it was long commonly referred to, to visit “flea markets and church sales” to scavenge for cheap but necessary kitchen implements, food preparation, and serveware. The idea of scoring an inexpensive mixer, 50-cup coffee urn, or a used vacuum cleaner was a very big deal back then to them. The great Robert Tannahill brought in the House’s large furnishings (and antiques) via donations – at which he and his Rolodex famously excelled - and he sometimes dug into his own personal collection. But the actual goods needed to operate the business and prepare and serve food were left to the others to secure, and  Mrs. McGinty had long but realistic lists of items required to get the Memorial Center up and running like a top. 

Success was immediate and great. She cooked for and served a variety of groups from the beginning, such as the Rotary, Optimists, Soroptimists, Kiwanis, Men’s Garden Club, and Veterans Club, and the men’s clubs demanded meat meals. There were even more youth and women’s clubs to plan meals for, plus plenty of teas, special events, outside groups, and frequent dances that kept her hopping. 

The Board were very effusive in their respect for the McGinty’s valuable work, particularly Anne’s, and proclaimed that “as of July 1,1950, the McGinty’s should get an additional $25 per month.” For the first fiscal year ending July 31, 1950, Mrs. McGinty earned $3,300 ($275) and Mr. McGinty $3,000 ($250) with a $100 (split) Christmas bonus. The Board of Directors also gifted them a clock.  

Beside always earning slightly more than Francis, it is interesting to note that she was listed as a Director and was present for every Board Meeting from her initial hiring onward. Anne received the biggest thanks of anyone in the first Annual Report dated May of 1950. War Memorial Association President Alger Shelden, Jr. remarked, “Her unfailing courtesy and cheerful spirit has covered up so many of the mistakes we have made. Mere words can’t express what the McGinty’s have done to make this Center a success and an enjoyable place to come to.” 

According to the Board’s monthly records, Mrs. McGinty was indeed doing yeoman’s work from the outset. From June 1 – June 30, 1950, 12,252 people came via the19 groups that visited. Total attendance in July of 1950 was 1,485 and in August 1950, 825 as per the September figures. Returning after summer break in the autumn, September 27 – October 24, 1950, saw 3,694 people over 76 events, 31 being regular groups. November 1950 saw 96 meetings held and 3,623 attendees.  

Anne behind one of her tables, undated

Dances were very popular here from the beginning and refreshments were always served. Two dances, October 9 and November 6, 1949, saw 403 youngsters. For Teen and Young Adult dances July 9, 1949 – July 31,1950, total attendance was 6,159. In December 1950, 937  “young people” attended a 9th grade open house, and the formal New Year’s Ball saw 241 couples served. 

During March of 1951, there were 399 lunches, 140 dinners, and 89 teas with a total of 628 served. 34 groups and 2,594 people were in and out of the Memorial Center, an obvious illustration as to why Mrs. McGinty still had new bake ovens, large mixers, and a deep freezer at the top of her kitchen wish list. 

April of 1951, there were 732 lunches served; 1,265 visitors attended teas; and 169 attended dinners.  

In the President’s Report to Members dated May 7, 1951, Alger Shelden, Jr. cited an astonishing attendance of over 50,000, with food service to over 8,000 during the past year alone! Yet there were still only four fulltime employees: Mr. and Mrs. McGinty, an office manager, and the gardener. Anne had her hands full budgeting, preparing, and serving those thousands of meals.  

Shelden also reported, “In the two Grosse Pointe newspapers alone, more than 430 individual articles were carried – or an average of more than four per paper per week. These were also supplemented by articles and a few spreads in the Detroit papers. Measured in column inches, the news stories in the two Grosse Pointe papers during the past year amounted to 4,121 inches; 21 pictures measured in 647 column inches were printed; and 1,861 column inches were devoted to the papers in running program listings; there were also six excellent editorials. There were over 10,000 Grosse Pointe home owners sent regular mailings from us.”  

On September 1, 1952, Mr. John W. Lake was announced as the new Executive Director of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association, effective immediately. Mrs. McGinty reported directly to him and was made responsible for all Housekeeping and Food Service, and was “over the Houseman, the Cook, Maids, Waitresses, and other House Department personnel.” With Lake’s final approval she “could hire House Department staff and temporary help; purchase supplies; sign service contract drafts; make all food service event arrangements; set food and waitress fees; maintain records and approved vouchers for submission to the organization Treasurer; account for all food and housekeeping charges; and post Memorial Center Daily Events on the activities board.”  

With that, a part time cleaner was made full time house cleaner and two women were hired part time to help Anne with event cooking. As an example, they cranked out two dozen pies and 1,000 cookies at a time for the 400-person luncheons and 300-person sit-down dinners and special events. Part time wait help was also hired as needed. 

For the eight months ending March 31, 1953, Food & Catering costs were $7,656.39, a far cry from costs nowadays. 

For many years, the Memorial Center shut down for several weeks to a month in the summer, usually during August. Heavy repairs, large public area projects, construction, or replacement of appliances would generally happen during this time. The McGinty’s took their vacation during this down time, as did the growing staff in subsequent years. The McGinty’s eventually purchased a cottage at Crescent Lake in Waterford Township that became their special getaway sometime in the mid- to late-1950’s. It wasn’t terribly far from Grosse Pointe, but it was far enough to allow them to forget endless maintenance projects and serving thousands of gallons of Anne’s famed “McGinty Punch” or her special English Trifle. 

In 1953, John Lake offered to sleep in the House to avoid hiring overnight security while the McGinty’s went on their vacation. The couple usually went later in the summer, but wanted to go earlier that year for a very special reason: their visit home coincided with the once-in-a-lifetime coronation of Queen Elizabeth on June 2. While in England, 60-year-old Francis suffered a major heart attack. In the minutes of the July 13 meeting, the Board was very distressed to have learned of Mr. McGinty’s health emergency and made it their first topic of discussion. They wanted to make sure the McGinty’s “had the funds to finance the illness and to return home when ready.” Fortunately, Britain’s National Health Service took care of his medical expenses. By the end of August, the McGinty’s signaled they were on their way back to Grosse Pointe from Ireland, where Francis had been recovering after his release from the British hospital. (Grosse Pointe News, 8/20/1953). Like clockwork, Anne was listed in attendance at the September 14 Board Meeting. 

At the October 13, 1952, meeting, Mrs. McGinty announced that over 600 people were served in one day. At the February 1953 meeting, she had reported 1,726 were served between luncheons, dinners, teas, and refreshments. By September 1953, she had served 2,058. 

At the Annual Members Meeting of September 28, 1953, Lake reported over 15,000 more people had used the Memorial Center than the previous year. 

As with all things, fast growth also brought some growing pains, especially for the new non-profit. There were frequent discussions about Grosse Pointe group room rentals and food prices versus non-Grosse Pointe residents – and at what percentage of Grosse Pointe membership in each club constitutes being Grosse Pointe. Similar debates were flying over the idea of weddings and veterans; what veterans’ exemptions, if any, should we accept for allowing marriages? Likewise, exactly which kinds of events are allowed and what, if anything can be sold at events? The varying food and room price quotes, and the answer as to if an event could be booked at the Memorial Center, frequently fell to Mrs. McGinty. Everyone was still feeling their way through this process with differing opinions. For example, on December 14,1953, it was decided “Detroit (and other cities’) groups using the facilities catering be required to pay room rent equivalent to that paid by Grosse Pointe groups when no food is served; the Memorial Center dinners start from $2.50 plus tax, except for service groups for whom a special meal will be prepared at $1.65. Luncheons should begin at $1.25 plus tax. Meals for weddings should start at $2.75 plus tax. Waitress fees should be $7 during the day, but $8 beginning with the dinner hour.” Debates for adjustments and refinements happened every few months as different or new situations arose. Mrs. McGinty rolled with whatever changes were instituted and adjusted her prices, menus, and plans accordingly. 

During October of 1954, 3,323 were served, up from 2,852 the same month the previous year. 

For Christmas time events, she’d make her “special” Christmas cookies and cakes, served with hot wassail, and McGinty Punch. The New Year’s Eve Ball was a buffet for 500 formally dressed attendees, that included cold turkey, ham, assorted relishes, breads, potato chips, cakes, hot chocolate, coffee, milk, and Punch. The 300 visitors at the New Residents’ Reception January 2, 1955, received hot wassail, coffee, assorted Christmas cookies, and cakes.  

1955 was a year that signaled some possible changes ahead for Anne McGinty. With her food service in overdrive, at the July 11, 1955 meeting, it was voted that the cooks would get $12 per 150 guests, and an additional $2 for each additional 50 guests. They had previously gotten $12 for serving 300 guests. During May of 1955 alone, she served 336 luncheons for the Junior Goodwill Fair, 276 lunches for the Garden Center Fair, 300 dinners for the 1955 Graduating Class of Grosse Pointe High, and 100 breakfasts for the Y.W.C.A. Her statistics from August 31, 1954, were 26,548 meals/refreshments served as compared to August 31, 1955, at 35,941 meals/refreshments served, another large jump.  

By the end of August 1955, she’d finally received her kitchen equipment: 1 Garland Hot Top range and broiler; 1 Garland burner range; 1 high shelf for open burner range; 1 fry griddle and broiler; and 1 Blodgett roaster oven, all for $1,272.25. With a new (but used) refrigerator and deep freeze installed the previous year, she was now pretty well set with professional grade kitchen appliances for serving large groups daily.  

Anne & Francis stroll the knot gardens, undated

There were a few warning signs back in January that the number of bookings might not be great for the year, but that fortunately didn’t come to pass: January 1955 (2,797 served) versus January 1956 (4,733 served). Coming back after summer break was also a pleasant surprise: September 1955 (3,269 served)  vs. September 1956 (4,338 served). 

In the December 1955 meeting, Mrs. McGinty pleaded for the first time for more promotion surrounding her catering service as she was seeing a reduction in requests and was a bit worried about it. Unlike January’s scare, this was the first time John Lake also cautioned that there were events that were booking elsewhere that normally would have booked here, due to the groups being too large to accommodate in the House. These were the beginnings of Lake starting to think about reconfiguration or, better yet, expansion. 

Another raise for the cooks was approved in November of 1956: $12 for meals of 75 people and under; $15 for every Tuesday dinner, even though less than 75 were present; and $18 for 150 or more served.   

The caution lights flashed again in December of 1956 when John Lake proclaimed to the Board that bookings were down because ”there are weakness in the physical plant.” Apparently, this meant he thought some of the rooms were looking shabby, heat and lighting needed upgrading, and most importantly, there was insufficient space for larger groups. He then (perhaps oddly) proposed that the Library be turned into a small auditorium with a stage. A group was assembled to examine improving all of the facilities.  

After their findings, Lake began seriously pursuing the idea of another building or extension. When William Fries’ passed a few years later in February 1959, and his very generous financial gift was made known, it was the answer to the problem of “not enough space.” But not yet knowing this, Lake started to lay the groundwork for expansion and addressed the constant parking problem back in the mid-1950’s. 

The word “weddings” finally appeared during the January 1957 year wrap-up by Mrs. McGinty; there were 50 weddings, but the sizes/attendance were not noted. Wedding teas suddenly became a thing in 1958 and 1959, almost 300 of them were held. 

A fulltime maintenance man started in 1959 to help Mr. McGinty, who was ready to retire. Between his old war wound, previous major heart attack, and age, it was well past time.  

In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, annual themed Gourmet events took place whereby Anne prepared dishes alongside various acclaimed chefs from famous Detroit area restaurants. For a Chinese-themed evening in February of 1961 with Mrs. Moy (of the famed Chung’s in Chinatown and Moy’s on Jefferson in the Shores), Egg Rolls, Chicken Subgum, and a surprise Chinese delicacy were created. Anne augmented the Asian theme with her own Mandarin Orange Salad and a dessert of Peach Flambe a la Russe. The room décor, floral arrangements, and service were appropriately authentic although the patrons were relieved that “chopsticks were optional.“ Her 1959 St. Patrick’s Day extravaganza was with Chef Zack from the intrepid Al Green’s (E. Jefferson, Grosse Pointe Park). It appears Chef Zack whipped up Filet de Boeuf with Marchand de Vin among other serious culinary delights. Anne, who was also of Irish extraction, accompanied his meal with her Colcannon and Soda Bread. Yet another of the Gourmet segments brought in Chef Jean Ameriguian from Little Harry’s (E. Jefferson, Detroit), who presented some of his crowd favorites with Anne. Pointers greatly looked forward to these themed Gourmet events with wonderful local chefs and Anne whipping up exotic creations in tandem.  

Sometime in the late 1950’s, ads mysteriously appeared for Mrs. McGinty’s Catering. The business may have been filed under Francis’ name, but it was Anne’s outside catering business. It was located on Detroit’s west side and several of her grandchildren recall their parents helping out regularly or visiting the facility themselves when they were very young. As her relatives recalled, Anne had a lovely, warm smile and demeanor, but could be all business when needed. She was able to consistently put up the large numbers documented here and still had the drive to run a catering concern with her good name proudly attached to it. 

There were 750 attendees – another great turnout - at 1960’s annual January New Residents’ Reception and “her (Anne’s) homemade goodies were enjoyed by all,” John Lake enthused. 

In April 1960, the eternal battle of service and food cost percentage again raged. Mrs. McGinty and the new House Committee head tried to explain that “small meals” were “a constant loss as the same amount of help is required.” The varying costs of room rates per group or event also added to the constant explaining to understand her numbers’ reports.  

Anne serves the Sr. Men’s Club (Grosse Pointe News,1/14/1962)

Comparisons for June 1959 versus June 1960: luncheons went from 635 to 766; teas went from 1,526 down to 875; dinners were up 464 to 791; refreshments went up from 1,668 to 1,987; wedding breakfasts were 200 and went down to 100; wedding teas went from 338 down to 150; desserts went from 0 up to 244; buffets also went from 0 to 385. Totals were 4,831served in June 1959 to 5,298 served in June 1960. The wedding breakfasts and wedding teas dropped off in 1960, apparently leading them to stick with just regular weddings. But there was still no alcohol allowed and limited space at that time for traditional weddings, so the other ideas were possibly workarounds tried for income. 

By October 1960, attendance and catering bookings had seriously fallen off due to the limitations of the room sizes versus attendance and member count for events – the Memorial Center was seen as too small to accommodate everyone who wanted to use the facilities. Meanwhile, the legal battle trying to advance construction on William Fries’ endowment gift was being waged so they could add the larger spaces desired. The gift also had a limited time component, so Lake, the Board, and Memorial Center attorneys had serious time constraints to deal with. 

In the October 1961 Board Meeting notes, the cost of the new kitchen equipment for the Fries was “not to exceed $22,188.” The new kitchen would be gas and electric as it was “too expensive to go all electric.” Anne also advised that 35% of her catering expenses were for food, 26% for help; she was 38% and 20% for December 1961. 

At the first Board Meeting of the new year, January 22, 1962, Mr. Lake announced Mrs. McGinty’s retirement effective as of March 1, 1962. The Board regretfully accepted the news and started looking for her replacement immediately. At the next Board Meeting, February 19,1962, Miss Helen Blair of Nashville, Tennessee was introduced as Mrs. McGinty’s successor.  

March 5, 1962, was scheduled as Anne’s retirement party, 7pm and $2.50 per plate for attendees. Organizations who had dealt with Anne were also invited to attend, hence the charge; Helen Blair prepared the dinner. The McGinty’s announced that their immediate plan was to follow the American Curling Team to Scotland, London, and Ireland for competitions, as Francis was a rabid curling fan. The $300 Anne was given as a retirement gift from the Board helped their plans. They’d then return home from the UK to Crescent Lake and some well-deserved quiet.  

The House apartment was redecorated after the McGinty’s departure. At the May meeting, the Board decided to rent their former living room and one bedroom for $500 a year. Not long thereafter, John Lake moved into the remainder of the apartment, where he resided for many years. 

The Fries Auditorium grand opening date had been pushed back a few times due to construction and other issues and was now scheduled for November 30, 1962. The grand opening was to be a black tie affair featuring a Spanish ballet group and seating for 450; the first 300 guests would be served in the new Crystal Ballroom, with the remainder in the House. December 2 was the actual dedication festivities for the general public to attend.  

As late as November 19, Helen Blair was still submitting emergency kitchen needs lists to be approved by the Board in order to serve for the formal opening 11 days away. Reportedly, the Board were very happy with Miss Blair and she and her staff were able to pull off the two Fries’ openings without incident. 

On December 16, 1962, Mrs. Marion Alger died at her winter home in Boca Grande, Florida after just attending the Fries’ grand opening. Marion was involved with 32 Lakeshore Road beginning in 1907, when she and Russell first decided to call in Charles Platt to design and build their dream house there; through Russell’s death and the DIA years; her gifting the estate to the War Memorial Association and serving on its Board; and her final work advising on the Fries Auditorium plans and witnessing its opening 55 years later. The true end of an era.  

Carefree, retired McGinty’s, late 1970’s

The McGinty’s lived at their cottage in Crescent Lake for quite a time. Later, they took a little condominium around 12 Mile and Woodward in Royal Oak until Francis McGinty passed at 87 years old on October 29, 1980. His service was held at the nearby National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica before he was interred at Assumption Grotto Cemetery on Gratiot Avenue off of Mapleridge on Detroit’s east side. Sometime after Francis passed, Anne McGinty moved from their condo to The Whittier off Jefferson Avenue in Indian Village, which served as senior citizen housing at the time. She passed June 5, 1989, at 92 years and joined Francis at Assumption Grotto Cemetery. 

If you’re ever in the Alger House early in the morning and catch a whiff of something wonderful wafting out of the old kitchen, you might almost wonder if Anne is back behind the big stove, happily whipping up one of her wonderful meals or a big batch of her “special” cookies. 

Credits & citations: Jack Oliver’s Pointer of Interest, Grosse Pointe News (3/20/1958); interviews with the McGinty’s grandchildren; and TWM Board Meeting records  

Photo credits: All photos courtesy of the McGinty’s, except as noted. 

Writer’s note: None of Anne McGinty’s recipes could be found before the print deadline. If any are located in the future, they will be reprinted by TWM. 

The Lost Men of World War II

This past Saturday was the 83rd anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor signaling the United States’ official entry into World War II. In memoriam, we look at the final days of some of the MIAs from that war who have finally been recovered from the Pacific and European Theaters.

The first story is about the lost crew of the B-24H Liberator, the Little Joe (#42-521850).

The ill-fated crew of the Little Joe.

The U.S. Army Air Forces crew of ten were assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force.  They had taken off April 8, 1944, from Royal Air Force Station Old Buckenham, England on a bombing mission seeking enemy targets in Brunswick, Germany. Somewhere over the Salzwedel, Germany area, the Little Joe suddenly went missing from formation. The other planes didn’t see a hit, crash, or bail out; it just disappeared. 

The region between Salzwedel and Wistedt was riddled with downed bombers, but the Little Joe didn’t appear on the AGRU (American Graves Registration Unit) KU (Germany's aircraft combat records) detailing a crash or burials. None of the crewmembers were recovered during or shortly after the war, so all ten were officially listed as Unaccounted For for several decades - until very recently. 

In 2015, MAACRT (Missing Allied Aircrew Research Team), an independent research group, contacted the DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) with information remembered by local elders living near Wistedt, Germany regarding two old crash sites. Only one site was located post-War, but the DPAA investigators found wreckage and osseous remains at the second site off the new tip. At the time no matches could be made to Unknowns.  

In 2021 and  2023, DPAA investigators returned to the second site for additional excavation for equipment and any osseous remains; the results were again sent to their laboratory. This time, using DPAA scientists’ anthropological and dental analysis, and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System’s mtDNA and Y-STR analysis, some positive  identifications were made. 

SSG Ralph Mourer and wife

Hailing from Colorado, Staff Sargeant Ralph Lavon Mourer was the 23-year-old radio operator aboard the Little Joe. On June 20, 2024, his status was officially changed to Accounted For. A rosette indicating this change was placed on Mourer’s name inscribed on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Netherlands. 

Walls of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Netherlands 

Mourer’s parents, siblings, and wife were all long deceased with burial sites in various States. His only child, Victor Lavon Mourer, whom his wife was carrying when SSG Mourer was killed, was also long gone, buried at Adrian, Michigan’s Oakwood Cemetery. In the spring of 2025, SSG Ralph L. Mourer will likewise be buried in Adrian near the son he never got to see. 

22-year-old 2nd Lieutenant Francis E. Callahan of New York was the navigator of the Little Joe. His remains were also identified by the DPAA through dental and anthropological evidence from the second crash site. Once he was Accounted For June 20, 2024, a rosette was added next to his name on the Walls of the Missing in Margraten. A 2025 burial at Arlington National Cemetery is planned per a New York newspaper report (Livingston County News, 8/13/24). As with most of his crewmates,  Callahan’s immediate family is deceased.  

Sargeant Henry Hanes Allen, Jr., 20, of Georgia was the Little Joe’s top turret gunner. His identification was released June 20, 2024, and his status changed to Accounted For; a rosette was added next to his name in Margraten. Allen’s mother swore until the day she died in 2003 that “he might walk through that door.” Eighty years later, his cousins finally laid Henry to rest October 12, 2024, back home in Covington, GA. 

Staff Sargeant Hubert Yeary, 20, of Virginia was the baby-faced ball tail gunner of the bomber. Herbert and his twin brother, Herbert, enlisted together in January 1943. Yeary was positively identified June 20, 2024, and a rosette added next to his name in Margraten showing he was Accounted For. With his parents and four siblings, including Herbert (d. 1998) all long deceased, no burial time or location has yet been announced. Once the plans are known, the DPAA will release the information to the public. 

Twins Hubert and Herbert enlisting

Little Joe’s left waist gunner was Technical Sargeant Sanford Gordon Roy, 31, from Tennessee. Roy was quite a bit older than the rest of his crew and was also an aviation mechanic. His remains were Accounted For June 24, 2024, and a rosette added to his name on the Walls of the Missing. There was already a memorial cenotaph at Chattanooga’s Greenwood Cemetery, but T/Sgt Roy’s actual funeral with full military honors will take place at Greenwood on the 81st anniversary of his death, April 8, 2025 (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 11/27/2024). His great nephews, great nieces, and great- great niece will be in attendance to welcome him home. 

T/Sgt Sanford Roy and crewmates atop the newly painted Little Joe

The pilot of the Little Joe was 1st Lieutenant Joe Allen DeJarnette of Kentucky. On April 8, 1944, he was last witnessed piloting the bomber “at 1405 hours near Salzwedel.” He was likewise Accounted For June 24, 2024, and a rosette added next to his name in Margraten.  Joe’s parents, two sisters, and naval ensign brother are all deceased. There are no burial plans at this time, but hopefully he can be returned by a distant relative to his family resting place at Forest Lawn Memorial Park  in Erlanger, KY. 

Little Joe’s co-pilot was 2nd Lieutenant Robert D. McKee, hailing from Oregon. McKee was Accounted For June 24, 1944, and a rosette affixed next to his name in Margraten. His mother and two siblings are deceased; there is no burial information for 2LT McKee at this time.  

The bombardier aboard the Little Joe was 2nd Lieutenant John Harvey Harris, a happy 23-year-old from North Carolina. Harris was Accounted For June 20, 2024, and a rosette was added next to his name in Margraten. Although he came from a large family, his parents and seven siblings are also deceased. 2LT Harris’ nephew was there to welcome him recently to Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC, where he received a funeral with full military honors on November 19, 2024. 

The cases for the two still Unaccounted For members of the Little Joe are now listed as Active Pursuit:  Staff Sargeant Sidney A. Johnson, 23, the right waist gunner from California and Sargeant Frank J. Vincze, 29, the tail gunner from Pennsylvania. With the DPAA’s success in finding and identifying the original eight men of the crew, we can only hope that they can soon do the same for these two brave airmen and return them home. 

*** 

U.S. Army Private First Class Gordon N. Larson, 22, of Washington was a member of Battery B, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment. U.S. Army Private James S. Mitchell, 25, of California, was of Company B, 31st Infantry Regiment, and also stationed on the Bataan peninsula. On April 9, 1942, Larson and Mitchell were among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the infamous 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the War. According to prison camp and other historical records, Larson died Nov. 14, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 723. Mitchell followed on Jan. 7, 1943, and was buried in Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 816. 

Following the war, American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel exhumed those buried at the Cabanatuan Cemetery and relocated the remains to a temporary U.S. military mausoleum near Manila. In 1947, the AGRS examined the remains in an attempt to identify them. Of the sets of remains from the Common Graves, neither were identified. The unidentified remains were then buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM) as Unknowns.

In 2018, as part of the Cabanatuan Project, the DPAA exhumed the remains associated with Common Graves 723 and 816 and sent them to the DPAA laboratory for analysis. 

To identify Larson’s (8/12/2024) and Mitchell’s (9/30/2024) remains, scientists from the DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. 

Although interred as Unknowns in MACM, Larson’s and Mitchell’s graves were meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). Today, both men are memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. Rosettes will be placed next to their names to indicate they have been Accounted For. 

PFC Gordon Larson’s and PV2 James Mitchell’s funeral locations and dates have yet to be determined. 

*** 

U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sargeant Yuen Hop, 20, of Sebastopol, California, was assigned to the 368th Bombardment Squadron, 306th Bombardment Group, 1st Bombardment Division, 8th Air Force, in the European Theater. On December 29, 1944, Hop was a waist gunner on a B-17G Flying Fortress when his plane was hit over Bingen, Germany and the crew were forced to bail. One died at the scene, and five were captured and became POWs but survived the War. Hop, and two other crewmen, were Unaccounted For. 

AGRC continued to hunt for the three missing crew members 1946 – 1950, but finally ceased after their investigations were deemed complete; the three were then officially listed as Non-recoverable.  

In 2013, DPAA researchers working with local Germans recovered documents from the state archive at Koblenz, which appeared to contain information on the loss of three captured airmen. These documents referenced War Crimes case #12-1254, which indicated Hop was captured and killed by German SS troops near the town of Kamp-Bornhofen and buried in the local cemetery there. This was the first time the three had been referred to as German POWs. 

Between May 2021 and August 2022, DPAA teams excavated a suspected burial site in the Kamp-Bornhofen Cemetery, where the three airmen were believed to be buried. Under the supervision and direction of two Scientific Recovery Experts, the team recovered possible osseous remains and associated materials. These items were transferred to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis and identification. 

To identify Hop’s remains (6/18/2024), scientists from the DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis. 

Hop’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France. A rosette was placed next to his name to indicate he had been Accounted For. A memorial cenotaph bears his name at San Francisco National Cemetery.  

SSG Yuen Hop’s funeral location and date have yet to be determined. 

*** 

Massachusetts local star athletes and best friends, U.S. Army Air Forces Private 1st Class Bernard J. Calvi, 23, and U.S. Army Air Forces Corporal William Edward Gilman, 24, enlisted together September 14, 1940. Both men were assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, and stationed near Manila. 

BFFs Bernard Calvi and William Gilman enlisting 

On April 9, 1942, they were among those captured when U.S. forces surrendered to the Japanese. They too were subjected to the Bataan Death March and then held at POW Camp 1 at Cabanatuan. PV2 Calvi was the first to die, on July 16, 1942. CPL Gilman followed his buddy 40 days later, on August 25; both died of dysentery and malnutrition. Calvi was buried in Common Grave 316, but Gilman’s actual grave site was unknown; his status is currently listed as Active Pursuit. 

PV2 Calvi was Accounted For September 16, 2024, by the DPAA and a rosette placed next to his name on the Walls of the Missing. His remains were sent from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Philippines to North Adams, Massachusetts. His funeral service with full military honors takes place at noon today, December 10, 2024, at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 84 years after Bernard and his best friend, Bill Gilman, left town to go serve their country together and, ultimately, die together. 

*** 

After the DPAA positively identifies remains, they remand custody to the respective branch of service. In the instances above, because the U.S. Air Forces was then a branch of the U.S. Army,  the U.S. Army’s Past Conflicts Repatriation Branch (PCRB) and U.S. Army Human Resources Command were tasked with repatriating the recovered personnel. Each branch of the military has a similar mortuary office and protocol for handling newly Accounted For service members.  

An enormous amount of research is undertaken to locate their surviving family members. In the case of World War II and Korean War personnel, oft times the immediate family is also deceased, and distant kin is searched for. An important line at the bottom of each DPAA recovery announcement reads: If you are a family member of this service member, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.  

In the event that no one comes forward to claim their recovered kin, the appropriate mortuary affairs branch then has the authority to inter the personnel in the closest national (military) cemetery to their last known home address. 

Whether it is a relative that is finally sent their loved one for burial in their family plot, or the U.S. military installing them in a national cemetery with full honors, our fallen are treated with the greatest respect and dignity that can be afforded for their ultimate sacrifice. 

 CREDITS: Thank you to Marty Eddy, Michigan Coordinator, National League of POW/MIA Families 

Alger Service Through the Ages

The Alger’s have a very long history of patriotic and military service going back to when there were not many official written records documenting such things.

General Russell A. Alger’s parents, Russell Alger and Catherine Moulton of rural Lafayette Township, Medina County, Ohio, trace their ancestry back to Sir Thomas de Moulton, a knight who fought with King William I, better known as William the Conqueror, at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. If one must fight, one might as well fight with “one of the greatest soldiers and rulers of the Middle Ages” (Brittanica). Finding himself in great favor with the King for his battlefield efforts, Sir Thomas was rewarded with a large swath of land which officially became Moulton, Lincolnshire, England around 1100.

Centuries later, Gen. Alger’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather arrived in the United States. Master shipbuilder Robert Moulton relocated from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England to Salem, Massachusetts in 1629, along with his adult son, Robert Jr., a Church of England clergyman. Robert Sr. was loosely anointed “in charge” by the governor and was a very well respected community leader with extensive real estate holdings in the Charlestown area of Boston. The site of his former home became known as Moulton Point and was where the British landed when they crossed from Boston to engage in the Battle of Bunker Hill; both father and son died in 1655. Robert Moulton, III also lived in Salem, when it was popular to fight each other during the witch trials, which he reportedly engaged in.

Jumping ahead to the 5th generation of Robert Moulton descendants, one finds Captain Freeborn Moulton (4/3/1717 – 6/9/1792), the great-great-grandfather of Gen. Russell A. Alger (a 7th generation descendent). Capt. Moulton was born in Windham, CT and is Gen. Alger’s direct tie-in to the Revolutionary War. As part of Colonel Danielson’s Regiment, Freeman was Captain of the Monson minutemen and led the march to Cambridge in response to the Lexington Alarm issued April 19, 1775, kicking off the Revolutionary War. His memorial cenotaph is at Moulton Hill Cemetery, Monson, Hampden County, MA.

Cenotaph for Capt. Freeborn Moulton at Moulton Hill Cemetery in Monson, MA. 

His son, also named Freeborn (4/9/1746 – 1815), is likewise listed as being a Revolutionary War veteran from Monson in the Moulton Annul but I’ve not been able to independently 100% confirm this. However, the junior Freeman’s age is more in line with engaging in serious battle.

Although there is much less information immediately available on the paternal side of the Alger family lineage, there are several historical references to “a great grandfather” fighting in the Revolutionary War. Neither the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) nor I have found such evidence, but there may have been an ancestor, potentially Capt. John Alger, Jr., in the earlier and much lesser documented French and Indian War (1755 – 1762). The Alger’s, via Jonathon Alger, came from England around 1630 and landed in Connecticut living primarily in the Old Lyme area. If Capt. John was indeed a war veteran, he was the only one that descended from Jonathon until General Alger.

Revolutionary War Colonel Eli Brownson (5/31/1748 - 3/28/1830) was related to Annette Henry Alger, Gen. Alger’s wife. Born in Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, he registered for the military in 1777 and eventually died in Sunderland, Bennington, Vermont. Annette had him listed as her official Patriot in the DAR’s records, so he is 100% confirmed.

By now the story of General Russell Alexander Alger’s military service should be fairly well known. He signed up to join the Union Army within two weeks of his marriage to Annette as Ft. Sumter had been fired upon and he felt it was his patriotic duty. He mustered into the Civil War as Captain of Company C, 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Rising quickly through the ranks, he then became Lieutenant Colonel of the Michigan 6th Cavalry, then Colonel of the Michigan 5th Cavalry, General Custer’s famous brigade. He was severely injured twice: at the Battle of Booneville (MS, 7/2/1862), where he was also taken prisoner but escaped within 24 hours, then injured again at the Battle of Boonesboro (MD, 7/6/1864). Throughout the winter of 1863 – 1864 he was on special assignment visiting all of the U.S. field armies and camps on the orders of President Lincoln and reported only to him. Due to health issues from his war injuries, he retired from the military autumn of 1864. As with many veterans today, he continued to have service-related health issues throughout his lifetime. In total, he had fought in 66 battles and skirmishes, several of them the fiercest of the Civil War. Alger was considered a brilliant military strategist by Generals’ Custer, Sheridan, McClellan, and Kilpatrick. He was breveted as Brigadier General and Major General for “gallant and meritorious services on the field.”

Gen. Alger went on to bring an important change for veterans by vastly improving their pensions. As governor, he opened the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (now the Michigan Veterans’ Facility) in 1886 in Grand Rapids. He became the national Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) 1889 – 1890 and was a member of the Massachusetts Commandry of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS) before becoming a founding member of the Michigan Commandry. Both fraternal organizations were open only to Civil War veterans in good standing and had huge memberships. The Michigan Commandry was the driving force behind the 1921 installation of the impressive Russell Alger Memorial Fountain located in Grand Circus Park honoring the General.

Russell A. Alger Memorial Fountain at Grand Circus Park in Detroit. 

Alger went on to be vigorously promoted twice as a Republican candidate for U.S. president, became a Michigan state governor, the U.S. Secretary of War, and a two-time Michigan Senator before dying in office in early 1907.  

Funeral arrangements were handled by longtime friend, Truman Newberry (then Asst. Secretary of the Navy) and the GAR at Annette’s request. Although he had requested a simple funeral in keeping with his modest nature, he received two remarkable funerals: a political VIP-filled one in Washington, D.C. where he died and a massive one attended by thousands in Detroit on a frigid January day, the latter being essentially a state funeral. 

In addition to his active pallbearers, Alger had some 86 honorary pallbearers, consisting of some of the biggest names in Michigan history: Hudson, Buhl, Joy, Newberry, McMillan, Ferry, et al. He also had a very lengthy funeral cortege consisting of the joint committee of the national House and Senate; state and national VIPs;  three full bands; forty mounted police; the Corinthians’ and other Michigan Freemason groups’ members; 15 different military organizations’ and camps’ members (GAR, Loyal Legion, et al.); state, federal, and county officials; and the Newsboys’ Association with hundreds of men and boys bringing up the rear before the general public joined the solemn march. The public viewing was only for four hours exactly, but 20,000 people crammed into City Hall to file past his casket. They followed the General  from City Hall down Fort St. to Jefferson Ave., then marched to Elmwood Cemetery and the Alger mausoleum. Russell Alger, the battered Civil War veteran, even received flowers from a group of top former Confederate officers in a stunning show of respect. Gen. Alger dedicated his book The Spanish-American War to “the American Soldier and Sailor.” Although he came from impoverished and very difficult beginnings to achieve enormous fame and fortune,  the unassuming Alger most likely still thought of himself as a simple American patriot, soldier, and businessman. 

Gen. Alger’s youngest son, U.S. Army Colonel Frederick Moulton Alger (1876 – 1933) first fought in the tough Santiago Campaign of the Spanish-American War as a Captain under General William Shafter and was Assistant Adjunct General while his father was the U.S. Secretary of War. On May 1, 1917, a few years into World War I, 41-year-old Capt. Alger was ordered to camp at Fort Sheridan, IL. He had been involved with the committee to finance needy families of soldiers and war veterans and was also chairman of the Michigan Military Training Camps Association before he left for France, commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel, Field Artillery. He eventually received France’s very prestigious Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur (Chevalier, National Order of the Legion of Honor). Although he followed the military path and was very much like his father, Fred strongly rebuffed attempts throughout his life to be drawn into the higher political arena.  

In April 1919, Fred was tasked by Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. to organize Michigan’s American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations. The Gen. Russell A. Alger and Col. Frederick M. Alger VFW Post 995 was 1,000 members strong and active in Grosse Pointe for many years. In February of 1934, a separate Col. Frederick M. Alger American Legion Post 86 was created to “foster and emulate the spirit of comradeship, patriotism, and good citizenship as personified in the life of Col. Frederick M. Alger.” In April of 1935, the Frederick M. Alger Post 7 of the Polish Legion of American Veterans was formed. Alger American Legion Post 303 was based in Grosse Pointe and is still in existence, although the “Alger” was eventually dropped from their name. 

When Fred died New Year’s Eve of 1933 in Detroit, wife Mary Alger requested the American Legion handle all funeral arrangements, with assistance from the VFW, United Spanish War Veterans, and the military. Four honor guards stood silent watch at Col. Alger’s two hour public viewing, followed by the funeral mass at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church where he and Mary had been so active. Like his father’s funeral, thousands of members of various military units; the numerous clubs he belonged to; various veterans’ groups and posts; and the public followed the funeral cortege down Jefferson into Detroit, the route lined by hundreds of police officers.  The American Legion’s ritualistic rites were solemnly performed during his internment in the Alger mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery, and another Alger soldier was lain to rest. 

The Forty and Eight’s Most Distinguished Medal from the American Legion was awarded to Fred posthumously March 17, 1934. Another of the many tributes paid Fred was a large bronze commemorative plaque that was affixed to the wall outside the front entrance of the original Veterans Building by Detroit’s Common (City) Counsel, November 11, 1934, its current whereabouts unknown. An Alger Memorial Library was also installed in Detroit’s American Legion Home in January 1951. There may not have been American Legions, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or other large veterans’ organizations in Michigan if not for Colonel Frederick Moulton Alger. 

Frederick “Fred” M. Alger, Jr. (1907 – 1967) grew up in Grosse Pointe and Metamora before going East to Harvard. Fred was all about horses: playing polo, competing in assorted hunting and steeplechase events, horse racing, and owning his own stables. He famously won the debut Santa Anita Handicap in 1935 with his upstart horse, Azucar, providing exciting Depression-era headlines. Fred was a Naval Reservist and a major player on the social scene before being dispatched to the Naval Base in San Diego in the early days of World War II. Commander Alger mustered out September 1945 and was elected Michigan Secretary of State the following year, serving three 2-year terms. He ran for Michigan Governor in 1952, losing to G. Mennen Williams in an extremely close race. A staunch, early supporter of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower for president, Alger was appointed Ambassador to Belgium by him in May 1953 for a four-year-term ending March 1957. CDR Alger stayed active in Republican politics and involved as an officer of several companies. He was a member of several veterans’ organizations including the Sons of the American Revolution, the Military Order of the World Wars, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Fred Alger, Jr. died in Grosse Pointe in 1967 after a brief illness and was buried next to his grandfather in the Alger mausoleum at Elmwood. 

39-year-old Russell Alger III (1903 – 1970) was a stockbroker living the good life on his estate (Tuller Plantation) in Albany, Georgia when WWII rolled around. He signed up with the newly created Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Armed Forces. This branch was supposed to be a non-dangerous way for civilians to contribute to the war effort via border, air, and water patrols and other means. There is little information about Russell’s civilian service time but being that he was a voracious speed boat racer/owner and other water craft owner, one would assume that performing water patrol could have been the area in which he was involved.  

Russell’s younger nephew, sister Josephine Alger’s eldest child, was 2nd Lt. Henry Francis Chaney, Jr. (1917 – 1942) USMCR, 10300, VMSB-141, Mag 14,1st MAW, FMF.  Henry was a very promising 1940 graduate of Andover College, Yale University. After graduation, he attended the University of Michigan’s law school before beginning basic training. 

On June 10, 1941, he enlisted for four years in the Naval Reserves for “flight training elimination” at the U.S. Naval Reserve Aviation Base in Grosse Ile, MI. He was called up July 15 as a student naval aviation pilot and completed his flight training there August 14, 1941. He reported to the Naval Advanced Aviation School at Corpus Christi, TX on August 22 for active-duty flight training and was discharged October 16, 1941. He won his commission April 3, 1942, as naval aviator #12676. On May 5, 1942, Henry was commissioned Lieutenant Commander of his aviation cadet regiment.  

Chaney deployed from Camp Kearny, San Diego  to the Solomon Islands August 30, 1942, and arrived late September 1942, during the brutal Guadalcanal Campaign. He endured the daily Japanese bombardment of his encampment at Henderson Field, the Islands’ key airstrip, in addition to rampant tropical diseases, jungle terrain, rancid food, and a very aggressive adversary. On the night of October 13 – 14, 1942, two Japanese battleships shelled Henderson Field relentlessly, lobbing over 900 two-ton shells. Cactus Airforce Squadron (VMSB-141) lost 26 of its 29 aircraft and five officers, including their commanding officer and executive officer. 2nd Lt. Chaney suffered severe shrapnel wounds to the head from a direct hit and died instantly at 0230 hours on October 14, 1942. His remains were buried in Row 30, Grave 7 at the First Marine Division Cemetery, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. He was killed in action less than a month after his arrival. 

July 16, 1947, Josephine requested her son’s remains be sent back to Detroit if ever recovered. In late 1947, the 9105th Technical Services Unit, the military unit who were tasked with identifying and repatriating remains left behind at what used to be First Marine, successfully located him. On March 2, 1948, 2nd Lt. Henry F. Chaney’s remains were returned to Detroit and placed in vault #19 of the Alger mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery, alongside his grandfather Russell and uncle Fred. 

Josephine was the head of the Army and Navy Recreation League at the time of  Henry’s death. In 1943, the furnishings installed for the servicemen in the new Recreation Center at Detroit’s famed Brodhead Naval Armory were donated in Henry’s name as a memorial from her. 

U.S. Army Air Forces PFC Russell A. Alger, IV  (2/25/1926 – 12/25/2012) fought in both WWII and the Korean War. Another lumber industry Alger, he mustered in June 5, 1945, at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, GA and was discharged December of 1946. Russell was 26 years old – a better age than his father was for his World War II service - and single, living in Georgia at his parent’s plantation after attending Georgia Tech. “Rusty” signed up for what was then known as the U.S. Army Air Forces Reserve, enlistment for the duration of the war plus six months. There is nothing known about his later service as public muster rolls for the Korean War appear near nonexistent. PFC Russell A. Alger, IV was buried at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, AZ in 2012.

Headstone for Pfc. Russell A. Alger, IV at Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, AZ.

The Vietnam War came calling for PFC Frederick “Fred” Moulton Alger, III (12/20/1934 – current) who entered the Marine Corps July 3,1959 just after getting his MBA. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, CA, and joined Company A, 3dAmTracBn (Rein), 1st Mar. Div. (Rein), FMF, CP, CA.

PFC Fred Moulton Alger, III and his company in 1959 (Camp Pendleton, CA) 

If you know anything about the 1st Division, you know they are the oldest and most decorated Marine Division. They also pride themselves on being extremely big and extremely fierce. Fred was involved with “the operation, employment, maneuver, and maintenance” of amphibious assault vehicles in the 3D Amphibian Tractor Battalion, known since the mid-1970s as the 3D Assault Amphibian Battalion. PFC Alger stated that he and his mates were gung ho to get to Vietnam to do some serious damage – he used a bit more 1st Marines-type parlance – and were very disappointed they didn’t get called up. He also advised he became a crack shot with a rifle while at camp as a youngster, which he illustrated while in the service winning medals in Shooting. PFC Alger mustered out July 23, 1964, in New York City where he turned loose that 1st Marine motto of  “No better friend, no worse enemy” successfully for decades on Wall Street. 

Although there were very few ways for women to become officially involved in the military, the Alger ladies certainly served their country well. Marion Alger, Russell Jr’s. wife, became heavily entrenched with the Red Cross and war effort in 1917. As an authorized Red Cross representative and instructor, she went into area schools and the greater Detroit community to teach the approved method of sewing bandages and surgical dressings for soldiers. She was also charged with registering sewing and knitting groups of volunteers to make warm items of clothing for hospitalized soldiers. Large classes at the Packard plant, J.L. Hudson’s, and other major companies soon followed. Marion personally tended to wounded WWI U.S. soldiers at hospitals in France while visiting her father, who had moved there after leaving Detroit.  

She also became very motivated by and politically involved in what was commonly known as the Nurses Bill (officially the Lewis-Raker Bill) in September of 1918. A group of influential Americans tried to address the ill treatment of female nurses in the military by advocating for their inclusion in military rank and pay. The bill initially failed in July of 1919 – when the (male) U.S. Surgeon General opposed it - but a few watered-down provisions were later passed in June of 1920 as part of the National Defense Act. Sadly, American nurses in the military did not receive the full parity she sought until 1947, after World War II concluded.  

Over the many decades she was involved with the Neighborhood Club, countless other programs and services were based there to benefit the community, such as a welfare office and, during World War II, a Civil Defense headquarters and an official U.S.O. center for the thousands of troops shipping out. 

Mary Alger, Fred’s wife, also lent her services to the war effort while he went off to fight in WWI. She was involved with several different nursing associations and was Chairman of Nursing Activities with the American Red Cross; she remained very involved with both until her death. 

Mary was also very politically active, especially for a woman of the era. On February 20, 1934, a military delegation accompanying General Józef Haller von Hallenburg, Polish war hero of WWI, commander of their famed Blue Army, and political and social activist, appeared unannounced on her doorstep in Grosse Pointe. After inviting the delegation in, the General solemnly conferred upon a shocked Mary the Haller’s Swords Medal honoring her and Fred for “their friendship and services to Poland and the Polish people.” A few weeks later, she was presented with the Polish Army Veteran Association’s Cross of the Order of Merit Medal for her efforts on behalf of war veterans. In 1950, the National Citizenship Award was bestowed on her by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for her “longtime public welfare work, especially for the Red Cross.” She was also founder, life member, chairwoman, or president of an array of veterans and military-affiliated organizations. 

The Alger’s have always done what they could for their country and for those who fought for it. It is most fitting that the Russell A. Alger, Jr. estate, “The Moorings,” was left by Marion to the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association in remembrance of those who served and died, and to honor and celebrate the thousands of U.S. veterans who respected this great country by fighting for it and for democracy. 

CREDITS:
Thank you to Marcia Powell, Patricia Drury, and Peggy Scully of the DAR, and Fred M. Alger, III for their information, photos, and fact-checking.

The Mystery of the Old Mooring Poles

The 1910 Alger House, an opulent villa shrouded in mystery, looms with its Italian Renaissance Revival architecture and three imposing stone fireplaces from the 16th century. Rich with Italian elements, the estate was once christened “The Moorings” by the Alger family, for the curious Venetian mooring poles that marked the property. Two of these poles stood at the top of the lake stairs, while the other two rose hauntingly from the dark waters of Lake St. Clair. 

These Venetian styled canal poles, known as pali di casada, traditionally served as markers for Italian palazzos, guiding visitors who arrived by water. Usually striped in a family’s crest or colors, these poles bore silent witness to the comings and goings of those privileged enough to visit. For the Alger’s poles, no one today knows exactly what colors decorated these poles, whispers among staff hint they may have once donned red and pale beige to match the villa’s stony facade and rooftop. 

But did the Algers ever truly have a gondola swaying on the lake waters, tethered to one of these poles? A solitary reference exists, hinting at a gondola—but any photographic proof has been lost to time. Still, as Russell Alger Jr. was known for his speedboats, the boat well likely housed both his boats and possibly other watercraft that visitors might glimpse on foggy mornings. 

The Algers also had a seaplane, a relic from an early 1911 Wright biplane, which they would bring to rest at their mooring poles after gliding over the lake at twilight. Modifications were often made by Russell and his partner, pilot Frank Coffyn (no pun intended) as they attempted daring test flights over Canada and Belle Isle. With nightfall, the plane would be moored once more to the poles, waiting silently in the shadows until the next day’s flight. 

In time, the mooring poles’ function evolved from welcoming visitors to silently guarding the Alger’s mansion and waterside memories. Yet the mystery deepens: Where did these legendary mooring poles disappear to? 

Some say the lake itself claimed the poles, and that by 1930 the pair farthest from shore had already vanished, swallowed by waters. The last sighting of the remaining pair, the ones closest to the seawall, occurred before 1951, when a violent storm reportedly broke up the stone stairs and tossed them onto the bowling green. The poles were never seen again. 

Did these relics of the Alger legacy find their way to the lake’s hidden depths? When construction began on the Fries Auditorium in the late 1950s, the waters near the shore were filled with concrete and debris; perhaps, these last pieces of the Algers' Venetian dream lie entombed there. Or, like the Bronze Nymph recently unearthed from the river’s depths, perhaps the mooring poles still wait, buried beneath the lake’s shivering surface—a ghostly reminder of The Moorings, lost but watching, ever patient to resurface.  

October’s Lost and Found

There are eight men from Michigan who went missing in the Vietnam War in October. Of the locals, two were from Royal Oak, one from Rochester, and one from Detroit. These eight are among the 48 service men from Michigan who are still officially Unaccounted For. 

Oct. 1, 1965, Royal Oak’s Maj. Martin John Massucci (43 TFW) was piloting an F-4 Phantom II with two other aircraft on a strike and armed reconnaissance mission against the Ban Tang staging area in North Vietnam. Near Son La Province, the Phantom took enemy fire, and the crew were advised to bail out after flames were visible on their aircraft. One of Massucci’s two crew members was seen parachuting out before the aircraft crashed. No radio response was detected from Massucci or the other missing crew member, Col. Charles Joseph Scharf of California, and the exact crash site could not be located. Massucci’s and Scharf’s remains were declared Unaccounted For.  

Between 1992 and 2006, a joint Vietnamese / U.S. team located then investigated the crash site and found human remains.  Col. Charles Joseph Scharf’s remains were finally recovered and positively identified Aug. 31, 2006. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 30, 2006, with full military honors. Unfortunately, Maj. Martin Massucci remains lost and is officially listed as Unaccounted For -  Non-recoverable. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Office, the Non-recoverable designation is for cases assessed to have negative potential for accounting, such as cases in which the remains are lost at seas, or remains of an individual were cremated and/or systematically destroyed. 

1953 U.S. Naval Academy grad and Royal Oak native, Air Force Col. George Edward Tyler (390 TFS 366 TFW)  was flight commander of his F-4D Phantom II on a nighttime armed recon mission over North Korea with two other planes when he took enemy fire near Phu Qui on October 24, 1968. His rear seat pilot successfully ejected before the crash, but Tyler did not make it. Attempts to locate his remains were unsuccessful, and his status has been categorized as Unaccounted For - Active Pursuit. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Active Pursuit designation means that there is sufficient information to justify research, investigation, or recovery operations in the field. These cases are the priority for operational planning and allocation of resources. 38 years old at his time of death, Col. George Tyler left a wife and four children behind in Royal Oak. 

George Tyler

Rochester Army SSG. Dennis Lee Gauthier’s (CO C 3BN 12 INF 4 INF DIV) company was ambushed by enemy forces near Pleiku, South Vietnam on Oct. 31, 1969. His platoon was moving into position on a hill to provide cover when enemy forces opened fire on them. Gauthier was hit but could not be evacuated due to heavy hostile gunfire. Search teams were not able to locate him, nor any remains, once the gunfire ceased; he is still listed as Unaccounted For – Active Pursuit. His memorial cenotaph is located at A, 0, 183 at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan. 

Detroit Air Force CMSgt. Robert La Verne Hill (37 ARS) disappeared along with six other men Oct. 18, 1966. A 35-year-old Korean War vet, he was a flight mechanic aboard a large amphibious seaplane, an HU-16B Albatross, on a search and rescue mission out of Du Nang Air Base in South Vietnam. Mission completed, the Albatross radioed that it was returning to base from its position in the Gulf of Tonkin. That was the last time the crew was heard from. Search teams could find no traces of the seven crewmen or the Albatross; all seven are listed as Unaccounted For – Non-recoverable. Hill’s memorial cenotaph is located at Section 8, Site 4 at San Francisco National Cemetery. 

Martin John Massucci

Marine Corps CWO2 Bruce Edward Boltze (Sub Unit 1, 1st ANGLICO) of Flint set out on a forward air control mission with another service member Oct. 6, 1972.  Boltze was the spotter aboard their OV-10 Bronco when they disappeared from radar over water near Da Nang, South Vietnam. A water search team located the Bronco’s wreckage but neither of the two service members’ remains. Both men are listed as Unaccounted For – Active Pursuit. 

Lansing Air Force Capt. Kenneth Earl Walker (1 ACO SQDN)  was piloting an A-1E Skyraider along with a VNAF student pilot on Oct. 2, 1964. They were the number three aircraft in a flight of four over targets near Tra Vinh Province, South Vietnam, when their plane went into a dive, crashed into the water, flipped over, and immediately sank into the South China Sea. Aerial and Navy Search and Rescue could find no survivors amid the strong currents and threat of hostile presence on shore; subsequent searches post-war were also negative. Sixty years later, Capt Walker’s status remains Unaccounted For – Active Pursuit. 

Air Force Capt. William Henry Stroven (11 TRS 432 TRW) of Freemont, MI was piloting an RF-4C Phantom II with his navigator on a nighttime recon mission over enemy targets in North Vietnam Oct. 28, 1968. There was no more radio contact from them after checking in over Quang Binh Province and the Phantom never returned to base. In a now familiar story, neither the aircraft nor the two service members’ remains could be located. Both are still listed as Unaccounted For – Active Pursuit. 

1963 U.S. Naval Academy grad and Navy LCDR John Bowers Worcester of Big Rapids, MI was alone piloting an A-4C Skyhawk on the night of Oct. 19, 1965, on a two-plane recon mission over North Vietnam. He attacked a bridge, then checked in with his flight leader. When he didn’t complete his next check in or return to base, a search team retraced his flight path to no result. The second plane had seen nothing, and  neither a crash site nor Worcester’s remains could be found; his status became Unaccounted For -  Active Pursuit. In Big Rapids, his cenotaph is at Highlandview Cemetery (Block 6, Lot 5, Plot 6) and a monument erected by his Annapolis classmates in a city park memorializes John “Smiley” Worcester. 

These missing heroes’ names were memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii (aka Punchbowl). Their names were also inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. If any additional remains are recovered and positively identified, as with Col. Scharf, a bronze rosette will be placed next to their name on the two marble Vietnam War walls at the Courts of the Missing in Honolulu to publicly designate them as officially Accounted For.  

There are still 1,574 U.S. service members Unaccounted For from the Vietnam War.  

CREDIT: Thank you to Ms. Marty Eddy, Michigan Coordinator of the National League of POW / MIA Families, for our missing men’s names.

Prohibition and the Algers

In honor of our new Speakeasy event series, we wanted to delight you with an excerpt from a story we previously published about Mary Swift Alger and her involvement in Michigan’s prohibition time. Our next Speakeasy will be held November 3rd; tickets are available now!

By the early teens, the specter of Michigan succumbing to prohibition had accelerated greatly. Although there had been talk of prohibition in the U.S. since the 1800s it seemed inevitable by 1911 when a good many Michigan counties had already gone dry of their own accord. In 1916, Michigan voters decided to officially ban alcohol production, sales, and consumption throughout the state, with the law officially taking effect May of 1918. Michigan led the way in prohibition, and it quickly took hold throughout the U.S.

As repeal advocates, both Col. Fred and Mary Alger were very vocal anti-prohibition activists, and prominent public sparring partners of the Anti-Saloon League and Methodist Board of Temperance, Prohibition, and Public Morals. The influential couple had many followers and supporters, and their message was simple: REPEAL – CONTROL – EDUCATE!

Fred was a prominent member of the Crusaders, a group of mostly younger men advocating temperance to eliminate bootleggers, violence, and death. Although formed in Cleveland, the Michigan group had the most clout. The men zeroed in on down ticket politics and seeded “wet” candidates in many open offices as their anti-prohibition strategy.

Mary was Michigan chairwoman and chief flamethrower of the powerful action group the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform (WONPR). Besides her common sense yet rousing interviews and speeches to organizations in Michigan and beyond, efforts such as “Ring the Bells” sent her members house-to-house to inform and fire up citizens for repeal. This campaign was so successful the membership grew to some 50,000 women in Michigan alone once Mary became their state chairwoman.

The problem with forced prohibition was the same as with any civil right that was suddenly denied or outlawed that Americans once had: citizens found ways to regain access to it outright or subverted the law to replicate what was being withheld.

As Fred so wisely observed to the New York Times (1/31/1932), “In America, law is an agreement between us as to how we shall live. It is social rather than political and cannot be imposed from the top down. When a law is the expression of the opinion of a community, moral pressure and honest intention will force its observation.”

Outlawing liquor did not bring the elimination of crime and alcoholism that was promised. Instead, it brought blindness and death from “bathtub” liquor; a huge new crop of wealthy bootleggers and violent gangsters; much higher crime rates and public drunkenness arrests; and, as Mary so simply stated, “Thousands of unlicensed saloons to take the place of (one) old saloon before prohibition.”

The Alger’s push for repeal incorporated new laws, controls, and state oversight on liquor manufacturing, distribution, and purchase, and the licensing of all liquor-serving establishments. They also advocated for an educational component for consumers, whether they were alcohol drinkers or not. The high profile couple never turned down a chance to argue these topics publicly or impart their ideas for the basic, good sense handling of alcohol.

April 15-16 of 1931, a WONPR conference took place in Washington, DC where 530 representatives from 32 states organized support for anti-prohibition candidates called “Say It with Ballots.” Michigan was represented by the second largest attending membership. The women even met with President Herbert Hoover at the White House and presented resolutions for repeal to him (and to Congress) to affect changes. However, reports had Hoover remaining stoic as he was for prohibition. In response, a new directive issued at the conference was that political parties should not matter in the women’s fight against prohibition; they were to cross party lines when campaigning and voting if required.

Even more energized post-conference, Mary corralled three heavyweight repeal groups into action: the Crusaders, the WONPR, and the Michigan Moderation League. They joined forces with the Voluntary Committee of Lawyers and the American Hotel Organization to form the powerful United Repeal Council (URC). The URC lobbied heavily at both parties’ conventions, then turned repeal into a major topic of the presidential race. 86,000 signatures were needed in Michigan for a referendum, and the combined group blew past that number with 200,000 signatures collected demanding repeal. The initial signatures were submitted in early April of 1932, but Mary planned to solicit even more signatures until July 1. Michigan Governor Frank Fitzgerald finally promised the issue would be placed on the November ballot as Proposal #1.

Prior to the 1932 election, the Fred Alger’s, longtime very high-profile Republican supporters and campaigners, shocked everyone by endorsing Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Democrats down ballot instead of the incumbent, Republican President Herbert Hoover. They voted for the anti-prohibitionists for change, just as they had requested their followers also do, and Roosevelt eventually won the presidency 57.3% to Hoover’s 39.6%.

Mary had also attended both parties’ conventions stumping for repeal and had received a large amount of national press for her efforts. She was well known in many circles outside of Michigan and was a somewhat polarizing figure. Thousands of women looked up to her, appreciative that in addition to the enormous and messy undertaking of repeal politics, she was still simultaneously involved with an extraordinary amount of social and charitable projects and continued to sit on the boards, or was director of, numerous organizations.

On April 10, 1933, a triumphant Mary Alger was in Lansing atop the rostrum presiding at the ratification convention as the vote was taken in Michigan’s Representative Hall to repeal Prohibition, 99-1, the first state in the nation to do so.

Americans were finally able to rid themselves of the very unpopular 18th Amendment later that year in great part thanks to the masterful organization of these opposition groups and the diligent efforts of thousands of supercharged Michigan women, led by influential leaders like Mary Alger.

Mary at the Ratification Vote courtesy of The Lansing State Journal

On May 4, 1933, the American Legion, which Col. Fred Alger founded in Michigan, received the first Special License from the Liquor Commission to serve 3.2% beer at their event scheduled for May 10. Some 30,000 thirsty Detroiters showed up to partake of the first legal beer served since 1918 at that Legion event.

Early January 1935 brought the big announcement that Mary Swift Alger would be appointed the first female Michigan Liquor Control Commissioner, and an original member of the 17-member Michigan Liquor Control Commission established to regulate the sale and distribution of beer. “She will fight as hard against the abuses of liquor as she did against prohibition,” proclaimed Michigan Gov. Frank Fitzgerald. Little did he know how accurate his prediction was.

Mary made headlines in April following an interesting evening out with Harry Colburn, the chief investigator to the prosecutor’s office. The story carried in the Rock Hill, SC Evening Herald (4/9/1935) detailed a covert operation the two staged visiting Detroit saloons and clubs on a Saturday night to observe how the rollout and new rules were working. Reportedly they found all manner of flagrant violations of the liquor code and were aghast. They determined that she would meet with the Commission, pull the establishments’ records, and recommend fines/prosecution/license revocation of the offending parties. Mary specifically wanted to be a Liquor Board Commissioner to “correct abuses” in the system but apparently the investigation and her recommendations fell upon deaf ears. First, she had evidence that the rollout of alcohol protocols to the government stores and establishment licensing was being flouted. Then, on July 31, 1935, an incomprehensible plan was suddenly afoot to close 27 of the state liquor stores and turn over liquor enforcement to an enlarged Michigan State Police instead of the appointed liquor control commissioners - all Gov. Fitzgerald’s ideas. He also wanted 150 liquor control-related workers dismissed, 65 being commission enforcement officers, within 30 days.

Mary went ballistic privately as she’d lost all confidence in Gov. Fitzgerald. She resigned her two Liquor Board positions Aug. 6, 1935, publicly using the polite excuse of having to tend to her out-of-state sister’s illness which precluded her in good conscience from serving in Detroit or Lansing for the Board. Sensing disorder, Dr. D.I. McBride, the Michigan superintendent of the old Anti-Saloon League further angered her by alleging to the media that “she was disappointed with the results of the repeal.” Mary publicly countered via a letter sent to her former organization, the WONPR for distribution, reiterating that “education and self-discipline will achieve temperance, not prohibition.”

Mary Swift Alger, early feminist and defender of logic, feared no one.

Birth of The War Memorial

The War Memorial officially turned 75 on March 18th! In celebration of this momentous occasion, we are telling the story of how The War Memorial came about.

On October 14, 1942, The Alger’s went through the horror many other American families also experienced, including many in Grosse Pointe, when 2nd Lt. Henry F. Chaney, Jr. was killed in Guadalcanal, after arriving just three short weeks prior. Chaney was the only person born in the Alger house, and was Josephine Alger Chaney’s first child. His body was not located and returned home until March of 1948. Nobody knew it at the time, but this event, occurring half a world away, would be integral in the formation of The War Memorial.

When WWII officially ended on September 2, 1945 with Japan’s surrender, the remaining troops began their return back home. Grosse Pointe alone welcomed back 3,500 veterans - and faced the terrible realization we had lost 126 residents. Sentiment was running very high for some sort of tribute or memorial to be erected honoring our heroic service personnel.

Then came October 16, 1945. The Grosse Pointe Honor Roll Association authorized various community groups to gather and discuss the idea of a permanent memorial. With an enormous response of approximately 85 organizations, the group convened on November 30, 1945 at Grosse Pointe High School to form a committee to examine the idea further, becoming the Permanent War Memorial Study Group of Grosse Pointe. They decided to hold a survey contest to garner the public’s genuine interest in a War Memorial, and glean some concrete ideas as to what the memorial should be, how it should function and be maintained, etc. The Honor Roll Association provided three $100 Victory Bonds that were to be used as prizes given to the Veteran, Student, and Resident category winners.

The July 15 contest deadline was to determine best answers to these questions:

1. Is or is not a Grosse Pointe Permanent War Memorial desirable?

2. What would it probably cost to build your suggested Memorial?

3. After it has been built, what is your plan to maintain it and the maintenance cost?

4. How practical is your plan and how can it be made to work?

5. How fitting and appropriate will your plan be for honoring our veterans and would it be a credit to our community?

6. How well written, readable, and presentable is your plan?

October 1946, the winners – presumably representing a cross-section of the Grosse Pointe public’s views – were announced and their essays printed in the Grosse Pointe News. All three had advocated for a veterans’ memorial as a library. The winner from the Veterans category, Samuel P. Shepard, eloquently wrote: “As a veteran, I personally feel that a memorial of the sort which would prove to the coming generations that the ideals of being able to write and say what you thought were important enough to fight for and is the best tribute a community could pay to those who made the supreme sacrifice, and a Memorial Library, open to all, and available to all, the opportunity to read and study what one wishes is the most satisfactory and complete solution to the problem of a memorial to our service man and service women.”

By January of 1948, fundraising was underway for a Grosse Pointe War Memorial Library, with a yet to be determined location. On a converging front, after years of threats, the mayor of Detroit was finally able to close the popular Alger House Museum (which had been being used as an annex of the DIA), by withholding operating funds from the Detroit Institute of Arts budget. Upon the DIA’s exit on June 30,1948, the beautiful Alger estate reverted to Marion Alger. She had moved out in 1930 after Russell’s death and lived in a house on Provencal.

While Marion waited for the “right fit” for her former home, her nephew, Alger Shelden, suggested she donate the estate to the “memorial library” effort. Alger was an authority on the topic since he had headed the Grosse Pointe Honor Roll Society, Grosse Pointe War Memorial Fund, a member of the board of directors for the Grosse Pointe Council of Veterans Affairs, sponsored the War Memorial Contest, and had raised, or contributed himself, most of the money toward the Memorial. Marion agreed that a memorial library would be a good community use of her lovely home and gardens.

The Alger’s offered their estate, free and clear, to be used as a war memorial library on November 16, 1948. Just 4 days later, on November 20, their attorney was notified the deed offer was rejected. The offer was formally withdrawn by Marion the first week of December, shortly before she left on vacation. The Algers, Alger Shelden, the various groups working for a memorial, and many Grosse Pointers were crushed. The new library issue, for the time being, faded.

While Marion spent the winter away, Shelden and his group pressed on with fundraising, eliminating the “library” portion from the equation and feeling re-invigorated. They were now looking foremost at a War Memorial which also had other appropriate educational, patriotic, and cultural events that would benefit the community – Marion’s exact desire. Once she returned from warmer climates in early March, a confident Shelden sent to her their updated fundraising numbers along with the community and veterans components built into their War Memorial plan. As expected, the family was very enthusiastic and agreed to it immediately.

On March 18, 1949, the Alger estate was deeded over to the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Association. Grosse Pointers, and especially veterans, finally had their War Memorial and a place where the community could gather in a beautiful, serene setting. The next step was to get the memorial portion up and running.

The new Board of Directors had its first meeting, held at the Neighborhood Club on May 3, 1949. The Executive Committee was comprised of the first six officers of the Association: Alger Shelden (president); John L. Kenower (vice president); Paul I. Moreland (treasurer); Richard Huegli (assistant treasurer); Mrs. Herbert Goebel (secretary); and Remington Purdy (assistant secretary). A 35-member Senior Advisory Council was also created, along with a Junior Advisory Council to represent the younger set’s ideas for the Memorial’s programming and use.

Furthermore, it was determined at this first meeting to temporarily relocate the Honor Roll kiosk from its grassy location at Fisher and Kercheval to the lakefront in time for their first Memorial Day service. The intention was to eliminate the kiosk altogether and “bring the names of the veterans into the building for permanent display in gold and bronze.”

At the July 13,1949 meeting, a motion passed to give WWII veterans their own room in the house to be known as the Veterans Room. As expected, a veterans’ committee selected Russell Alger’s former Billiard Room as their desired space. It was envisioned as a place where veterans could meet “for companionship and for discussion of matters of common interest.” It was also seen as a “repository of war memorabilia and relics and manuscripts relating to the war, and to the individual part played in it, by Grosse Pointe veterans.”

As the years passed, Alger Shelden stayed as the head of the organization for many years. Without his influence, and continual prodding, there would be no War Memorial. Marion stayed active with the organization until her death in 1962. She was always involved with things behind the scenes, particularly anything to do with her beloved gardens or furnishings. She continued to finance most of the plantings, relandscaping, and upkeep of the gardens, and donated financially (via blue chip stocks) throughout her life. Likewise, her daughters Josephine and Fay also quietly donated stock. Additionally, upon Marion’s death, the daughters donated both her house furnishings and elements of her personal garden to The War Memorial.

You too can contribute to the legacy and longevity of The War Memorial by visiting our Support page.

The Original “Swifties”

The force of nature known as Mary (aka “Mignonne”) Eldridge Swift was born on May 21, 1876, to E.Y. (Edward) and Irene Swift at her grandparent’s home in Norfolk, Connecticut although the Swift’s actually lived in Detroit. The previous month a parcel of land on the southwest corner of Lafayette and 3rd was sold to E.Y. for $9,500 by General Russell A. Alger. The original address was 184 W. Lafayette Blvd. now numbered 804, across from the Cambria Hotel. West Lafayette Boulevard and West Fort Street were the two most desirable streets for wealthy Detroiter’s at the time.

E.Y. Swift was a successful attorney and president of both the Woodmere Cemetery Association and Michigan Nut and Bolt Company. He also had various other business holdings including in Parke, Davis & Co.

Mary’s regular schooling, finishing, and music (piano and voice) studies occurred in New York, Geneva, and Paris. She spoke fluid French as a child and by all accounts was a very fine soprano. She performed frequently at churches, parties, and large community events in both Connecticut and Michigan as a young woman. Her great interest in classical music and opera was a constant throughout her life. She was a major organizer, early supporter, and president of the Detroit Civic Opera Company in both of its incarnations. She was also involved early on with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a longtime financial supporter from at least 1912 onward, and was on their board of directors starting in 1915. Most arts programs in Detroit had several fitful starts and stops over the decades, and frequently it was the fundraising efforts of society women like Mary which kept them afloat.

Gen. Alger’s youngest son, Frederick Moulton Alger, was born in Detroit at the family’s 150 W. Fort St. home on June 27, 1876, a mere month after Mary Swift’s birth. As one would expect, the two quickly found each other living down the block and while moving in similar social circles. Things heated up romantically upon Fred’s return from the Spanish-American War.

Like most everyone, he was probably bedazzled by Mary Swift. She was reportedly very charismatic, witty, gracious, direct, and extraordinarily well organized. She had the ability to galvanize people, particularly women, and did not let being a woman born in the Victorian era impede her in any way. She was surprisingly “modern” and a born leader. Although raised in a very religious and dignified household, one might consider Mary an early feminist and groundbreaking political and social activist. She achieved national fame as a staunch anti-prohibitionist and successful champion of repeal.

On May 2, 1901, Capt. Fred Alger and Mary Swift were married at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in a huge society wedding. True to form, and to the possible horror of a few, the part of her vows about “obeying” was neatly excised from the ceremony.

Their first child, Edward Swift, was born June 4, 1903, and daughter Frances followed quickly on December 23, 1904. Their last child, Frederick Moulton Alger, Jr. was born August 3, 1907. Then tragedy struck the young family in February of 1908. Four-year-old Edward complained of stomach pains for several days before suddenly passing away at home on February 26th of what is now referred to as diabetic ketoacidosis. A large, haunting portrait of young Edward was commissioned and hung over the Alger’s main fireplace for decades in memory of their lost son.

After Gen. Alger’s death in 1907 the family moved from the Fort Street mansion into their spectacular new Grosse Pointe home, “By-Way,” located at 17700 E. Jefferson. An avid party planner and hostess, Mary frequently entertained her many friends and members of her numerous social and charitable organizations there. The home was unusual, a long, lower profile structure with a large number of windows facing Lake St. Clair. Enhancing the loveliness of the estate were a large quantity of ancient French pear trees, a few which still exist.

“BY-WAY” w/ EDWARD, FRANCES, & THEIR CHAUFFEUR, 1907

“By-Way” was located slightly south of brother Russell’s property, “The Moorings,” on the immediate other side of the Dodge’s famed “Rose Terrace” mega-mansion. Like their two husbands, Marion and Mary Alger frequently were involved in business and social events together, usually of a charitable nature. Sometimes they worked, had fun, and set historic records together, as on the afternoon of June 19, 1911, when they both flew in a Wright Brothers biplane becoming the first two Michigan women in flight. The two wives took many more flights, fearlessly venturing over Lake St. Clair as flying guinea pigs as their husbands and Wright’s pilot, Frank Coffyn, tinkered with improvements to their biplane / seaplane for several months.

Both of Mary’s parents died within a short span in 1913, on May 1 and June 15. On September 19, Mary donated $18,000 to Fort Street Presbyterian for the creation and installation of a new pipe organ in her parents’ name as they had worshipped there for decades. The Swift Memorial Organ was built in 1914 by Wangerian-Weickhardt and contained 3,253 pipes ranging in length from 1/4 inch to 16 feet; it is still in use today.

SWIFT MEMORIAL ORGAN

Fred and Mary also made several important donations to Grosse Pointe Memorial Church once they relocated to Grosse Pointe and worshipped there. Gifts included numerous beautiful stained-glass windows and the huge “Alger bells” that still ring every hour.

In 1914, the typhoid epidemic demanded strict quarantines be put in place. Mary and Fred volunteered their “By-Way” boat house be used as a day school. The Grosse Pointe School as it was called was private, co-ed, and outdoors, completely exposed to the elements on Lake St. Clair.

GROSSE POINTE SCHOOL

After a few years the School moved from the boat house to an indoor building, also changing names to the Grosse Pointe Country Day School. After more moves and mergers, it eventually became University Liggett School.

By the early teens, the specter of Michigan succumbing to prohibition had accelerated greatly. Although there had been talk of prohibition in the U.S. since the 1800s it seemed inevitable by 1911 when a good many Michigan counties had already gone dry of their own accord. In 1916, Michigan voters decided to officially ban alcohol production, sales, and consumption throughout the state, with the law officially taking effect May of 1918. Michigan led the way in prohibition, and it quickly took hold throughout the U.S.

As Fred went off to fight in World War I, Mary also lent her services to the war effort. She was involved with several different nursing associations and was chairman of nursing activities with the American Red Cross. She stayed very active with nursing groups the remainder of her life. In 1929, Mary financed the remodeling of the David Whitney estate’s carriage house into offices for the Visiting Nurse Association, another of her favorite causes. Decades later the VNA went on to purchase the entire Whitney property for their use.

As repel advocates, both Col. Fred and Mary Alger were very vocal anti-prohibition activists, and prominent public sparring partners of the Anti-Saloon League and Methodist Board of Temperance, Prohibition, and Public Morals. The influential couple had many followers and supporters, and their message was simple: REPEAL – CONTROL – EDUCATE!

Fred was a prominent member of the Crusaders, a group of mostly younger men advocating temperance to eliminate bootleggers, violence, and death. Although formed in Cleveland, the Michigan group had the most clout. The men zeroed in on down ticket politics and seeded “wet” candidates in many open offices as their anti-prohibition strategy.

Mary was Michigan chairwoman and chief flamethrower of the powerful action group the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform (WONPR). Besides her common sense yet rousing interviews and speeches to organizations in Michigan and beyond, efforts such as “Ring the Bells” sent her members house-to-house to inform and fire up citizens for repeal. This campaign was so successful the membership grew to some 50,000 women in Michigan alone once Mary became their state chairwoman.

Trying to emulate her success, the opposing Women’s Christian Temperance League (WCTL), a total abstinence organization, had a loyal member in Mrs. Truman (Harriet) Newberry - and the battle of the Grosse Pointe beau monde commenced. Contributing to the spectacle: longtime Alger family friend and WONPR National Executive Committee member, Mrs. Henry (Helen) Bourne Joy, was also Harriet’s niece! Mary Alger and Harriet Newberry went at it loudly, publicly, and often, and the women of the Pointes, particularly the Farms, were divided into two camps by the two strong leaders.

The problem with forced prohibition was the same as with any civil right that was suddenly denied or outlawed that Americans once had: citizens found ways to regain access to it outright or subverted the law to replicate what was being withheld.

As Fred so wisely observed to the New York Times (1/31/1932), “In America, law is an agreement between us as to how we shall live. It is social rather than political and cannot be imposed from the top down. When a law is the expression of the opinion of a community, moral pressure and honest intention will force its observation.”

Outlawing liquor did not bring the elimination of crime and alcoholism that was promised. Instead, it brought blindness and death from “bathtub” liquor; a huge new crop of wealthy bootleggers and violent gangsters; much higher crime rates and public drunkenness arrests; and, as Mary so simply stated, “Thousands of unlicensed saloons to take the place of (one) old saloon before prohibition.”

The Alger’s push for repeal incorporated new laws, controls, and state oversight on liquor manufacturing, distribution, and purchase, and the licensing of all liquor-serving establishments. They also advocated for an educational component for consumers, whether they were alcohol drinkers or not. The high profile couple never turned down a chance to argue these topics publicly or impart their ideas for the basic, good sense handling of alcohol.

April 15-16 of 1931, a WONPR conference took place in Washington, DC where 530 representatives from 32 states organized support for anti-prohibition candidates called “Say It with Ballots.” Michigan was represented by the second largest attending membership. The women even met with President Herbert Hoover at the White House and presented resolutions for repeal to him (and to Congress) to affect changes. However, reports had Hoover remaining stoic as he was for prohibition. In response, a new directive issued at the conference was that political parties should not matter in the women’s fight against prohibition; they were to cross party lines when campaigning and voting if required.

Even more energized post-conference, Mary corralled three heavyweight repeal groups into action: the Crusaders, the WONPR, and the Michigan Moderation League. They joined forces with the Voluntary Committee of Lawyers and the American Hotel Organization to form the powerful United Repeal Council (URC). The URC lobbied heavily at both parties’ conventions, then turned repeal into a major topic of the presidential race. 86,000 signatures were needed in Michigan for a referendum, and the combined group blew past that number with 200,000 signatures collected demanding repeal. The initial signatures were submitted in early April of 1932, but Mary planned to solicit even more signatures until July 1. Michigan Governor Frank Fitzgerald finally promised the issue would be placed on the November ballot as Proposal #1.

Prior to the 1932 election, the Fred Alger’s, longtime very high-profile Republican supporters and campaigners, shocked everyone by endorsing Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Democrats down ballot instead of the incumbent, Republican President Herbert Hoover. They voted for the anti-prohibitionists for change, just as they had requested their followers also do, and Roosevelt eventually won the presidency 57.3% to Hoover’s 39.6%.

Mary had also attended both parties’ conventions stumping for repeal and had received a large amount of national press for her efforts. She was well known in many circles outside of Michigan and was a somewhat polarizing figure. Thousands of women looked up to her, appreciative that in addition to the enormous and messy undertaking of repeal politics, she was still simultaneously involved with an extraordinary amount of social and charitable projects and continued to sit on the boards, or was director of, numerous organizations.

On April 10, 1933, a triumphant Mary Alger was in Lansing atop the rostrum presiding at the ratification convention as the vote was taken in Michigan’s Representative Hall to repeal Prohibition, 99-1, the first state in the nation to do so.

MARY AT THE RATIFICATION VOTE

Americans were finally able to rid themselves of the very unpopular 18th Amendment later that year in great part thanks to the masterful organization of these opposition groups and the diligent efforts of thousands of supercharged Michigan women, led by influential leaders like Mary Alger.

On May 4, 1933, the American Legion, which Col. Fred Alger founded in Michigan, received the first Special License from the Liquor Commission to serve 3.2% beer at their event scheduled for May 10. Some 30,000 thirsty Detroiters showed up to partake of the first legal beer served since 1918 at that Legion event.

Unfortunately, Fred and Mary did not have long to celebrate their repeal victory together as 1933 ended in great personal tragedy.

The first week of October, at the 15th Annual National Convention of the American Legion, Fred had a seemingly minor incident - he bumped his left leg on his car door upon exiting. He had a slight bruise the next day when he returned home from Chicago and thought nothing more of it. On November 22, he awoke to find no feeling in his leg so checked into Detroit’s Charles Godwin Jennings Hospital. Dr. Jennings ran various tests and diagnosed a dangerous blood clot in a major artery of his leg; his left leg was amputated November 28. Fred was not recovering from the procedure as expected so he remained hospitalized. He then developed a second blood clot, this time in his lung, with devastating consequences.

Col. Frederick M. Alger died New Year’s Eve of 1933 still at Jennings Hospital; he was 57 years old. Mary never left his side from November 22 until his death.

A tremendously popular man and beloved military veteran, Fred lay in state for public viewing at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, where his service was later held, before internment in Elmwood Cemetery’s Alger mausoleum. After his will was probated, he was found to have left $2,655,691.80. After hefty inheritance and other taxes, the net was reduced to $1,634,264.80. Half went to his widow, Mary Swift Alger, and the other half equally to his surviving children, Frederick Jr. and Frances Alger Boyer.

Following Fred’s untimely death and the settling of his estate, the accolades continued to roll in with Mary presiding over various tributes for both of them throughout 1934.

According to the Detroit Free Press (2/21/1934), on February 20, 1934, an unannounced surprise awaited Mary when she answered her doorbell at “By-Way.” Outside was a military delegation accompanying General Józef Haller von Hallenburg, Polish war hero of WWI, commander of their famed Blue Army, and political and social activist. After inviting the delegation in for an hour of chat, the General solemnly conferred upon Mary the Haller’s Swords medal honoring her and Fred for “their friendship and services to Poland and the Polish people.” A few weeks later, she was presented with the Polish Army Veteran Association’s Cross of the Order of Merit medal for her efforts on behalf of war veterans. She was back to her various community duties and accepting the outpouring of affection for Fred, while also keeping a wary eye on the post-prohibition landscape.

Early January 1935 brought the big announcement that Mary Swift Alger would be appointed the first female Michigan Liquor Control Commissioner, and an original member of the 17-member Michigan Liquor Control Commission established to regulate the sale and distribution of beer. “She will fight as hard against the abuses of liquor as she did against prohibition,” proclaimed Michigan Gov. Frank Fitzgerald. Little did he know how accurate his prediction was.

Mary made headlines in April following an interesting evening out with Harry Colburn, the chief investigator to the prosecutor’s office. The story carried in the Rock Hill, SC Evening Herald (4/9/1935) detailed a covert operation the two staged visiting Detroit saloons and clubs on a Saturday night to observe how the rollout and new rules were working. Reportedly they found all manner of flagrant violations of the liquor code and were aghast. They determined that she would meet with the Commission, pull the establishments’ records, and recommend fines/prosecution/license revocation of the offending parties. Mary specifically wanted to be a Liquor Board Commissioner to “correct abuses” in the system but apparently the investigation and her recommendations fell upon deaf ears. First, she had evidence that the rollout of alcohol protocols to the government stores and establishment licensing was being flouted. Then, on July 31, 1935, an incomprehensible plan was suddenly afoot to close 27 of the state liquor stores and turn over liquor enforcement to an enlarged Michigan State Police instead of the appointed liquor control commissioners - all Gov. Fitzgerald’s ideas. He also wanted 150 liquor control-related workers dismissed, 65 being commission enforcement officers, within 30 days.

Mary went ballistic privately as she’d lost all confidence in Gov. Fitzgerald. She resigned her two Liquor Board positions Aug. 6, 1935, publicly using the polite excuse of having to tend to her out-of-state sister’s illness which precluded her in good conscience from serving in Detroit or Lansing for the Board. Sensing disorder, Dr. D.I. McBride, the Michigan superintendent of the old Anti-Saloon League further angered her by alleging to the media that “she was disappointed with the results of the repeal.” Mary publicly countered via a letter sent to her former organization, the WONPR for distribution, reiterating that “education and self-discipline will achieve temperance, not prohibition.”

In the midst of the Liquor Control Commission fiasco, she chimed in on another hot button news topic. In July, Mary spoke out publicly on behalf of Dr. Amy Stannard, a brilliant psychiatrist who was removed from the Federal Parole Board by U.S. Attorney General Homer Cummings - for being a woman. Dr. Stannard was told that “even though she had very impressive credentials, being a woman disqualified her work.” Mary had no financial or business interest in the controversy, nor even personally knew the doctor, but she spoke up boldly in the newspapers for Dr. Stannard purely as a woman who was outraged by the AG’s decision and the reasoning behind it. Mary Swift Alger, early feminist and defender of logic, feared no one.

January 23,1936, Mary delivered an important speech to the Detroit Women’s Republican Club urging women to get very involved with politics and government “in this time of crisis for the nation and the Republican Party.” After prohibition’s elimination, she had soured on President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal policies to pull America out of the Great Depression. Women always responded to Mary and the idea of motivating them to become more involved in the workings of everyday government was a very good one. The group again advocated for their own candidates, as they had for repeal candidates in 1932.

Mary was a familiar name to many women beyond Michigan, but there was one more thing that she still badly wanted – to officially represent Michigan within the national GOP organization.

By April of 1936, she had secured the endorsement of five Wayne County congressional districts for Republican National Committeewoman from Michigan, the second time she had sought this prestigious political position. She was very unhappy when she lost out in 1932, and there began a public tug of war between the incumbent, Mrs. Steketee, and Mary Alger creating fireworks leading up to the vote. In June of 1936, Mary was shut out for a second time. There was talk among some of the men in Michigan’s GOP of perhaps making her a delegate-at-large, but that also did not come to pass. This was still the mid-1930’s and being a powerful, organized woman of influence may have rendered her too “radioactive” for a national party position.

The new year held a big surprise for Grosse Pointe and beyond. On January 18, 1937, Mary Swift Alger quietly married her next door neighbor, Dr. Fred T. Murphy. Both parties had lost their spouses within a month of each other and knew each other well, but their nuptials still sent tongues wagging mightily. Their children were invited to “By-Way” at 3pm and there witnessed a fast, private ceremony. The newlyweds than departed for Fred’s ranch in San Diego for about a month, with the directive to have Mary’s belongings moved next door to Fred’s house in anticipation of their arrival home.

Interestingly, Dr. Murphy’s home, “The Hedges” (17620 E. Jefferson), was originally purchased by Fred and Russell Alger for their widowed mother, Annette, in 1910. When Annette passed in 1919, Dr. Murphy purchased the estate. Mary was now going to live with her new husband in her mother-in-law’s former home that her deceased first husband purchased!

Dr. Fred Murphy saw World War I medical and Red Cross service in Europe. He was a professor at both Harvard and Washington University; a member of Yale Corporation; and the former captain and famous gridiron hero of the Yale football team. He was also an extremely well respected doctor and national medical advisor. His deceased wife, Esther Goodyear Murphy was likewise involved in the repeal effort with Mary besides her work as a highly acclaimed painter, gardener, flower arranger, and horticulture writer.

By May of 1937, all was forgiven between Mary and Harriet Newberry again as they headed the joint Detroit Civic Music Maintenance campaign as co-chairwomen. They raised funds to finance the DSO and Detroit Civic Opera May 17-28. The two society women had come together to help the community, as it should be with women of influence. Mary was a huge supporter of the arts and particularly music. The DSO came and went several times between 1887 and today, with them going “on hiatus” spanning several years more than once. In November of 1949, Mary was chairwoman of the Children’s Free Concert Committee, part of the Women’s Group of the DSO. The idea was to bring free concert programming to kids and to revive interest in the DSO, which was always in need of funds. Approximately 37,000 children attended the Symphony because of this unique program. Following this campaign, the DSO went on hiatus again until being revived permanently in 1951 by John B. Ford, Jr.

The Detroit Opera as we know it today only came into being in 1963 as the Overture to Opera (OTO). The opera group Mary was involved with, the Detroit Civic Opera Company, was organized in 1921 before disappearing around 1939. An all-Black opera company later used the same moniker for years before also disappearing circa early 1960’s. Mary was involved with this second opera company as a member of their board of directors. She did not shy away from supporting non-White causes and was also a board member of the Detroit Urban League.

January 21, 1947, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree was conferred on Mary Alger Murphy by Wayne University (Wayne State) for her tireless work as a “Detroit civic leader”.

She continued her frenetic schedule of social, community, patriotic, and political work during the war years, holding court at “The Hedges” and raising money for a variety of good causes and organizations. In early 1942, she fractured her hip and was still using crutches a half a year later. She finally graduated from crutches to walking with a cane, the beginning of her ongoing mobility issues.

In October of 1947, Fred took a fall and was sent to the hospital; he was released December 23 to recuperate at “The Hedges.” Pneumonia set in and 75-year-old Dr. Fred Murphy passed away at home January 10, 1948, leaving Mary widowed a second time.

In February 1949, Mary was declared “Woman of the Year” at the first Press Photographers’ Ball honoring her perpetual graciousness whenever approached by media. The National Citizenship Award was bestowed on her by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1950 for her “longtime public welfare work, especially for the Red Cross.”

July 24, 1949, Mary broke ground for the new Detroit Historical Museum at Woodward Ave. and Kerby St.

MARY BREAKING GROUND WITH GEO. W. STARK

She had been instrumental in organizing the fundraising for the Museum. Exactly two years later, on July 24, 1951, Mary spoke at the dedication ceremony before Michigan Governor G. Mennon Williams and Detroit Mayor Albert Cobo as a host of VIP’s looked on.

MARY SPEAKING AT THE DEDICATION

As she advanced in age, Mary pulled back slightly on the number of activities she kept. In early January of 1950 she was laid up for over a month in Jennings Hospital after she fell and broke her left leg and again fractured her hip, particularly difficult injuries for a woman in her 70’s. Upon recovery she always used her cane and was sometimes confined to a wheelchair, which reportedly slowed her down only slightly. She was seen in public less frequently, but made a big splash each time she did venture out, sometimes carried in her wheelchair by her chauffeur.

During the summer of 1956, she was again confined to Jennings Hospital for several months and, exactly like her first husband, Fred Alger, she never emerged. On November 9, 1956, the immensely popular Mary Swift Alger Murphy passed away; she was 80 years old.

Her will was probated shortly thereafter indicating that she left over $1.5 million dollars. In addition to her two children, Frederick Jr. and Frances, and other immediate family members and close associates, she left sizable bequests to the Visiting Nurses Association, Women’s Hospital, the Detroit Historical Society, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. As in life, Mary did not forget her charitable causes or community after her death.

To better understand what a dedicated leader and community servant Mary was, following is a listing of just some of her organizations of interest gleaned from reports in the Detroit Free Press and other regional publications:

--Ragan-Lide American Legion Post No. 13 Auxiliary; honorary chairwomen, former president

--National Camp and Hospital Council, American Red Cross; Michigan representative on their national board

--Gen. Russell A. and Col. Frederick M. Alger VFW Post No. 995 Auxiliary; life member

--Luisa St. Clair Chapter of the DAR; member

--Detroit Women’s Council of the Navy League; founding member and director

--Lest We Forget, Inc.; honorary chairwoman

--International Institute; board member

--Grosse Pointe War Memorial; board member

--Friends of the Grosse Pointe Public Library; board member

--Joint Council On Community Nursing; member

--Nurse’s Committee, Visiting Nurse Association; former president, chairwoman, board member

--National Camp and Hospital Committee, American Red Cross; former president

--Nursing Activities Committee, American Red Cross; chairman

--Detroit Civic Opera Company; former president

--Detroit Negro Civic Opera Company; board member

--Detroit Symphony Orchestra; charter member, board member

--Chamber Music Society of Detroit; member

--Pro Musica; member

--Children’s Free Concert Committee, DSO; chairwoman

--Women’s Hospital (now Hutzel Hospital); 2nd vice president, honorary trustee for life

--Women’s Committee of the Detroit Community Fund; member of the governing board

--Women’s Committee of United Community Services; first chairwoman

--Women’s Committee, International Institute; chairwoman, board member

--Women’s Organization for Prohibition Reform; Michigan chairwoman

--Michigan Liquor Commission; original member, liquor commissioner

--Detroit Historical Commission; founding member, honorary life member

--Detroit Historical Society; board member

--Detroit Urban League; board member

--Parkside Hospital of Detroit; board member

--China Relief Legion; member

--Conservation Committee of the Garden Club of Michigan; member

--Women’s City Club; member

--Colony Town Club; founding member

--Tuesday Musicale; founding member

--Fine Arts Society; member

--Theater Arts; member

--Society of Arts and Crafts; member

--Detroit Artists Market; member

--Metamora Club; member

--Detroit Athletic Club; associate member

--Detroit Club; associate member

--National Affairs Committee, Women’s National Republican Club; member

--Wayne Country Women’s Republican Club; life member

--Women’s Republican Club of Grosse Pointe; advisory council

--Open Heart Fund; vice-chair

It is difficult to overstate how influential Mary was in Grosse Pointe, Detroit, Michigan, and nationally, while graciously adhering to the responsibilities of noblesse oblige. Her example of lifelong public servitude and courage would be wise for women to follow in any era.

PHOTO CREDITS: The Pipe Organ Database, Grosse Pointe Historical Society, Detroit Historical Society, and the Lansing State Journal

Some Major Cabbage to Rent

 The original Cabbage Patch summer cottages were not quite what they sounded like: cozy little cabin type getaways to spend several weeks in during the hot Detroit summer.

Erected in spring 1903 by manufacturer/real estate mogul, Hugo Scherer and his partner, Frederick E. Wadsworth, these were very large, lovely homes that were intended as high-end summer rentals, although several people bought their favorites outright. The homes were designed by the great architect Louis Kamper (Book Tower/Building; Broderick Tower; Book-Cadillac Hotel; Col. Frank J. Hecker House; and many Indian Village beauties.)

Kamper designed lake fronting residences for the project to fit his intended clientele. Most were three stories high with multiple large bedrooms and bathrooms; dining, sitting, and reception rooms; butler pantry; ample linen and clothes closets; libraries; kitchen; the latest luxury amenities; and full servants’ accommodations. The styles ran the architectural gamut but were made for high society types to entertain in grand style just as they would in their Detroit winter homes. Large sketches and details of the rentals were teased by the Detroit Free Press March and April of 1903 creating huge interest. They cost between $10,000 – $15,000 (over $530,000 in 2024 dollars) for Scherer to build, and rental pricing advertisements in the Free Press are listed at $1,500 annually (approximately $54,000 in 2024 dollars.)

Louis Kamper’s Cabbage Patch drawings in the Detroit Free Press from May 1903.

Located directly adjacent to “The Moorings” lower gardens and bowling green, the Cabbage Patch, as Mrs. Henry Bourne Joy would dub the collection, were behind the (still small) Grosse Pointe Memorial Church and adjoining the original Country Club of Detroit.

Photo courtesy of Heritage Images/Getty Images

The cottages were accessed by the church driveway heading down to the lakefront, the addresses being on Berkshire Place. Fred Wadsworth’s mansion was also on the property, which was purchased by Hugo Scherer for him. In 1911, actress Mary Mannering moved in with Fred after his scandalous divorce and their quick marriage, rocking Grosse Pointe society. By 1916, the Wadsworth’s were out of their Farms’ home and on their way to upstate New York, where he died in 1927.

In late fall 1918, shortly after Lockmoor’s clubhouse burned down, the former Wadsworth mansion at 8 Berkshire Place burned to the ground taking four others with it. Huge fires also swept the Scherer / Wadsworth business buildings the following year, and again in 1922.

In early 1924, the old Country Club was torn down, and Memorial Church was being rebuilt and expanded as seen today. The Country Club property was acquired by Anna Dodge for her “Rose Terrace” estate. The location plans for the new Country Club of Detroit were not on the waterfront, something which many older members were not pleased with. They splintered off and formed their own entity, the Grosse Pointe Club (aka “the Little Club”), with a target opening date of 1924 for “the ultra-smart set of Detroit and Grosse Pointe” as the Detroit Free Press was advised.

As time wore on and residents moved out of the old Cabbage Patch, the Grosse Pointe Club slowly acquired more property for parking and amenities. The few aging cottages that were left were sometimes rented out for use by Club members. By summer of 1950, only two cottages remained, and one was in the process of being demolished. For several more years the last Scherer/Wadsworth house left standing was the Jefferson-fronting Seabourne Livingston home next to Memorial Church at 20 Lake Shore Road, and it too is now long gone.

Photo courtesy of Grosse Pointe News, 9/7/1950

Gone to the Fair

 “I believe it is the greatest thing of its kind which has ever been attempted. It will be a valuable thing as an educator of the people. Everyone who could possibly do so should visit the Fair.” –Gen. Russell A. Alger, April 30, 1893 

When the World’s Columbian Exposition aka the Chicago World’s Fair opened to the public May 1, 1893, there was enormous anticipation and excitement, as there was before each Exposition. This Expo was to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering the New World. The only previous American effort was the Centennial International Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876, a fan favorite but huge money loser.  

The purpose of the Expositions was to showcase the various states’ and countries’ products, natural resources, and assets. The idea of opening up new channels of commerce and tourism were of paramount appeal, while also educating visitors about the regions’ main attractions. Collectively, new inventions, discoveries, and styles of architecture from around the world were also featured. Numerous new products and trends made their debuts at the Expos. 

The Statue of The Republic is a sculpture in Illinois by Daniel Chester French. The original statue was a centerpiece of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.

The Chicago World’s Fair was important to showcase the rebirth of the city following the disastrous Great Fire of 1871.  The planned space was wide open, not condensed as with other Fairs, so spacious lagoons, canals, and gardens could be laid out around the sprawling individual structures being erected; state and national pride dictated the fanciful architecture of each.  Chicago earned its nickname “White City” because of the painted white “staff” – a hard plaster of Paris concoction – the dazzling neoclassical buildings were constructed of. 

Visitors couldn’t believe their eyes when the gates opened that May as they took in the Fair and all its attendant sights. Magnificent, gleaming structures and near palaces of every description; fabulous fountains; life-size reproductions of Columbus’ three ships plus a Viking ship; spectacular works of art; a full carnival midway; and hundreds of life-size statues, dwarfed by the 65-foot-tall statue of The Republic, which stood in the Great Basin before the Court of Honor. And to think all of this was built to last only six months, the duration of the Exposition! 

Once the sun began to set, the main switch was thrown bathing the spectacle in millions of electric lights, compliments of Nikola Tesla’s ingenuity. Visitors had never seen anything like it. 

General Russell Alger had been asked to speak over the course of the Fair several times, including before the opening to the general public. He was so amazed with what he witnessed each time, he thought it a superb learning opportunity for every American. He encouraged everyone to visit Chicago while the Expo was on, and to plan on spending several days to visit the various buildings to learn about different cultures and regional products, and to take in all of the new inventions, foods, and discoveries offered in the main exhibition buildings. 

On November 2, the General arranged for 14 private railroad cars to carry between 600-700 of Detroit’s poor Newsboys plus their band to the Exposition, all expenses paid. Divided into 12 groups, each had a chaperone to look after them and guide them. A few members of the Alger family who were chaperoning plus the directors of the Detroit Newsboys’ Association rode in Gen. Alger’s private rail car, the Michigan. Once in Chicago, President Palmer of the Expo’s national commission also looked after the lads. 

At the appointed meeting time, the boys marched several blocks from their headquarters to the old Michigan Central Depot chanting their familiar, “What’s the matter with Alger? He’s all right!” They were all fed then embarked on their big adventure. 

First, they were taken to ride on the amazing new invention of engineer George W. Ferris: a 250’ diameter wheel that rotated 36 cages holding 60 people each. It was a massive success with the kids as it was with Expo visitors. They ran through the midway and were directed through various buildings with more kid-friendly offerings. They saw the aquarium and checked out the many statues and art. At dusk, they started back to the waiting train cars and another meal, sad their once-in-a-lifetime adventure was coming to an end. 

That is, all but two boys. 

“Jeems” Harrison and Chick Bowles were still lingering at the battleship Illinois when they saw their train leave without them. This would have been disastrous if the Fair was still open to the general public. But Alger had arranged for special access for the Newsboys so they wouldn’t have to contend with the mass of visitors and could be easily “cat-herded” for safety purposes. The two boys grabbed a street car to downtown Chicago as the buildings were now closed at the site. They asked the conductor where Harlow Higinbotham lived, the President of the World’s Fair. The conductor reportedly told them, but the kids got lost in the unfamiliar city. Eventually they wandered into a butcher shop and asked the same question. This time, the kids safely found Higinbotham’s home and recounted their incredible tale to him. He fed the kids, put them to bed, and contacted Gen. Alger advising him he was putting them onto the next Detroit-bound train.  

The next day he got a telegram back from Alger advising, “Shipment received.” 

To view a video of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, click here.

THIS MEANS WAR!

125 years ago, there were public allegations of incompetence and inexperience leveled at Gen. Russell A. Alger surrounding his tenure as U.S. Secretary of War from 1897-1899 under President William McKinley. With the internet continuing to give these remaining old rumors oxygen let’s review who the General really was: his military background, his business expertise, and his personal character. 

Russell was born in a log cabin on a small farm in Medina County, Ohio February 27, 1836. Both parents and his older sister died when he was 12 years old, leaving him to raise two younger siblings. Through clever bartering and very hard work, he was able to board, clothe, feed, and educate them all.  

After teaching for a few years to put himself through law school, he passed the bar and worked for a firm in the Cleveland area. Quickly bored with just office work, he relocated to Grand Rapids in 1860 to add some exploratory investments in pine timber to his income in legal. He married local beauty Annette Henry in April 1861 just as the Civil War began. By September 2 he had enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Cavalry Regiment and mustered in as a captain. As he rose rapidly through the military ranks, he was transferred to the 6th then 5th Michigan Cavalry. He visited every U.S. military camp with President Lincoln documenting conditions and what supplies each had and what was needed.  He was also given a special role by the War Department to mass distribute millions of handbills containing the President’s amnesty proclamation; he reported directly to Lincoln on both of these projects.  

Secretary of War Gen. Russell A Alger sitting at his desk in his Washington, D.C. office, 1898. (Bettman/Getty Images)

Alger was a very patriotic and heroic figure, considered a brilliant military strategist by the top brass including Generals Sheridan, McClellan, and Custer. On September 20, 1864, after fighting in 66 battles and skirmishes, being severely injured twice (at Booneville and Boonesboro), and taken prisoner then escaping, he retired from active duty and moved with Annette to Detroit. Initially a Brevet Brigadier General, President Johnson and the U.S. Senate officially confirmed him as Brevet Major General on March 2, 1867.

Following the war, in addition to practicing law, Alger amassed great wealth with his various business endeavors including iron mining, railroads, banking, oil, livestock, shipping, and all things lumber related.

Gen. Alger and Detroit Mayor Maybury ride from the train station to his home upon his return from Washington, DC as Secretary of War before an adoring throng, August 2, 1899. (Detroit Historical Society)

For his first two political offices, Gen. Alger was appointed Michigan’s Inspector General beginning March 17, 1869, then voted Governor of Michigan from January 1, 1885 – January 1, 1887; he declined a second term as governor. As a reminder the Office of Inspector General’s purpose was to investigate and root out waste, abuse, fraud, and corruption by ensuring honesty and integrity in government.  

In both 1888 and 1892 he found himself under consideration as a potential Michigan Republican nominee for the U.S. Presidency; he failed to win the nomination both times.

There were two prominent fraternal military organizations following the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination, and Gen. Alger was very involved with and led both. Alger was a co-founder and long-time member of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Michigan Post and was Michigan’s Grand Commander May 1867- May 1868. At the 23rd National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Milwaukee, August 28 – 30, 1889, Gen. Alger was elected National Commander-in-Chief for the usual one-year term. The GAR was at its peak membership of 409,489 during his tenure ending August 13-14, 1890, in Boston at the 24th National Encampment.  

Gen. Alger was also one of the 13 Charter Members of the Michigan Commandry of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States when it was founded February 4, 1885.  He was unanimously elected Commander of the Michigan Commandry of MOLLUS for the 1887-1888 term. Prior to the Michigan Commandry being founded, Alger was a member of the Massachusetts Commandry most likely joining circa 1868. 

The General was extremely popular, a beloved “adopted son” of Detroit. People loved his rags-to-riches life story and battlefield exploits, while remaining a kind, honest, and spiritual neighbor. Alger embodied what a good citizen should be.  

For Christmas 1886 the Newsboys of Detroit received their first of many annual donations from Gen. Alger, later carried on by the Alger family. A complete warm suit of clothes was provided for each of the approximately 2,000 poor newsboys hawking the Detroit Evening News on the city’s bitterly cold streets. This is one of many examples of the philanthropic nature of the man, usually done away from public view. 

Gen. Alger began his appointment as President William McKinley’s Secretary of War on March 5, 1897. Due to his enviable battlefield experience and previous camp visitations to document supply needs, this should have been a great appointment; his years as an Inspector General should have been an added bonus. Unfortunately, the deactivated military of the late 1890’s had appropriations regularly stricken from bills and D.C. wish lists.  If they were needed, they had nothing. 

Less than a year into his tenure the USS Maine sank in Havana Harbor with 269 killed outright or from related injuries; it was time to pay the piper, America. That date was February 15, 1898, and the rallying cry heard was “Remember the Maine!”

The cause of the explosion was widely attributed to “a spontaneous fire in the coal bunkers” and the sinking declared an accident by many officials at the time and now. 

However, it is widely believed that yellow journalism – courtesy of William Randolph Hearst’s and Joseph Pulitzer’s huge newspaper reach - promoted the story of Spain being solely responsible by blowing up the ship. The U.S. soon plunged into war. 

By early September, Alger had petitioned the President to launch an investigation into the War Department. Drawing on his Inspector General experience, he had questions about many things he saw as completely wrong or missing in their attempts to wage the business of war.  The Civil War-era uniforms the newly enlisted were given were made of wool to fight in Cuba and the Philippines during the summer! There were huge mobilization issues; heavy ordinance was sorely lacking; their guns completely outdated. There were no conveyance methods to get the supplies out of the U.S. and successfully onto two islands. The list goes on. This war was not one with men on horses travelling between States firing pistols or rifles. This was mucking through very rough, unfamiliar terrain (particularly in the Philippines) woefully ill-equipped and in extreme heat and humidity, with malaria, yellow fever, typhoid, and dysentery in massive abundance.  

There were also some very serious allegations leveled about the food served, embroiling Alger and a few others in something the yellow papers dubbed “The Embalmed Beef Scandal.” After hearing some “defective beef” statements uttered by the Army’s Gen. Nelson Miles, syndicates again belonging to Hearst and Pulitzer alleged that “rotting beef embalmed in formaldehyde” was being served both tinned and refrigerated to the troops. Investigative testing done in response showed the beef was the same that was being sold at corner butcher shops to American families. This disclosure was certainly not great news, but the inferior meat issue helped ensure domestic laws were enacted to improve the safety of our food.  It also proved that the libelous idea of the U.S. government purposefully serving tainted meat to our troops was false. 

Although the Spanish-American War was not a long one and we were victorious, it was a pointed illustration in how not to engage in warfare. Preparedness was paramount and we were not. The U.S. was overly susceptible to wild rumors generated by dubious sources. Allegations and public in-fighting among the different military divisions and key personnel were an embarrassment. Too many of our troops died because of mosquito-borne illnesses and exposure, not because they were overwhelmed by the Spanish. We won, but we publicly shot ourselves in the foot doing so. 

On July 1, 1899, Gen. Alger was taken aside by Vice-President Hobart and told that he was going to be asked to resign by President McKinley as Secretary of War. Alger and McKinley were old acquaintances, and the General was shocked sensing he was being made a scapegoat. Alger had asked the President several times if he had any doubts about his ability. McKinley had been copied on all of his correspondence and they had been in continuous communication. McKinley in response insisted more than once that he wasn’t looking to fire or force out Alger, but the rumors were loud and undeniable in Washington, D.C. 

 Tiring of the uncertainty and spectacle, Gen. Alger resigned on July 19 stipulating that his final work date was at the President’s discretion making McKinley look like the heavy for vacillating. On July 25, McKinley advised that July 31 would be the end of his tenure as Secretary of War. At noon on August 1, Gen. Alger congratulated his successor at the swearing in and departed. 

Gen. Alger returned home to Detroit on August 2 to pandemonium and a hero’s welcome. His train first stopped in Toledo from Washington and was met by a large contingent of VIP well-wishers and politicians. Upon his Detroit arrival, some 150,000 adoring citizens crammed the train depot and the streets waiting for his speech and to witness his short carriage ride home. His family was already at the Fort Street home with a battery of local VIPs and society women to greet the General and his huge entourage. 

 Gen. Alger had always been treated like royalty in Detroit, and his followers knew that he been a casualty of post-war politics – and they were having none of it. He was interviewed extensively and made no excuses about what was not under his control and what was in his previous role. He also revealed that he would immediately write a book detailing exactly what he knew and did surrounding his handling of the war; he wanted his good name cleared!  Although he had a grievance with McKinley, he remained a gentleman stating that he would write, but withhold publishing the book, until McKinley’s death. Known for his honesty, his following quote about President McKinley made headlines across the U.S.: “He has many loveable qualities, but he lacks backbone, and nothing can make up for the lack of backbone” (Milwaukee Journal, March 4, 1900). 

Certainly Alger could not have anticipated that his book would see such a quick release. On September 6, 1901, President McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, NY’s Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition while shaking hands in a public receiving line. 

Before year’s end The Spanish-American War by Gen. R.A. Alger (Harper & Brothers Publishing) was published. It gave his side of the story leading to his exit as Secretary of War, filled in much information not known at the time, and clarified misinformation. It is an incredibly detailed, but fast moving, read and not boring. One recognizes both his Inspector General and particularly his legal background in his writing. His facts and figures are clearly but meticulously laid out telling a compelling story of fighting a war with sparse up-to-date resources; willing, but very ill troops; and a handful of in-fighting, egocentric military leaders that sometimes ignored direct orders. You can read the book at the link below. 

Once the book was published, much of the misinformation about Gen. Alger was proven false and most of the public remembered him as the military hero and gentleman he was.  

Although his health had been slowly declining for years, on September 28, 1902, Gen. Alger was appointed to fill Sen. James McMillan’s seat when he died abruptly while in office. Alger was then elected in his own right to serve as Senator from Michigan until he also passed while in office, January 24, 1907. His funerals in Washington, D.C. and Detroit were massive, with hundreds of thousands in attendance. 

Gen. Alger usually referred to himself when asked as “an American soldier.” Evidence and actions seem to point to him being an excellent one, and always ready to serve his country however and whenever he was needed. 

BOOK CREDIT:  Alger, R. A. (1901) The Spanish-American War. New York, London, Harper & Bros. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

The Old Homestead

Many folks have heard about the famed Alger residence on W. Fort and First Streets in Detroit, a towering four-story brick Queen Anne showplace built in 1885 by architect Gordon W. Lloyd. Fort and Lafayette were the two ritziest streets to live on back then, with close neighbors including the Hinchman’s, Baldwin’s, Shelden’s, and Swift’s, people who soon figured into Alger history. The house saw U.S. presidents, titans of industry, and a Who’s Who of America pass through its entrance, hosted by Gen. Russell A. Alger and his charming wife, Annette Henry Alger. It was the epitome of Detroit Gilded Age living. 

The interior was reportedly gorgeous, tastefully furnished with art, antique furniture, and unusual objet d’art collected from around the world by the Alger’s. The General was a serious fine art collector, and their drawing room was nicknamed “the picture gallery” by visitors due to the overflow number of valuable paintings displayed there. As one of the founders of the original Detroit Museum of Art (now the DIA), the General loaned many of his paintings to “stock” the Museum upon opening in 1883, yet still had a surplus of quality artwork for his home. 

Reports from The Detroit News in the 1880’s spoke of the main hallway containing a good quantity of marble and oak woodwork, with large furniture pieces “inlaid with pearls and silver,” and a settle “inlaid with ivory” from Milan. There were references to a stained glass window dated 1530; a large carved ivory screen; and two large majolica pots containing palms reaching up to the top of the hall’s vaulted marble arches. There was also a great hallway fireplace with a stag’s head over it. The family used to gather around this fireplace at night when there was news or business to discuss; it will figure in again later in our story. 

After Gen. Alger died in early 1907, it signaled a time of great uncertainty for the house. The five Alger children were all married and gone, and members of Annette’s family were no longer living there. The once vibrant mansion was now quiet and lonely with just Annette and her few servants inhabiting it. 

Washington, D.C. society was dismayed that Gen. Alger’s popular widow did not return to the home where he had recently passed. They hoped she might choose to remain in the 16th Street mansion purchased while Russell was active in national politics. Instead, she sold up and had the furnishings sent to Fort Street.

Annette traveled extensively then took a summer rental in Grosse Pointe in 1908. In November of 1909, sons Russell and Fred purchased the summer home for her outright, Henry P. Baldwin’s former residence, “The Hedges,” right next door to Fred Alger’s estate, “By-Way” (17700 E. Jefferson Ave.). She was moved in by the following April and no longer needed the large downtown property.  

The family agreed that their former grand home should not become another faded boarding house or occupied by a revolving door of businesses. What best then to do with the property? 

Early July of 1913, Palestine Lodge No. 357, F. & A.M. – the then-largest Freemason fraternity in America at over 2,000 members – announced the purchase of the W. Fort Street Alger mansion and lot for $180,000 (over $5,700,000 in 2024 dollars). The transaction was not altogether surprising as Gen. Alger had been an enthusiastic Corinthian No. 241, F. & A.M. Master Mason (raised in 1895).  

The Palestine’s planned to use the bottom three floors for club rooms: a reception room; billiard room; reading room; library; card room; pool room; various sitting rooms; two kitchens; pantry; two dining rooms; maintenance room; ladies’ parlor; coat check room; laundry; locker room; “plunge bath” room; storerooms; bathrooms; and an apartment for the live-in steward. They made very few changes to the basement, 1st, or 2nd floors, but turned the 3rd floor and attic into one huge, 22’ tall Lodge Room by knocking down internal partitions and removing most of the 3rd floor ceiling. A rear garage on the 100’ x 130’ lot was converted to a four-lane bowling alley with a ballroom above. After construction was complete, in addition to a piano and a player piano for entertainment, a 1914 11-rank, 628-pipe M. P. Möller Opus 1694 pipe organ was installed in the ceremonial Lodge Room. Removed when the Palestine’s vacated, this organ may currently be found on the 5th floor of the Masonic Temple in the Greek Ionic Lodge Room where it awaits full restoration.

Palestine Lodge pipe organ

With the various changes completed, the first official function in the new Palestine Lodge No. 357 was held on January 2, 1914; the formal dedication was March 9, 1914. 

On April 27, 1916, a reverential ceremony was held that commemorated Gen. Russell A. Alger. A large bronze plaque was designed and executed by local craftsman Vernon C. Wood and placed in a location of honor over the main floor hallway fireplace beneath which the family used to gather. An invocation was given, several songs presented, and stories told by men who personally knew the General; the Alger family were in attendance as special guests. 

Gen. Alger commemorative plaque (photo by Brandon Langford)

Although they were not allowed to become traditional Freemasons, the wives of members did their charitable part throughout the ‘teens by meeting regularly in the Lodge House to knit warm “helmets” (toques) and sweaters for those who had gone off to fight in WWI. 

After the big 1920 renumbering of Detroit streets was completed, the longtime 150 W. Fort Street address changed to 510 W. Fort Street for the property beginning January 1, 1921. 

The Lodge reopened in April 1926 after another big expansion and remodel were completed, some seven months before the massive new Masonic Temple (500 Temple Street) was dedicated. Additional floors were added over the former dining room wing and a new front entrance configured between the old and new sections of the now very large Lodge. By this point Palestine Lodge No. 357 membership had swelled to an unbelievable 5,000+ members and they badly needed the extra space. 

After over twenty years of residency, the final Palestine Lodge No. 357, F. & A.M. meeting on W. Fort Street was held January 24, 1935, reportedly a bittersweet affair. After Lodge business and some reminiscing about their decades in the grand old building, the Palestine Quartet sang “Home, Sweet Home” after which preparations got underway to move their belongings to the Masonic Temple. The bronze Gen. Alger plaque was loaned to the Detroit Historical Museum by the Palestine’s during the relocation and still resides on a wall near their Russell A. Alger collection. 

As seems only fitting, in late January 1935 the Old Newsboys Association closed out public events at 510 W. Fort St. with a memorial dinner and tribute to their beloved General Alger who, back in 1887, had begun the longstanding Alger family tradition of providing money “for a complete new suit of clothes” for each Detroit newsboy at Christmas.  

The abandoned old house stood dark for another two years before it finally faced the inevitable bulldozer in July of 1937 to become yet another downtown Detroit parking lot, a shabby ending for a once glorious residence. 

150 / 210 W.  Fort St., Alger residence (1885-1913) to Palestine Lodge (1913-1935) 

Special thanks to Doug Mooney / Secretary, Palestine Lodge 357 F. & A.M.; John Rohlman/ Secretary and Trevor J. Giannetti / Tiler, Corinthian Lodge 241 F. & A.M.; and Rob Moore / Detroit Masonic Temple Library Archive and Research Center  

Servant Shortage

Back in the day, when huge mansions were the norm in the Grosse Pointes, it took large, dedicated staffs to successfully run the estates and look after its inhabitants’ needs.

We have an idea of who worked for the Alger’s and lived at “The Moorings” using information from letters Josephine Alger left and info compiled from three U.S. censuses. The servants we are unclear about were those who lived outside of the home and came in daily to provide services. Josephine advised that there were about 17 servants on average during her childhood here, 1910 – 1916, so there was a good deal of both live-ins and outsiders.

Just after the Alger’s moved in, the spring 1910 U.S. census showed less names than expected. There were three names – one man and two women - listed as servants, plus a British butler, and a cook from Virginia. There is a very good chance that there were gardeners, chauffeurs, and other employees who lived locally, and that the Alger’s were not yet completely staffed up. The servants who were represented on the Census were all single and in their late 20’s and early 30’s.

There were seven servants’ rooms on the 2nd Floor, each equipped with a corner washing sink, twin bed, and dresser, plus one snug 7’ x 8” square servants’ bathroom (sink, toilet, bathtub) for them to share. These were all in the north wing surrounding the narrow and treacherous back staircase. This horseshoe-shaped grouping of rooms was a total of six steps down from the level the Alger’s rooms were on, and two steps further down from where the Governess’ Bedroom was located. The Servants’ Dining Room, Servants’ Hall, Back Porch, Kitchen, Butler’s Pantry, Valet’s Room, and service/utility rooms were all grouped on the 1st Floor and Lake Level in the north wing.

By the 1920 census, more of the positions had filled in with servants’ ages listed as 26 – 43 years old. There was a British servant with a live-in, unemployed Michigan wife, an unusual arrangement. There were also a gardener and a butler, both from Ireland; both a kitchen maid and a cook from Finland; and a laundress from Belgium.

One interesting position that was never filled was a personal or ladies’ maid for Marion Alger, who was not interested in this usually mandatory role. Marion preferred to attend to herself, unheard of for a woman of her stature, busy social schedule, and frequent travel.

Josephine also reminisced about the weekly Sunday sporting activities on the back bowling green with refreshments served to visiting family and friends. The butler was always formally attired in tails and gloves no matter how hot the weather. His dapper second man, who doubled as Russ’s valet, always wore hunter green livery with a striped green and yellow waistcoat and gloves.

She had a few more recollections: A cook named “Patty” had no kitchen maid to assist her. Unlike the two Finnish women, cook Lyda Karela had Anna Kalavan for kitchen help. An older woman from Scotland named Agnes Mack was the upstairs chamber maid, who eventually retired and moved South. The Alger’s longtime houseman, Irish immigrant Patrick Downey, danced the jig while doing his daily chores much to the children’s amusement.

Oddly, she did not mention their governess’ name, who shared a bathroom with younger sister Fay and held a very important role in watching the three Alger children. Josie did mention devilishly that the woman had both a terrible fear of horses and was prone to great bouts of sea sicknesses, both sacrilege around the Alger’s! The family were frequently around or astride horses, and they travelled frequently and extensively on yachts and ocean liners. While the governess was invariably laid up ill below deck, young Josie explored the huge ships and amused herself completely unchaperoned. Somehow, she escaped unscathed from these frequent “solo” ocean explorations.

There were multiple gardeners and chauffeurs employed simultaneously. Marion was very busy with her planting, tours, and flower shows, so the gardens had to be maintained in immaculate shape. Landscaping legend Ellen Shipman was an occasional house guest, putting even more pressure on the gardeners. The very busy family were also in need of being driven to wall-to-wall meetings, clubs, and Liggett School so various Packard’s and drivers were deployed when they were in-residence.

Although the three children had all moved out and started families by 1926, there was still plenty for servants to do at the estate between visitors and Marion’s preoccupation with nursing Russ through his paralysis. In 1929, Josephine divorced her first husband, Henry Chaney, and moved back to “The Moorings” that December with her three children in tow: Henry (13), Alger (6), and Diane (3). Russell passed away in January of 1930 leaving the two women and his three grandchildren heartbroken.

The spring 1930 U.S. census showed servants ranging from 27 – 48 years old, with most of them in their late 30’s or 40’s. Patrick Downey was still the dancing houseman and Agnes Mack the upstairs maid, with two more female servants from England and Lithuania listed. The cook was now a Norwegian woman named Anne Jernberg, and an American R.N. named Mildred Snyder came in handy dealing with emotional family members and active kids.

July 5, 1930, Josephine married her second husband, D. Dwight Douglas, in a low key wedding at the Alger summer home in York Harbor, ME. After the honeymoon, the kids returned to Grosse Pointe to their parents new home.

Following her Maine summer stay, Marion travelled extensively then returned to “The Moorings” alone to plot her next chapter. She commissioned Charles Platt to build her a new, but smaller home on Provencal and her friend, Ellen Shipman, was hired for the gardens. She intended to still have wonderful garden tours, host lots of meetings and parties, have visitors stay over, and the like in her new place.

Of course, she would need to have some good servants there.