Tuesday, 6/27

Okay. So just WHY did I have you read the story of Alvar Liimatainen yesterday? This is why--

Yesterday, Alvar's Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, and burial flag were returned to Marquette after decades downstate and given to the Marquette Regional History Center, where they will be displayed in the museum's permanent collection for all to see and, hopefully, for all to find out Oliver's incredible story.

THAT'S why I had you read the 5-year old speech yesterday.

The medals and flag had been in the possession of Alvar's sister, who had lived down near Flint, and when her daughter-in-law Renee Cowen (second from left in the picture above) was going through family mementos, she came across them. Not knowing what to do with them, she contacted a guy named Ernie Roesner (the only guy in the picture), who did a little search on Liimatainen, found out an article Renee Prusi (not pictured) had written for the Mining Journal, who then got in contact with Loraine, who then contacted Jo DeYoung (second from right in the picture) from the History Center to see if they could do something with the medals and the flag.

So, basically, it was just a typical day.

8-)

Renee will write about the story in more detail (and, I'm sure, with much more clarity) in today's edition of The Mining Journal and I don't want to scoop her any more than need be, so I won't write much more about how the whole thing transpired. Let's just say that it's another one of those (numerous) instances where someone tells The Most Amazing Woman in the World (i.e. Loraine) something, and soon find themselves getting a picture or two in a newspaper or two.

It happens in Germany, it happens in France, and it happens a whole lot here in the U.S.

Like I said, you'll be able to see more pictures and find out more details in today's Mining Journal. I'll either add the link to the story HERE when I get it, or I'll throw it in tomorrow's blog. Either way, you'll be able to check it out, and then realize that there WAS a reason I posted that five year old speech yesterday!

(jim@wmqt.com)