Michigan Heroes Museum

On this day in 1941, Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Among the stories we tell of those who were there is that of John Butzu. Tech. Sgt. John S. Butzu U.S. Army Air Corps Highland Park, Michigan John S. Butzu was working at Briggs Body Co. when he entered service in August 1939. John became an aircraft technician and flight engineer and found himself with the 5th Bombardment Group based at Hickam Air Field on Oahu, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hickam was bombed and strafed during the attack. John was on guard duty that morning and therefore not in his bunk. He had traded duty with another soldier. When the Japanese strafed the barracks, John’s bunk was shot up. If he had not traded and been on guard duty, he surely would have been killed. With America now in the war, John was sent to the South Pacific with the 13th Air Force. He was in both B17 and B24 bombers flying missions to attack Japanese shipping, do long range patrols, and do photographic missions. They also raided Japanese airfields. In April 1943 John was transferred stateside to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he trained replacements in gunnery and B17 maintenance. Here he was flying with many pilots who had been washed out of combat. Butzu said he would rather fly in combat then with these pilots. For this reason, and others, John decided to transfer. He was sent to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) and was assigned to the 95th Bombardment Group based in England. During his time in the ETO he flew many “shuttle” missions. These were missions in which the crews would fly over Germany and continue to Russia where they would land. The next day they would fly back to England or to North Africa/Italy. John flew over 30 missions during his time in Europe. He flew over 50 missions throughout his time in service. John Butzu was one of very few men who served in both the Pacific and European theaters, receiving 3 campaign stars for each theater.

Today we remember LCPL Justin Ellsworth (USMC), who on this day in 2004 selflessly sacrificed his life to save his fellow Marines. Justin's uniform and story are on display in our Global War On Terror Gallery. His is one of 140 on display every day out of our collection of over 900. Honor. Respect. Remember. LCPL Justin M. Ellsworth U.S. Marine Corps Wixom, Michigan Lance Corporal Justin Ellsworth died at age 20 on November 13, 2004, as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Ellsworth was assigned to the Combat Service Support Battalion 1, Group 11, 1st Force Service Support Group 1, Marine Expeditionary Force. On March 19, 2003, the same day President Bush declared war on Iraq, Justin enlisted in the Marines under the delayed entry program. Justin graduated from “boot camp” on December 12, 2003 at San Diego, California, and after a short leave at home was deployed to Iraq in September, 2004. He arrived at Camp Fallujah on September 11th. While at Fallujah, Justin was working with the 2nd Recon Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Marine Division. His job was to locate and destroy IEDs and weapons caches. On November 13, 2004, while conducting a dismounted combat patrol, LCPL Ellsworth received an initial reading on his metal detector indicating the potential for a possible IED. He realized that the device was only 50 meters away from the patrol base and numerous Marines were in the proximity. He immediately focused his efforts to identify and neutralize the threat to his unit. In complete disregard for his own personal welfare, he selflessly moved forward, exposing himself to the potentially lethal effects of the explosive. Once he identified the location of the device and determined that it was, in all probability, a remotely controlled device, he sounded the warning to his fellow Marines to clear the area. Shortly after discovering the cell phone, the explosive device was detonated, mortally wounding LCPL Ellsworth. Many Marines’ lives were spared and several others escaped severe injuries as a direct result of Justin’s initiative and courageous actions. #JustinEllsworth #WarOnTerror #MHM #MIHeroes #MichiganHeroesMuseum #HonorRespectRemember

As you may know, the Museum received a very large number of new stories as a result of the Covid restrictions. We are still working on processing the backlog so that we can present these new stories to our visitors. This is an expensive project so the Museum is participating in the Rocket Mortgage Community Fund Challenge to hopefully raise $30,000 to cover these costs. Please consider making a donation to the Michigan Heroes Museum (MHM) via the Rocket Community Challenge and also use your social media accounts to invite your friends and acquaintances to join you in making donations. Donations made during the Challenge period of now through August 30, 2024 will make the Museum's eligible for possible Prizes and Bonuses awarded by the Rocket Community Fund. The Prizes and Bonuses are awarded based how well our donors respond compared to the other Challenge participants in the metro Detroit region. Donations received after August 30th will still be applied to our account through the end of this year. Here is the link to the MHM donation page: https://lnkd.in/ggereGGj #RocketCommunityChallenge #MHM #MIHeroes #MichiganHeroesMuseum #HonorRespectRemember

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Dear Supporters, We are embarking on our fall season of new displays at the Michigan Heroes Museum, and we need your help. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to create up to 20 new displays that will appropriately Honor, Respect, and Remember the service of Michigan's military and space heroes. These displays will provide an immersive and educational experience, showcasing the bravery and sacrifices of the men and women who have served our nation. The funds will cover the costs of essential materials such as mannequins, riker mounts, photo reproductions and enlargements, and photo frames. We will also acquire replacement era-appropriate shirts and ties, and acid-free garment and artifact storage boxes to ensure the long-term preservation of these invaluable items. Moreover, a significant portion of the funds will support the labor-intensive process of researching, interviewing, and composing the compelling stories of these heroes. From the extraordinary courage of heroes like Ensign Francis C. Flaherty, who sacrificed his life to save his crew at Pearl Harbor, to the valor of Lieutenant Colonel Matt Urban, the most decorated soldier in American history, these displays will celebrate the legacies of Michigan's finest. By contributing to this campaign, you will help us bring these all-new and incredible stories to life, allowing visitors to connect with the rich history of our heroes. Your generous support will enable us to preserve and present these stories with the respect and dignity they deserve. Please join us in this endeavor to honor our heroes and educate future generations. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of Michigan's heroes continues to inspire. Thank you for your support. https://lnkd.in/ggereGGj

Live from the Wurst Open to benefit the Michigan Heroes Museum, Kevin Dietz and Tom Jordan were joined by the Motor City Madman Ted Nugent. Click here to hear Ted's memories of Frank Beckmann and Frank's love for the military, our veterans and the Michigan Heroes Museum. https://lnkd.in/gGMgwDU4