I Thank You Friday- Michigan Heroes Museum

Hello to all of our Veterans and 94.7 WCSX Classic Rock listeners. Friday is upon us and for this week, our I Thank You shout out goes to a museum where for over 50 years now, has stood with a mission statement: To Honor, Respect, and Remember Michigan citizens' personal contributions to our nation's military and space programs. Our I Thank You shout out goes to the Michigan Heroes Museum located in Frankenmuth.

Some veterans have the opportunity to share their stories in their own words. For in the case of the Michigan Heroes Museum though, it's the stories that are within its walls that tell the tales. Inside the museum, you become a witness to the gallantry and heroics of what Michiganders have done for their country and what strength, grit, and sacrifices have come about from those who have gone above the call of duty and/or have slipped the surly bonds of Earth.

The Michigan Heroes Museum was nominated by Cassie S. who wrote to 94.7 WCSX to share her thoughts on the museum and its heritage for the personal stories from those in Michigan who worn the Stars & Stripes and served.

Cassie S. "Hi 94.7 WCSX, I'm a big fan of the morning show and I'm sure Big Jim knows about this great place in Frankenmuth. No, I'm not talking about the Zehnder's chicken, the fudge, the cheese, or the Bronner's Christmas store, no I'm talking about the Michigan Heroes Museum. It's a wonderful place that shows more than uniforms, the weapons, the pictures and medals of war. It is a museum that showcases the bravery and sacrifices of the fine men and women who from the Mitten state have gone on to do extraordinary things for our country. It shows our heroes in a dignified manner and really teaches us what a hero is and how we can be a better citizen and appreciate the freedoms we have.

As stated by Cassie, the Michigan Heroes Museum is located in Frankenmuth, at 1250 Weiss St, Frankenmuth, MI 48734. Since 1975 the Michigan Heroes Museum has focused to: share the personal stories of heroism, leadership, and sacrifice – sometimes the ultimate sacrifice – of ordinary Michigan men and women thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

A small amount of its backstory and what the museum stands for can be found right on its website as stated below:

Located in Frankenmuth, Michigan, MHM holds over 900 exhibits, each devoted to a Michigan soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or astronaut.  Youthful faces peer at a visitor from photographs on the walls and display cases, some accompanied by pictures of the older men and women that the young warriors became.  Other faces – of those who fell – are frozen, exclusively forever, in young adulthood.  Our mission is simply to Honor, Respect, and Remember Michigan citizens' personal contributions to our nation's military and space programs.

 In addition, the Museum includes a section dedicated to the Medal of Honor recipients, and this collection contains more Medals of Honor than any other museum in the United States. However, it is not a museum of war, nor an archive dedicated to the strategies of war nor the machinery of battle. Instead, it is a shrine to ordinary lives, caught up in and sometimes ended by – the extraordinary experience of war. It is also an eloquent statement about the passing of time and the debt that subsequent generations owe to those who preceded them to preserve our Freedoms.

The Michigan Heroes Museum focuses not just on the military's past nor only on combat. MHM also honors the peacetime bravery of Michigan's astronauts and space pioneers, from the beginnings of rocket science to the marvel of modern space flight.

The museum had its humble beginnings with one man and one idea; Stanley "Stan" Bozich, the founder of The Michigan Heroes Museum, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on Nov. 14, 1934.  As a teenager, Stanley began a lifetime hobby of collecting military memorabilia and artifacts.  Joining the US Navy in 1951, Bozich served aboard the USS.  Randall and received his honorable discharge in 1955. Returning home to Michigan, Stanley became a firefighter for the City of Royal Oak, a position he held until his retirement in 1987.

In May 1975, Stan began to make his dream a reality when he filed articles of incorporation to form "Michigan's Own, Inc." His fledgling museum received its non-profit designation.  Working full-time as a firefighter, Stan "commandeered" an office in Royal Oak Firehouse Number 2 that served as the first home of what would later become the Michigan Heroes Museum.  Now with a place to house and display items that he had collected over the previous 30 years; Stan began to earnestly solicit and acquire military memorabilia and artifacts from Michigan veterans and their descendants so that their stories of service and sacrifice could be told to future generations.

Until a stroke incapacitated him in 2012, Stan worked tirelessly building displays, attracting new collections and memorabilia, and hosting visitor tours – all to create and improve a museum that is the only one of its kind in the nation.  The Michigan Heroes Museum results from Stan Bozich's lifelong devotion to his fellow veterans - a place to Honor, Respect, and Remember our Michigan Heroes.

To give gracious gratitude to the heroes in the museum, one could spend months and even years hearing each story and appreciating the dedication and heroics of those who have served and signed the blank check, so each of us can enjoy the freedoms we have every day.

In Frankenmuth, where tourist activities of dining, wining, leisure, and relaxation are on each corner, the Michigan Heroes Museum is ranked as one of the best attractions to visit, according to Tripadvisor.com. The MHM is affordable and family friendly for those who may be visiting for the first time or returning to learn something new about the fellow men and women with ties to Michigan who have served.

It's easy to say how great a museum to honor our heroes is, but a look at what the museum and what it has to offer and what others have already experienced share their words on the impact of the MHM: Videos courtesy of Under the Radar: Michigan and Neil Kirby.

Planning a visit to the Michigan Heroes Museum can easily start with a visit to the website or by reaching them on their social media page on the Michigan Heroes Museum Facebook Page, Instagram, or channel on YouTube, to check out highlights and upcoming events. You can also reach out by phone call or email to the MHM; T: 989-652-8005 or E: info@miheroes.org

For some Michiganders, the Michigan Heroes Museum might not be the very first thing that comes to mind when visiting the town of Frankenmuth, but on your next visit though it could be the very first you stop to do. The hard work and sacrifices made by those who are enshrined in its halls showcase the bravery and brevity to the Red, White, & Blue. For those here at 94.7 WCSX, we say Thank You Michigan Heroes Museum!

Remember, when you see a veteran, thank them for their service and listen to their journey and stories. Let them know that their sacrifices will never be forgotten, and that they are appreciated for their service which allows us to enjoy the freedoms that we have today.

To nominate, celebrate and show love for the Veterans in your life, yourself, or groups that support veterans locally, Click Here for a chance to get a I Thank You Friday shout out from Big Jim and 94.7 WCSX, proudly sponsored by Performance Remodeling, First State Bank, & Oakland County Veterans' Services.