This is part 2 of my conversation with Stan Mazur, who served his country as a Sea Bee in the Navy. He has raised a family, had a career and continues to serve. Listen in as he talks about what it took to bring the USS Arizona Memorial to the city of Jackson Michigan.
This is part 2 of my conversation with Stan Mazur, who served his country as a Sea Bee in the Navy. He has raised a family, had a career and continues to serve. Listen in as he talks about what it took to bring the USS Arizona Memorial to the city of Jackson Michigan.
Description
Me You Us, sponsored by Consumers Energy, dives deeper into the physical, financial, emotional, social, and professional pillars that make up our overall well-being and contribute to our mental health. Through the sharing of personal experiences and conversations with industry experts, we can collaboratively support one another and increase our consideration for the personal well-being of those around us.
This is part 2 of my conversation with Stan Mazur, who served his country as a Sea Bee in the Navy. He has raised a family, had a career, and continues to serve. Listen in as he talks about what it took to bring the USS Arizona Memorial to the city of Jackson Michigan.
William Krieger
Hello everyone and welcome to Me You Us, a wellbeing podcast. It's another wellbeing Wednesday here at Consumers Energy, and I'm your host Bill Krieger. Today is part two of my interview with Stan Mazur. So if you haven't listened to part one yet, go back to season three episode 15. And give that a listen. And today we're going to find out if Stan went for it. Like his grandson told him to.
Stan
My son and his son, my grandson, and another youngster. We were mulching trees in close proximity to where the Twin Tower exhibit is on site. And we are able to see that from where we were mulching some of the trees, part of our flowering tree project. And just to carry conversation, knowing the possibility I read the article on USS Arizona to carry conversation with my grandson and his buddy, Owen Campbell, and Carter Mazur. I said, the youngsters Remember Pearl Harbor. And they looked at me as I was some weirdo. Carter, my grandson, said why in the world, do you say that Grandpa and I explained it you see that showcase over there, but the Twin Tower Memorial, we could possibly get a piece of the USS Arizona and put it in a similar size showcase in the same general area. And what do you guys think I value your opinions. And my grandson Carter says go for grandpa. And that was a kick in the pants that I needed. And that's how I pursued it. Because the article indicated some contact people and information. And I made a phone call and talk with the chief steelworker, a Seabee steel worker, that was in charge of the crew that was actually cutting up crating and shipping these pieces of the Arizona out to worthy recipients. He tells me he emailed me back says Stan, I'm not the go to guy. the go to guy is James Newman, he is the relics program director. But what the good for me is James Newman, he's stationed over in Honolulu. His office is over there. He's actually from East Lansing he graduated U of M. So that was a plus. Because when I pursued this, I guess on behalf of the State of Michigan, to be displayed at cascades Park. And in my pursuit was getting what I'm saying on emails back and forth. When I say can do which is the Seabees, I'm telling him go blue. And he appreciated his recognition of his school. So between back and forth, I was able to get it to the point where we got accepted as a worthy recipient. I couldn't officially order or request that the from a bonafide organization that basically keep the exhibit in good stead no charges free to the public. So that happened to be the county parks director. So Kyle Lewis of the county parks director actually made the official request to get the piece which we did get back in October of 2020. We've had to piece in since October 2020. And the meantime we had to do a lot of fundraising and preparation in order to get the piece on board and display it as we have it on dedication which was done December 7 of this last year. Fortunately, and going for fundraising, the companies that did the showcase for the Twin Towers, then did that freebie. We went to the same companies, named them off. We had the Midbrook Products because the fabricator Jackson glass provided the glass for the display, Alro Steel provided the stainless steel and RW Mercer did all of the site work requirements. And we've got not only that showcase with the exhibit pieces There's been a conjunction, but we also there was 1177 went down with that ship originally. 28 of those sailors in one Marine was from Michigan. So one of the plaques is Remember Pearl Harbor, it listed 28, their rank and their hometown. The on the other side of the piece as the certificate of authenticity. So you're looking at that piece didn’t come from Joe’s Junkyard, above the piece, is a silhouette of the battleship and a deck plan of the battleship on the same plaque with a highlighted area proximately what part of the ship that that piece came from. In conjunction outside the showcase, we've got a newspaper article that depicts the happenings of the attack on Pearl Harbor. And actually, the conclusion is pictures of where the Japanese are signing of surrender on the battleship, Missouri, that is on the outside, in a separate exhibit as part of it, but it's not within the showcase. And then we have another plaque that's designated to donors $500 or more are the ones that basically in kind, free gratis. So all of that is there to see in conjunction with the American flag and a flag bowl with the display of each of the flags for our military branches. So it's worthwhile to go there, you'll not only see the 911 Memorial, but you'll see the piece from the USS Arizona. I highly recommend that you have something to work out to see and do go to cascades park. Got the falls there, you got the exhibits there. We've got some ball fields there and a little bit because some golf courses they close by. That's pretty much it. I gotta say it was little over two years to achieve this, but it was well worth it. It was one of the one of the better days of my life at the dedication.
William Krieger
When I saw the pictures and read the articles. And what an amazing feat over that two year, little over two years to get that done. And I think it is important. The point that you made to your grandson, a little while back in our conversation is that we don't want to forget our past. And it's so very easy as we get older. And a new generation comes up that we still remember the things that made us the country that we are today. And what a great tribute just to all of the military people who have given the ultimate sacrifice to have that sort of a memorial there for us to go see and remember that part of history.
Stan
Well, I can add this on fundraising, all the American Legion posts within the Jackson area basically, and the VFW posts in the chapter, the Vietnam Veterans chapter. And they all kicked in 500 or more of course covering costs of the flag poles and flags. The concrete work that was done in setting this up the foundation for all of that had paid for. We raised a little over, but almost $32,000. So combined with the 32,000 to pay for plaques, for example, right? And the concrete foundation work with the flag poles plus the in-kind. The dedication went beyond my expectations. I even went to five elementary schools in the general area, and asked them to send some kids over if they can. So we did have some youngsters there as well. Which I wanted to have this blend in. This was the unification we needed. We need all of the unification we can get as you well know.
William Krieger
Oh yes. I couldn't agree more. I think bringing people together is so very important, you know, full transparency to the audience. I actually found out about you and what you were doing through Carolyn Bloodworth. Here Consumers Energy because I know that we also worked a bit with you on this project as well and I can't think of a better use of funds and efforts than this memorial that you've put together.
Stan
Well, Consumers Energy was one of the donors for this exhibit. You They're their names on that plaque. That donation plaque because that's for everybody to see. And what kind of disappointed me is they've got the donation plaque with my face. That wasn't supposed to be. There wasn't supposed to be, my son. He thought that would be more appropriate. So I saw that for the first time I had a heart attack. He was the only one that could make that happen. He snuck that in on me. So that's kind of on my bucket list, getting even.
William Krieger
I think you've got some time to figure out how you're going to get even with him.
Stan
We go deer hunting. Oh, and this one particular year. There's about 15 to 20 of us. We go up into Roscommon County. State Forest. And we've got like three or four circled wagons campers. And you could actually golf. It was about two o'clock in the afternoon. Bright sunny day with warm temperatures. Not good for deer hunting.
William Krieger
Not at all. Just for anyone who does a deer hunt. This is not good deer hunting weather.
Stan
So no. So anyway, here we have a cook tent. All right. I'm going to go and grab a snack. This This was set up for one of the other guys in our hunting group. I happen to go into the cook tent and here comes this gorilla. My son had a big gorilla outfit. Oh, scared the hell out of me. Bill, I’m telling you I back out and fell down backward. I'm glad I didn't break the leg or arm. Yeah. So they pulled on me. That's on my bucket list. How do you get back against somebody that pulled a prank like that on?
William Krieger
Right. Well, you have you have the advantage though, because you're retired. So you have time to think about these things. Not a lot of spare time from what I'm getting. But you know a little bit of time.
Stan
I'm 86 years old. And in hopes that I can go and make 100 that Betty White didn’t unfortunately. She's about two weeks shy. But that same hunting session we had, what they call, where you did the hole, put a commode, an outdoor crapper and we got basically an enclosed with Canvas. And we have a candle. Well, it was evening, and we have a spare candle on the side. So I'm taking the light off of the one before it goes out. And I throw the toilet paper in the commode. And BOOM! I got out and I run back into camp, we weren’t too far from camp. Maybe 100 or 200 steps. I needed a bucket of water. I got to put the fire!
William Krieger
Enough methane buildup in there though……
Stan
They named that the Apollo. And I'm thanking God that there wasn't enough methane in there. So really, that was exciting day I had the gorilla attacking during the day and the crapper attacking me in the evening.
William Krieger
That was That wasn't that wasn't a good situation at all.
Stan
No. But thank God on the USS Arizona exhibit is on display. Well worthy to receive something that unifies us and again, I'll make mention again we need all the unification we can get.
William Krieger
Yes
Stan
That's to me. Is makes me happy and satisfied kind of choked up a little bit. To be able to be doing something of that nature. That's probably the biggest thing I’ll ever do in my lifetime. And there for many to see and enjoy and remember, so we don't have a third tragedy in this country.
William Krieger
From having your parents immigrate from Poland, to joining the Navy to meeting your wife to being married for 63 years. To having all these children here we are sitting down having coffee at a restaurant in Jackson airport. You've lived quite a life and you're 86 years young. You've got you’ve got a ways to go for you hit that 100-year mark. And we are getting close to the end of the podcast. So I guess my question for you, Stan is, what kind of what message do you want to leave? For the people listening to this podcast today. What would you like them to take away from this?
Stan
What I'd like them take away from this is unification. Let's get back to where we could all be friendly with one another, negotiate with each other, compromise with each other. I don't care what color we are. We're a melting pot, this country's been a melting pot. Let's keep it that way. Let's keep our democracy our freedom our independence, this next voting session, get your eyes set on the prize. freedom, democracy. Forget about all the other incidentals that are being displayed and brought up. Oh, let's unification. Please, a lot of that has to do with this COVID thing too. I've been vaccinated. I've had booster shots. I look at this as a as a fight against an unseen common enemy. The only way you're going to beat that enemy is you got to be together. You can't be splattered like a shotgun blast. And, unfortunately, a lot of this politicized. That's the downfall of why this pandemic is even on, we'll never get rid of it. Believe me, we'll never get there. It'd be like us getting a flu shot, eventually. But we want to get this to where it’s under control. And please get your vaccinations. Get your boosters where your masks are appropriate. Let's not fight this though. That's pretty much my say.
William Krieger
All right. Well, thank you for that, too. Great message though. unification. There's been a lot of division over the last few years, and especially recently, it would be great for all of us to come back together. So Stan, thanks for taking time out to sit here and talk with me today. It's been such a pleasure to get to know you. And I would like to do this again sometime in the future as you do even more for our community and for our veterans.
Stan
Glad to have done it, Bill, it’s a pleasure meeting you, young man. Glad you got this set up. You’ve got a good program here. Hopefully beneficial to others, moving them in the right direction.
William Krieger
Alright, thank you. Thank you to the audience for listening in today. The Me You Us podcast is proudly sponsored by Consumers Energy leaving Michigan better than we found it. Remember, you can find the Me You Us podcast on all major podcasting platforms. So be sure to go out find us and subscribe. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. That's 1-800-273-8255 If you are a veteran or know a Veteran who is in crisis, you can call 1-800-273-8255 in press one for the Veterans Crisis Line. And remember to tune in every Wednesday as we talk about the things that impact your personal wellbeing.