In Memory

Michael Maniere VIEW PROFILE

Michael Maniere

Sgt. Michael J. Maniere,

In Cambodia

Beloved Son of Robert J. & Lenore. Dear Brother of Mrs Hugh (Elizabeth Ann) Martin, Robert J., Mrs Lawrence (Theresa) Flynn, James L. & Patrick. Funeral Friday 9:15 am from AH Peters Funeral Home. 20705 Mack at Vernier Rd. (8 Mile) Grosse Pointe Woods, 10:00am St. Gertrude Church, Rosary, Thursday 8:00pm



 
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11/23/08 11:55 AM #1    

Steve Smark

MICHAEL JOHN MANIERE


SSGT - E5 - Army - Selective Service
1st Cav Division (AMBL)

His tour began on Feb 7, 1970
Casualty was on May 20, 1970
In , CAMBODIA
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered

Panel 10W - Line 71
Craig Filson
cfilson@hess.com
I was a friend and platoon SSG
17010 Red Fern ct.
Houston, tx 77095 usa
A Hero
I was a friend and platoon SSG with Michael, I was not with him at the time as I was getting ready to leave country on May 29, 1970. Saw this page and just wanted to pay tribute to a great guy and soldier.
Thursday, June 05, 2003






George Hannaford
Geo1jungle@aol.com
I was with him in the third platoon
214 N. Forrest St.
Vandalia, MO 63382 USA
Mlke's fateful day
I was with mike on his last day here. We were on patrol in Cambodia and started in a bunker complex of the NVA. Mike was in the point squad of a company sized operation. I was the machinegunner of the second squad behind his. We crossed a creek and went up a hill. They passed back that they found more bunkers. Then we got in a firefight , Mike was about twenty meters from me. We were pinned down by an RPD machine gun. I was later told that the NVA had thrown a Chicom grenade on the point squad, everyone took cover and it didn't go off. Mike was the first one to start to return fire when he was hit by the machine gun. He was always couragous under fire. I felt I had to leave this here for him, he deserved so much more, I will never forget him my fellow troooper and brother rest in peace till we meet again.
Sunday, September 07, 2003


I copied these notes that were summited to the Vietnam Wall message board.
Thank you, for the ultimate sacrifice

03/19/09 03:44 PM #2    

Dave Zappa

After a few weeks at basic training at Ft. Knox, KY (April, 1969}, I ran into Mike at the mess hall. He was some weeks ahead of me at the 8 week course. We talked for about an half hour about our school days and where we would be assigned after our training was complete. Never saw him again after that day.

May he rest in peace.

04/14/09 12:51 PM #3    

Paul Walcott

In 2006 my wife and I visited Washington DC. While there I found Mike's name on the Vietnam Memorial.
I've got a good digital picture of it somewhere. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find it in the next few days and if so, will try to post it here.

11/15/09 12:37 PM #4    

Bill Laus

I met Whitey at Lakeview High School in The Fall of 1964. He came via Chippewa, and I from Ottawa. Around 575 Sophomores in our class, so it took a while to figure out who was who. I heard the name Whitey before I could match the face. Once I saw the full head of light blond hair, I knew who Whitey was. He was the guy with the energy, the smile, and that darn head of almost white hair. It wasn’t until Junior year that I had Whitey in a class, and I got to know him.

It was in sixth hour American History. The powers that be came up with the concept of Team-Teaching as the way to educate the unlearned about the making of our great Country. Three days a week, we met in our separate classrooms for discussion. Two days a week we met in the cafeteria for lectures. Whitey sat across the lunch table from me in the cafeteria every Tuesday and Thursday. Jim Lesperance, who I knew from St. Isaac Jogues grade school, sat next to me. Jim and Whitey were already friends, and that broke the ice. Jim and Whitey kept inviting me to meet them for breakfast at a restaurant named Friar Tucks before school. I never joined them. Friar Tucks was on the other side of the School District. I would have had to get up even earlier in the morning to meet them. Unfortunately, in my school days, sleeping later always trumped over having a good breakfast.

Some of my classmates knew Whitey longer and better than I did. I found out that he was an accomplished bowler as a youth. He bowled at Harbor Lanes, and was considered a bowling prodigy. When I met Whitey’s older Brother Jim for the first time last Summer, Jim confirmed this. Jim told me that he worked with Whitey a lot on his bowling. Whitey enjoyed growing up here in St. Clair Shores.

3 or 4 of my female classmates at Lakeview High School, Class of 1967, claim to be Whitey’s first girlfriend in high school. I know Whitey had a good time while at Lakeview. Maybe too good of a time.

He was raised here in the City of St. Clair Shores, and he was raised right. When the Nation called on him to serve his Country, he did it with Courage and Honor

My fellow Classmates and I, Lakeview High School -Class of 1967, have all turned, or will turn 60 this year. We threw a Birthday Bash last September to Celebrate this event. One of our classmates, Rev. Susan Nank Duker, wrote a prayer to commemorate this event. I will address this Prayer to Whitey as I close my speech.

Michael (Whitey) Maniere:


You were Cool.
You are Cool.
You will always be Cool.

Amen.



Speech given November 14, 2009, at Veteran’s Memorial Park, St. Clair Shores, MI. The Name Michael J. Maniere was added to the City Monument Honoring its War Heroes.


12/17/09 05:23 PM #5    

Bill Laus

Speech by Walter Sugierski:

I first met Michal in the summer of 1957. My family had joined the flight from Detroit and after, it seemed like years going through model homes on the east side, we moved to St. Clair Shores to a subdivision known as “High Haven,” a name which would not be used today. This subdivision was built on the former Maniere land but they retained a large plot (to a eight-year-olds’ eyes) of land. The original house remained and was a large rambling farm house, two stories with a large porch. It had BIG trees, a barn, and even a tire swing! It was located at the end of Wood Street on which I lived, and what is now the 10- mile exit ramp. In those days the I-94 expressway did not exist and this area was a large garden tended to by Mike’s dad. His house was a natural draw to boys, as in most new subdivisions, there were no trees, grass or tire swings. Mike obtained the nickname of Whitey for the most obvious of reasons. He had platinum blond hair and bright China-blue eyes. My Mother thought Whitey was “beautiful” and said that he should have been on advertising for Campbell’s Soup or Shredded Wheat. We rode our bikes and played on plots of land where houses were not yet built, but most of all, we played in the “Woods”, which was located on the grounds of the old SCS water treatment plant where the Ice Arena now stands. The Woods had everything a boy could want. There were lots of trees, an open meadow and even a small indent, which would become a pond after a heavy rain fall. Whitey was a natural leader. Whatever he wanted to do, we most likely did. He wasn’t loud, in fact he spoke rather softly, but he did lead us for some summers. I remember that we would all halt our outside playing for the Saturday “action” movie, which was most often Jungle Jim or the Three Musketeers, but the day I remember most was the showing of a Robin Hood film. This wasn’t the typical Robin Hood story but in it the hero actually dies! He is sent off on a burning boat with a salute by his Merry Men in a hail of arrows. After the movie was over we once again congregated on the street. We were more than impressed! As we all naturally had bows and arrows to play with in the woods, we thought that re-creating this scene was the most logical thing to do. We all ran home to get our mighty bows and arrows and meet in the meadow of the Woods. What a great day! Since there was no burning boat and no one wanted to lose their precious arrows into the Woods, it was decided to launch them straight up on the count of THREE! One-Two- Three, there they go! We all stood in amazement staring straight up! It was Whitey who yelled RUN!! Boy did we run! As these target arrows obeyed the law of gravity and started to fall back to the ground, I still remember looking into Whitey’s eyes as we both folded ourselves into the smallest area possible and we started to laugh as the arrows thudded into the ground around us. It’s true that God looks out for small children and idiots. That day we were both. Soon after it was decided to re-route the I-94 expressway project from its original planned path, which was straight down Harper, but to divert it through new sub-divisions’ in the Shores. Whitley’s childhood home was to become a victim of progress. It was with much surprise that in junior high, I once again ran into Whitey. We both had moved on. He had a new circle of friends as did I. We would acknowledge each other but did not retain that childhood bond. In high school our relationship deteriorated further. We knew of each other, but rarely spoke. After graduation, once again, friendships changed, I didn’t know of Whitey, what he was doing or where he was. In the summer of 1970, while at Mike Crossen’s house, I saw Mike’s younger sister quite upset. It was then that I learned Whitey had been killed in action while in the Army. It was strange to face the death of someone you knew of. Someone I had played with, laughed with and fought the bad guys with was now dead. It brought my own mortality into perspective. I knew the boy, acknowledged the youth, and did not know the man, and I am poorer for that. But I know Solders. In my career as a Military Contractor, I have dealt with solders straight out of Basic Training to General Grade Officers. I know what a solder is. I know what a Sergeant is, and I most surely know what a Staff Sergeant is. A Staff Sergeant must have control of his men, He must have a cool head, intelligent and he must be able to lead. He is listened to by all. He is the backbone of the Army. Mike Maniere, Whitey, had all of these qualities. He could lead and he had the presence to be heard and obeyed by his troops. He gave his life for his men, his Country and for us, ALL of us. Whitey is remembered today by his classmates. Many of us here lead far different lives with much diversity; many are spread across this country. But we have one thing in common today. That is to remember and honor a man who touched us all. Today, Staff Sergeant Michael Maniere, Whitey, a leader and hero, a son, a classmate and a friend to so many, will join other Veterans from this community whose names are inscribed on this Monument. His name is now inscribed on this Monument. He will be remembered not only here, but in our hearts.

Walter Sugierski Class of ’67- Lakeview High School Speech given November 14, 2009 At Veterans Memorial Park S.C.S MI.


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