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Medals Of Honor
A World War II vet turns 90 and receives a gift like none other.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
Left: Alfred Brooks, 90, fought at
Saipan, a collection of islands just south
of Japan and site of one of the bloodiest
battles of World War II, and was
awarded the Purple Heart and the
Bronze Star for valor. His family sur-
rounds him, back row, from left, Dennis
Brooks of Farmington Hills, Jeff Chutz
and Ben Chutz, 21, both of Bloomfield
Hills, Bob Rudin of Farmington Hills;
front row, from left, Evie Chutz, 14,
and Debbie Chutz, both of Bloomfield
Hills; and Sharon Rudin and her sons,
Jack, 6, and Sam, 4, all of West
Bloon2field.
Contributing Editor
jr
._C
eff Chutz was not about to
buy his father-in-law another C
tie. Or a coffee mug. Or a
pair of socks.
Alfred Brooks, who lives at
Fleischman Residence in West
Bloomfield, would soon celebrate a
milestone birthday. Chutz, of
Bloomfield Township, wanted to
bring a present that had nothing to
do with the familiar fare.
"He's a wonderful man; I love him
a lot," Chutz says of Brooks. "When
he turned 90, I wanted to get him
something meaningful."
And then he thought of it.
Brooks was a decorated war veter-
an. Chutz decided to incorporate
this history into his gift for his
father-in-law. His first stop: the
Jewish War Veterans. The result: a
Preserving The Past
gift like nothing Brooks had ever
The Jewish War Veterans of the
received.
United States of America put the
Alfred Brooks is a Detroit native
Chutz family in contact with Lew
who joined the Army in the 1930s,
Snook, who is Jewish and a veteran,
then was sent to the Pacific Theater
but not a JWV member because he is
when the war broke out — serving
not an American veteran. Snook, who
with the 105th regiment of the 27th
lives in West Bloomfield, served dur-
infantry division. He fought at Saipan, ing WWII — with the British Royal
a collection of islands just south of
Navy.
Japan and site of one of the bloodiest
Snook was born in London and was
battles of the war, and was awarded
an apprentice toolmaker when he
the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star
enlisted at age 17 with the Royal
for valor.
Navy. He served for three years,
After the war, he returned to
including at the invasion of Sicily,
Michigan, settling in Oak Park and
then returned as an officer.
working as a house painter. He's a
After the war, Snook married. His
modest man and never bragged about
wife had her heart set on coming to
his war service.
the United States. Though quite
Then came his 90th birthday.
happy in England, he finally relented
Brooks' daughter Debbie and her hus-
in 1954 and the couple settled in
band, Jeff, had managed to find pho-
Metro Detroit.
tos of Alfred in his Army uniform, and
Snook was an engineer in Britain,
even the uniform itself. Next they
and he opened his own machine shop
secured a copy of his service
when he came to the United
records, which noted the
States. Soon afterward, he
medals Brooks had been
began a hobby.
awarded, along with his dis-
It started with a handful of
charge papers. They contacted
British war medals from the
the Department of the Army,
Boer War, and later from
which agreed to send Brooks'
W\XTI and WWII. "It's not
medals to the family. All these
the medal itself that really
treasures — but how to use
interests me," Snook says.
Lew Snook
them?
"It's the history behind it."
Below: Alfred Brooks' medals and
memorabilia mounted and framed
make a perfect 90th birthday present.
....1111.31.11111.
Unknown to much of
the world, war-medal
collectors are an avid,
devoted group with
their own organiza-
tions, like the Orders of
Military Medal Society
in England and the
Orders of Medals in the
United States.
Collectors find their
treasures — for the most devout, this
may mean spending hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars on a single find —
through professional dealers and at
auctions.
One of the most coveted awards,
Snook says, is the Victoria Cross. Only
14 men alive today are known to have
the award, given by the Queen of
England for outstanding military serv-
ice. If put on the market, a Victoria
Cross could sell for as much as
$400,000.
Snook's collection features his own
war medals, plus one once held by the
son of a British lord who fought in the
Crimean War of 1854, which includes
a letter from England's Department of
War.
It was pretty much a natural to
jump from collecting medals to help-
ing frame them, Snook says. A friend
suggested he give it a try. Thanks to
his longtime hobby, Snook knew
exactly where to find both original
medals and museum quality copies of
originals, and, clearly, he had the gift
of design.
For Alfred Brooks, he produced a
framed collection that features his war
medals, shoulder pads from his uni-
form and a brief description of his
military service.
So, was the gift better than a pair of
socks?
"It was incredible," Chutz says.
"And my father-in-law really, really
loved it." 0
Prices vary depending on the size
of frame and the number of
medals. For example, four
medals, provided by the cus-
tomer, would cost about $24 for
mounting plus about $35 for
framing. For information, call
Lew Snook at (248) 737-8852.
9/22
2005
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