Comments on: Henry D. Styer: A Sense of Fair Play

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:05:55 +0000

Thanks, Bill. I think the other man whose name I know must have been part of the Archangel venture — several of the details you mention are part of his story. (Just after WWI, the Millennial Star attempted to publish a paragraph about every Latter-day Saint, at least on the western side, who had died in service, and that paragraph is all I have so far.) There are so many corners of history that I know virtually nothing about!

By: Bill MacKinnon

Bill MacKinnon — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:18:57 +0000

Re the U.S. intervention in Russia just after WWI, I ought to mention that in addition to the multi-nation military occupation of eastern Siberia discussed above, there was an intervention by American troops near the Arctic Circle (Archangel). Winston Churchill had talked Woodrow Wilson into this, and, as I recall what happened, a Michigan National Division and a Marine Corps regiment drew the duty. This went on for several years until the Americans started taking casualties, following which the U.S. decided to pull the plug on this very cold, frustrating expeditionary force — a quite separate venture than the Siberian affair and thousands of miles away. The veterans of the Michigan National Guard unit involved dubbed themselves the Polar Bear Division. Many are buried in the White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, MI, about 30 miles north of Detroit, where a large sculpture of a polar bear commemorates their little-known service. This incident remained a talking point in U.S.-USSR relations for decades, as with the Soviet argument during the Cuban Missle Crisis of 1962 that their presence in Cuba was no more unacceptable than that of the American forces in northern Russia after WWI.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:43:36 +0000

Thanks for a great set of comments, all.

BTW: The US intervention in Russia in 1918/1919 is a fasinating and little known bit of American history.

And I certainly don’t pretend to be an expert — what I’ve written here is pieced together from a very superficial knowledge. I tried not to go beyond what I could find in seemingly trustworthy summaries, but it’s certainly subject to correction if someone knows better! I’ve also found the name of one Mormon boy in the American troops in Russia. When I can find more about him and understand better what he was a part of, I’ll post his story.

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:08:26 +0000

Perhaps not as dramatic, but it reminds me of Alexander Doniphan and his defense of Mormons in Missouri.

BTW: The US intervention in Russia in 1918/1919 is a fasinating and little known bit of American history.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:45:05 +0000

I have noticed that many of the Pennsylvania natives I know take the principles of religious freedom very seriously. It was a surprise when we first moved here and continues to be a surprise from time to time. Definitely a pleasant surprise, I may add.

By: Bill MacKinnon

Bill MacKinnon — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:19:59 +0000

The army must also have thought that Styer was doing something right. Before he retired he was a brigadier general commanding the 181st Infantry Brigade.

By: kevinf

kevinf — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:53:07 +0000

Oh, that we had more of this kind of tolerance and sense of justice today. Too often decisions in the political and business arena are based on “what is expedient for me today”. Col. Styer is a hero for any time. Thanks, Ardis, and “Keepapitchinin”.

By: Jeff Johnson

Jeff Johnson — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:51:44 +0000

A very interesting man. It would be nice to know about him and his activities in Utah. He was in Utah for twenty years, I am wondering what other sources there could be about him.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:07:07 +0000

Thanks, Edje and Researcher — you see in him the same qualities that I appreciated.

By: Researcher

Researcher — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:03:30 +0000

What an interesting story. The qualities of justice rather than political expediency and religious tolerance rather than bigotry in one man.

A very nice summary from Edje, also.