By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

He’s a hero.

He has a depth of spirit, he has his grandfather’s (Pops) “fire and spit” and an awful lot of his grandmother’s grit and determination. He also carries a good dose of loyalty and a zest for life. And I think there was a reason why this young man was born on June 6 - the anniversary of one of the greatest battles the world has ever seen: he would fight his own battles.

Elliott John (his Pops' Barney's middle name was John) is a Navy SEAL. Well, officially he has now served his tour in the Navy. But the way I figure it, once a SEAL, always a SEAL. As he once explained it to me (the cleaned up this version) “we’re the baddest of the bad.” He served SEAL team 5 – and was a combat medic and a sniper. He was good – darn good.

In November 2006, Elliott and his team were in the Al-Anbar province of Iraq. He was serving as a sniper overwatch for a Marine patrol when he was fragged by a grenade. When his teammates evacuated him to a nearby quick reaction force vehicle, one of those darn IED’s (improvised explosive device) exploded. He was wounded again. Twice in one day.

Among his injuries, his left leg had two massive fractures, his arm was broken, and he lost most of his blood. He suffered traumatic brain injury and was burned over 60 percent of his body from the phosphorus in the bomb.

He would remain in a coma for four weeks. He had no recollection of being taken to the local combat hospital. No memory of the flight to Landstuhl, Germany where he would be stabilized for transport back to the states. No memory of being airlifted to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He woke up in Texas, surrounded by family.

What he woke up to was a reality filled with pain, healing, surgeries, more pain, and more healing. Never quit.

He would undergo more than 60 surgeries. He had skin grafts to his hands and legs. Reconstruction and repairs to his left leg and right arm. Never quit.

Surgeries. Infections. Then the decision no one wanted to think about. His leg was so badly damaged he helped make the decision to amputate. Still more surgeries, more set backs. Never give up.

Along the way, he had a “SEAL team” of his own here in Dexter – praying for him. Men and women who only remember him as a young boy with a big grin – the apple of his grandparents’ hearts – they were his team. They prayed for him, they remembered him.

His other SEAL team was there, too. These tall, athletic young men stood by Elliott no matter what. They were there for him. They encouraged, they prodded, they teased, they fought for him. I have seen them – in their dress blues – pick him up in his wheel chair and carry him lovingly up a hill to his sister’s grave site. They would do anything for him. That’s what family does. They, too are my heroes.

Never give up.

In November 2009, he showed the world he still had the grit and determination – as if anyone doubted. He flew to Chicago, and thanks to some help from U.S.Congressman Jo Ann Emerson (who cut the red tape), he climbed all 103 flights of stairs to the top of the Willis Tower (formerly named Sears Tower). He had a team of SEAL brothers there then, too, as well as his dad, brother, older sister and three nephews.

And he had a team of prayer SEALS in Dexter, too. The women in Verna Godwin’s Sunday School Class at the First United Methodist Church prayed for him every step of that incredible journey.

Never give up.

Never, ever give up.

Now, this weekend before his birthday he marked another milestone. On Sunday morning he completed a marathon on an adaptive bike. Along with 32,000 runners and 65,000 spectators, Elliott completed the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon in San Diego. His dad was there. His sister was there and running her first race. His wife was there, and those SEAL brothers, too.

Never give up.

He said it himself for a Navy magazine a few years ago: “Don’t ever, ever, ever give up hope because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how far, dark, and dismal it may appear at times, it is there. You just have to have a little bit (no, maybe a WHOLE LOT) of patience and faith in yourself. You alone will have to get up and take it for yourself.

He’s my hero. Happy birthday, big boy!

Elliott John Miller is the son of former Dexter resident Joe Miller, the nephew of SMT editor Annabeth Miller, and the grandson of the late Barney and Marie Miller of Dexter. Elliott and his wife April are expecting their first child in September, giving the writer her fourth great nephew.

By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

June 6, 1944.

It's a pivotal day in history. It’s the day when the largest armada the world had ever seen was poised to land on the European continent - with 156,000 Allied troops from the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway and Free France all ready to land of a 50-mile stretch of Normandy coast with the support of 5,000 landing craft, 50,000 vehicles, and 11,000 planes.

And in command of one of those planes was a young Army Air Corps officer from Dexter.

Clifford Manlove was a captain on D-Day, in charge of a B-24 bomber based in Wormingford, England. A photo hangs on the wall at Manlove’s home of ten young, smiling men alongside a bomber they had christened “The Missouri Mule.” Three of the men were from Missouri; three had the first named Clifford. Now, some 67 years after that fateful June in 1944, only two of that crew is still alive to talk about the experience.

Manlove said the 490th Bomb Group hadn’t been in England all that long before June 1944.

“The crew had just a few missions under its belt,” Manlove recalled. But more importantly in some ways was that the crew had no idea that the call to wake up on the morning of June 6 would be the dawning of a turning point in the war.

“I hadn’t heard a word about D-Day or an invasion before that morning,” Manlove said. Maybe it was the group’s newness to the scene; maybe because it was out the craziness of London and the hub-bub along the eastern coast along the English Channel. Manlove doesn’t know.

"We really didn’t have any idea.”

But once they were awakened that morning and had breakfast, and then went to the various briefings, it was clear this would be a different sort of day.

“When I walked in that briefing room and saw that big map – then I knew,” Manlove recalled. He said the briefing map was a large map of Europe - and red lines showing the route of their mission.

As a bomber group, he and his crew went on bombing raids – train depots, factories, and large strategic targets. But the target this morning was different.

“Our target that morning was a bridge," he recalled. “It was a tactical target, and we didn’t normally have tactical targets. You never knew what the target was going to be until the briefing. So you can imagine the surprise when we had a bridge. It must have been some bridge!”

Weather – which had plagued General Dwight Eisenhower and the Allied commanders in executing the invasion plan - was perfect when Manlove and his crew left the base. Manlove was the lead crew for the mission, with nine other men aboard the B-24. The plan was to drop the six 1,000 bombs on a bridge near the French city of Nantes and return to base.

Contrary to most other missions, Manlove said there was not a secondary target and if the bombs were not dropped on the bridge, the bombs were to be returned with the crew.

“When we took off it was clear – it was a beautiful day,” Manlove said. “Then, when we got over the English Channel I saw one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. There in the channel – stretched out as far as the eye could see – were all the ships and landing craft in the invasion force. It was impressive.”

But as soon as the crew hit the French shoreline, clouds began to mess with plans. The cloud cover prevented the crew from seeing the target.

"We were told that if we couldn’t see the target – if we didn’t have visual sight of the bridge – we were to return to base without dropping our bombs. That’s what we did.”

The Missouri Mule and its crew returned safe and secure to its base in Wormingford, ready to fly again another day.

“You couldn’t help but feel that this was the real thing,” the active 94-year old Manlove said. “We felt like this was the beginning of the end, really. There was a very good feeling.”

Manlove went on to complete his tour with the 490th Bomb Group, and then volunteered for a second tour before returning to Missouri in 1945. He went on to take his experience and training as an officer in the Air Force, making a career in the service.

But on that morning of June 6, 1944, he and his crew took off on a fateful day – a day some have dubbed “The Longest Day” when the Allies began to the long road to victory in World War II.

Photo Above: Cliff Manlove keeps a photo of the B-24 crew who flew with him on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Manlove is standing, second from the right.

By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.

Back in the spring folks voiced their opinion through an online voting process and encouraged family and friends to vote. And the route was set. And now the ig steam engine is coming to Dexter.

The community that was founded in 1873 by the railroad and can credit its early history to the importance of railroads is going to host - for a short time - the last steam engine built for Union Pacific Railroad.

Union Pacific's Engine 844 will arrive in Dexter at 10:10 a.m. Monday at the intersection of County Road 517A and County Road 527. The train will be stopped for one hour, before leaving headed west to Poplar Bluff.

The 844 will leave Cape Girardeau at 8 a.m. for Dexter. The train is spending the night in Cape Girardeau before continuing its southward trek.

The Little Rock Express route won in voting conducted via a special contest website. In addition, individuals who garnered the most "points" via Facebook and Twitter earned two tickets each for a special leg of the tour.

"The contest connected this legendary piece of railroad history to people of all ages through today's technology. It is our privilege to bring No. 844 to help the Little Rock Express voters celebrate their social media networking success," said Robert Turner, Union Pacific senior vice president - Corporate Relations.

A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) transmitter was installed on one of the rail cars that will travel with No. 844. The GPS system has been integrated with a map at www.upsteam.com. Website visitors will be able to access a detailed schedule, route maps and other information. The GPS system will update the map every five minutes showing No. 844's location. GPS updates are also available at http://twitter.com/UP_Steam.

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

The big weekend has arrived – the 18 Fore Life weekend, filled with a action-packed golf tournament, banquet with guest speakers, and lot of fun and action the entire weekend.

The Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Charity Gold Event weekend begins this evening with a banquet. The event was developed back in 1999, when Scott Kruse, his late brother, Ben Kruse, and some friends came up with the idea of a benefit gold tournament, What has now evolved is a weekend event, with funds raised staying at home to help victims of cancer in their journeys.

The weekend includes the Friday night banquet, this year featuring former Seattle Mariners pitcher Brian Holman as the guest speaker. In addition to remarks by Holman, cancer survivor Shawn Green of Bernie will be on the program, followed by an auction and music from local group The BUZZ.

Saturday morning with begin with a 7 a.m. tee time for the Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Charity Golf Event at Hidden Trails Country Club. The tournament is a four-person scramble with a silent auction a dinner to follow.

Among the highlight’s of the weekend are:

Silent Auction

Golf Cart Raffle...to be given away Saturday night (need not be present to win!)

Sheryl Crow Autographed Guitar Raffle...also to be given away Saturday night (NNBP)

Beta Sigma FUNdraiser

Montgomery Bank 17th Hole...VEGAS theme and ring toss!

Photo Above: Dana Adams and Scott Nelson of Montgomery Bank in Dexter prepare for the 17th Hole at the Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday. Montgomery Bank is the sponsor of the 17th Hole Event, complete with a Vegas theme and fun activities.

As technology continues to open up different ways that we work and play, cookbooks are taking on a whole new level of interaction that makes cooking fun. Is it possible that your iPad can become a valuable kitchen accessory? With the The Recipe Manager, you will want to incorporate these cookbooks into your kitchen routine.

A great tool for cooking enthusiasts, The Recipe Manager is far from the traditional cookbook turned electronic. The Recipe Manager allows you to add, delete and collect recipes of others over time. You can add your favorite family recipes of the past and share these with other users. Much like a three ring binder system, you can expand, change and delete as you collect new recipes.

The most exciting news from The Data Manager is the recently released digital cookbooks under the theme of The Informed Chef. The initial launch of the product has three great titles that area Counter Intelligence, Serves Two and Soup in Season. Each is filled with great tips and tricks for preparing meals that will not only fit your lifestyle but also allow you to be the envy of those who dine with you.

An innovative new multi-media cookbook app collection featuring award-winning authors that will, virtually, be in the kitchen with you through interactive videos. These short clips will show you important information on techniques and ingredients, giving you the confidence you need to execute any recipe successfully - the first time.

These E-Cookbooks are created by cookbook authors Meredith Deeds, Carla Snyder and Cynthia Nims providing you with mouth watering recipes that you can enjoy with your friends and family. Each recipe book is filled with 25 recipes and more than 70 video that explain and teach you culinary techniques that will help you in making these great dishes.

The [url_new= TheInformedChef Website is absolutely remarkable and will provide you with an abundance of details and information about each e-book title. You will find introductory videos from each author outlining each book and fantastic outlines of each Table of Contents is also available. We encourage you to visit http://www.TheInformedChef.com/ to learn more about the product.

A brief outline of each book is found below:

Counter Intelligence

25 Delicious Dishes and Endless Meal Possibilities for the Inquisitive Cook
Meredith Deeds

Deciding on a main course for dinner can be a daunting chore, whether it's for family on a Tuesday night, or for company on the weekend. Deciding what to serve alongside that main course can often feel equally overwhelming. That's how most home cooks find themselves in a rut, turning to the same few meals again and again. Let Counter Intelligence help you mix it up tonight with mouthwatering recipes and lots of new menu ideas, from casual to elegant.
With everything from appetizers to desserts, this cookbook is filled with recipes that can be mixed and matched to create countless meals. In addition, each recipe is accompanied by gorgeous photography and filled with short video clips that will guide you through the important techniques and ingredients you need know to execute the recipe successfully. This innovative format allows me to virtually be in the kitchen with you, guiding you step by step through every recipe.

Serves Two

25 Complete One Pan Dinners for Two Busy People
Carla Snyder

Making dinner can be one of the most daunting tasks of the day. It’s late, you’re tired… brain dead actually. You’re too exhausted to go out for dinner. All you want to do is eat a nice warm meal at your own table in your own home and decompress -maybe with a glass of wine or even a cocktail.

Serves Two is the answer to your dilemma. Inside its pages are recipes for complete made-from- scratch-meals, with one pan clean-up and ready to eat in about 30 minutes. These are not casseroles, but dishes like Roasted Halibut with Fingerlings and Chimichurri Mayo, Braised Chicken Involtini with Tomatoes and Capers and Whole-Wheat Pasta with Chicken, Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce. How is this possible? I’ve condensed my knowledge as a cooking school instructor, caterer and recipe developer and paired foods with similar cooking techniques, to make a meal in one pan.

Soup in Season

25 Delicious, Satisfying, Refreshing Soups to Suit Any Occasion, Any Time of Year
Cynthia Nims

Few culinary devices are as deliciously versatile as soups. Think about it! In the blazing heat of summer, you can reach into the refrigerator for a bowl of Smoky Gazpacho and serve a refreshing supper without breaking a sweat. Or, in the dead of mid-winter, warm up the kitchen—and your family—with a simmering pot of rich Cranberry Bean Soup with Ham Hocks. Seasonal influences on soups abound, whether it’s fresh spring vegetables in a Pistou Soup, sweet summer corn in Corn and Bacon Chowder or fall’s bounty of chanterelles in a hearty Mushroom, Leek and Farro Soup.

This collection of 25 recipes gives you a taste of the diverse world of soups, recipes with a range of cultural and seasonal influences that are sure to offer something to suit any mood and any meal.

We at SMT would like to hear what you think of the idea of a digital cookbook and the use of this product. Please send your comments to news@showmetimes.com.