A Helping of History

to my interview with Dr. Michael Gambone!

If you missed it, listen wherever you get your podcasts!

We are LIVE with Season 2!

I interviewed Dr. Michael Gambone about his upcoming book! Listen anywhere you get your podcasts. Dr. Gambone is the author of eight books, including Long Journeys Home: American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam (2017) and The Greatest Generation Comes Home: The Veteran in American Society (2005). He is currently a professor of history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq as a Department of the Army contractor and served in the city of Mosul.

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-D.-Gambone/e/B08YZ6LV69?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/57363.Michael_D_Gambone

We are LIVE with Season 2!

I interviewed Dr. Michael Gambone about his upcoming book! Listen anywhere you get your podcasts. Dr. Gambone is the author of eight books, including Long Journeys Home: American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam (2017) and The Greatest Generation Comes Home: The Veteran in American Society (2005). He is currently a professor of history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq as a Department of the Army contractor and served in the city of Mosul.

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-D.-Gambone/e/B08YZ6LV69?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/57363.Michael_D_Gambone

Hello my beautiful friends!

Welcome back to A Helping of History! I just finished chatting with Dr. Michael Gambone about his upcoming book. His interview will help us kick off Season 2!

Be sure to tune in on 13 October.

Dr. Frank Blazich and I discussed the mystery of Cher Ami's s*x in last week's episode. I was CONVINCED this magnificent pigeon was a female. Science, however, has proved me wrong. Learn more below.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/cher-ami?fbclid=IwAR3239W8GojeJO0SCq_PNxu9zRC8EmFXux8bTzcnjb3wI_ILTxPIaWBfIv0

He? She? Or just plain Cher Ami? Solving a century-old pigeon mystery This summer marks the centennial of a bird—possibly the most famous pigeon in history—going on display at the Smithsonian. A representative of Columba livia domestica, this bird is known as simply Cher Ami. Since Cher Ami first went on display, the pigeon's s*x has remained a source of debate. T...

Yesterday, we released the newest episode with guest Frank Blazich.

We discussed his recent article in the Journal of Military History about Cher Ami.

"Notre Cher Ami: The Enduring Myth and Memory of a Humble Pigeon" covers the legend of the military homing pigeon Cher Ami. This famous pigeon has captured the public's imagination, but the story of this pigeon helping save the lives of the Lost Battalion is rife with inconsistencies and falsehoods. This article delves into archival records to retrace Cher Ami's life and deconstruct the myth about the bird. There is nothing conclusive linking the pigeon to the actions of the Lost Battalion. Cher Ami did survive severe wounds transporting a message, but exactly where and when are uncertain. The U.S. Army chose to link Cher Ami with the Lost Battalion's story to promote the contributions of the Signal Corps' Pigeon Service. The Smithsonian Institution preserved and displayed Cher Ami with benign indifference. The public treated the pigeon as a memorial, a place of remembrance and reflection on the heroism of the Lost Battalion and of the war's combatants.

Vol. 85 No. 3 | The Society for Military History Terms of Use and PrivacyThe Society for Military History's Website Terms of Use governs all use of the smh-hq.org website and all content, services and products available at of through the website. Additional information may be found in the SMH Privacy Policy.

New episode is live!

"Fly like a Pigeon with Dr. Frank Blazich Jr.: Cher Ami, Pancakes, and Museum Finds." We discuss fun finds from the museum, Cher Ami's adventures & legacy, pigeons in war, pancakes, beefsteak pie, and so much more.

Listen on Spotify, Apple, Anchor, your podcast app of choice.

https://anchor.fm/ahelpingofhistory/episodes/Fly-Like-A-Pigeon-with-Dr--Frank-Blazich-Jr--Cher-Ami--Pancakes---Museum-Finds-e146fdo

Happy Friday!

I am finalizing edits on the newest episode with guest Frank Blazich! Here is a little sneak peek of what we discussed.

During our talk, Timothy C. Hemmis raved about this coffee.

Have you tried it? It is NOW on my list.

King Cake recipe in honor of my interview with Timothy C. Hemmis.

King cake recipe:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package yeast
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 12 pieces

Cinnamon Filling:
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Decoration:
Dark green, purple, and yellow or gold sugars, if desired
Miniature plastic baby, if desired

Steps:
1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl of stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
2. Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120°F to 130°F.
3. With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
4. Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. In small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
7. Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.
8. Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 – 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. To hide the baby in the cake, if desired, make a small slit in the bottom of the cake and put the miniature plastic baby in after the cake has cooled.
9. Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
10. Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

Enjoy!

Join Dr. Timothy C. Hemmis and I as we discuss military history, teaching early American history through the lens of witchcraft, king cake, staying sane during the pandemic, and adventures in the kitchen.

Listen on Anchor, Spotify, or iTunes.
https://anchor.fm/ahelpingofhistory/episodes/Witches--Snakes--and-Pie--Oh-My-with-Dr--Timothy-Hemmis-e11moir

Finally got this book by Dr. Robert Thompson in the mail! Hopefully, we can get him as a guest on the show.

NEW episode!

In this episode, Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr. and I discuss everything from growing up as a Navy brat, looking for seafood in Iowa, raising money for students, and his upcoming book. Available on Anchor, Apple, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Check out Holly on Twitter: OR at his website:
https://drhollypinheirojr.com/about/

https://anchor.fm/ahelpingofhistory/episodes/History-and-Service-with-Dr--Holly-Pinheiro-Jr-eujrqg