Our Yesterdays

May 1945

On May 4, Barbara Kay Collett entertained 11 little girls and boys from 2-4 p.m. in her home. The following guests were present, Jonathon Pendergraft, Mary Lou Dressler, Sherry Oswalt, Katheryn Nordyke, Cheryl Starr, Phyllis Gould, Clinton Jordan, Ronnie Robinson, Harry Pendergraft, Roy Johnson, and Tommy Robertson. The occasion was Barbara Kay’s fifth birthday. Refreshments of ice cream and cake were served. Before cutting the cake, the little guests sang ‘Happy Birthday.’

Laurence Hilliard Meacham, 30, route 2, Richland, Iowa, has been promoted to specialist (artificer devices), first class, NSNR. Meacham is attached to the Atlantic Fleet’s Anti-Aircraft Training Center, Newport, R.I. He is married to the former Nellie Hoffman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Hoffman of Birmingham, Iowa. Meacham’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Meacham, reside at the above address in Richland.

Sugar Stamp No. 36 in War Ration Book 4 is now good for five pounds of sugar, the Office of Price Administration has announced. The stamp will remain good for use by consumers through Friday, August 31, 1945. Sugar Stamp No. 35, which came into use on February 1, will be good through June 2, 1945. This provides an overlap of about one month during which both stamps may be used.

Mrs. Lillie Duke spent Sunday evening with Mrs. Fannie Day. Mrs. Duke had recently returned from Pekin, where she had attended a family gathering at the Fred McCreery home in honor of their son, Pvt. Keith McCreery, who was wounded in service. He lost his toe and had several pieces of shrapnel in his leg. Some have been removed and some will be removed on his return to the hospital. He leaves sometime this week.

First Lieutenant Jim B. Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph E. Miller of Richland, recently scored his 50th combat mission at the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. He is a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator plane. Miller is the holder of the Distinguish Flying Cross “for extraordinary achievement in aerial flight” on many long and hazardous missions in hostile territory. One of these flights, hos plane had its hydraulics shot up, its instrument panels pierced, and the oil lines severed by heavy flak over Vienna but made it safely back to its home base. Mt. Miller has been in the U.S. AAF since February 1943, and overseas since last September. Merna R. Miller, his wife, lives in North English, Iowa.

Lt. Robert Wagner Westbrook arrived home from England, where he has been serving in the Air Corps. Almost simultaneously came word that Capt. Hartley Alva Westbrook, who was shot down over Germany two years ago and had been a prisoner of war, had been released by the advancing Allied troops and was safe. Both are sons of Mr. and Mrs. B.H. Westbrook of Letts, Iowa and grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Alva Wagner of Richland.

May 1975

Pvt. Jay Russell Horras has completed AFT training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and left April 25 for a new assignment in Hawaii, where he will be stationed for at least a year. Before leaving for Hawaii, he spent four weeks visiting with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Horras at Seneca, Illinois, his brother and family, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Horras at Hedrick, and his sister and family, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Leu at Iowa City.

Navy Data Systems Technician First Class Danny K. Douthart, son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Muntz of Packwood, participated in commissioning ceremonies on May 3 aboard the Navy’s newest and most sophisticated attack aircraft carrier. He is a crew member aboard the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz, which will become an official unit of the U.S. Fleet at the Naval Operations Base, Norfolk, Virginia. The ship has been under construction since June 1968. It is more than 1090 feet long, and is expected to operate on its initial nuclear power supply for the next 13 years. Mr. and Mrs. James Muntz and family, and Mrs. Ronald Heald and Ricky, all of Packwood attended the impressive ceremonies and heard President Ford speak at the Commissioning. They also attended a reception following the ceremony where a 10 foot cake replica of the ship was served. It took 2000 eggs to make the cake.