December 7, 2023, the publication date for this newspaper, marks the 82nd anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Dec. 7 date was one that President Franklin Roosevelt said would live in infamy and it has. While there are few alive today who remember the actual date, many of us remember the stories told by those who experienced it.
December 7, 1941 was a Sunday, there would not be a newspaper published in Superior until four days later on December 11. When we realized this paper would be published on the 82nd anniversary, we wondered how we should mark the event. Bill Blauvelt said the anniversary would we be the basis for the personal column he writes for each issue. But was that enough? The decision was made to look in our library of back issues and see how the subject of the attack was handled in the Dec. 11, 1941, issue of this newspaper.
In 1941 it was hard for this newspaper to publish timely photographs, for engravings had to be made in Lincoln. Thankfully there was overnight mail service between the two places.
The front page of The Express had a picture of Japanese embassy staff in Washington burning official papers to prevent seizure and confiscation by the U. S government shortly after the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor reached Washington. Plus there were pictures of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Thomas Hart. The admiral had commanded the United States Asiatic fleet since July 25, 1939, and it was thought much of the burden of carrying the war to Japan would fall on the fleet. MacArthur, the former U. S. chief of staff and more recently field marshal of the Philippine Island, was now commander-in-chief of all U.S. armed forces in the Far East. MacArthur was pictured in civilian clothes, Hart was pictured wearing his navy uniform.
The Boy Scouts of Superior had mobilized and begun collected newspapers, magazines, cardboard cartons and other waste paper expected to be needed for the war effort. By the time the paper was printed, at least two tons had already been collected and the scouts would be going door-to-door throughout the community on Saturday collecting more. H. G. Dixon had offered the boys the use of his garage building at 605 National. There the waste would be bound and prepared for shipment.
As part of the Christmas shopping season, a pet parade had been planned for 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon . It was still on the schedule and the prizes would be Defense Savings Stamps. Money received when the stamps were bought would be used to finance the war effort.
Another story reported on Dec. 24, The Superior Commercial Club would give six $25 U.S. Defense bonds to car owners in Superior that day from Nuckolls and five surrounding counties. The message was clear, shop Superior for Christmas and aid the war effort.
It was reported the naval recruiting office at Hastings, would effective immediately, be open around the clock to serve those seeking to enlist. Men between the ages of 17 and 50 were eligible.
It was reported Robert Fisher, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Fisher, had been stationed on Wake Island for the four preceding months and probably was there when the island was taken by the Japanese forces on Sunday. A letter from Robert to his parents received the prior week stated war with Japan was imminent. Accounts differed as to how the island was seized by the enemy. One dispatch said it was occupied without resistance while another indicated there had been quite a scrap. Bob’s relatives and friends were reported to be “pretty much worried about him.”
The front page also contained a map showing the battle stations of the Pacific. Most likely many readers of the paper had not been familiar with the location of the places that were soon to become hot spots.
The cut line associated with the map reported, “With the opening of Japanese blitz on the United States, the spotlight of news swung to this section of the world.” The first blow was a bombing attack aimed at the chief naval base of Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. Several points in the Philippines were also bombed. Guam was attacked by planes. The British port of Singapore was bombed and the Japanese troops made a landing on the Malay peninsula north of Singapore.
The annual Red Cross fund drive was underway prior to the attack. It was reported a telegram received Tuesday from Norman Davis, national Red Cross president, advised $50 million above the original goal was needed at once because of the disastrous occurrence of the preceding days. In response, the community of Superior forwarded $500 from the local reserve. Prior to the war, some local folk had protested the Superior and Nelson reserve funds contained too much money. The $500 donation cut the Superior reserve balance to $216.98. It was expected the Superior community would be called upon for extensive sewing and the making of surgical dressings. Mrs. Percy Baird, the vice-chairman of the local chapter, was acting chairman since Mrs. George Scoular, the local Red Cross chairman, was unable to officiate because of her recent injury.
It was reported Edward Bagley, went to Hastings Dec. 9 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, he was to report for duty on Dec. 17.
The evening of Dec. 7, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Imhoff of the Bostwick community went to Grand Island to meet their son Stanley. He had come from Oregon where he was stationed in an army camp, expecting spend the holidays with his family in Nebraska. When they arrived home, a telegram was waiting for them calling Stanley back to duty at once. On Monday he boarded a train for the return trip to camp.
Reader Comments(0)