75 years ago
August 24, 1942
Wars and men may come and go, but Oswa apparently goes on forever.
The venerable seagull, famed on the Harbor waterfront for more than 30 years, banked to a two-point landing on the West bridge today, 144 days after he left on his annual pilgrimage to parts unknown.
He reached his Harbor home four days earlier than he ever has arrived before, according to records kept by the bridge tenders.
Ever since the days when it cost a toll to cross the Chehalis span, Oswa has been saying goodbye in March or April and hello again in August or September.
He was a big grayer when he circled down to end his journey today. But his spirit was as keen a ever and his claim to the best resting place on the big bridge was quickly reestablished by trouncing a couple of would-be usurpers.
August 25, 1942
The parents of Sherman Hatley, Aberdeen staff sergeant on a Flying Fortress in England, heard him speak on an international radio broadcast Sunday night — and they hope that his brothers heard him, too.
Sherman rides one of Uncle Sam’s Fortresses on the bombing raids over France. Brother Harry, who is in the navy, is a second class seaman who saw actions in the Philippines, Australia and other South Pacific arenas. The third Hatley, Sidney, was graduated last week from the army’s Kelly field in Texas and is completing his pilot training at Cuero, Texas.
50 years ago
August 24, 1967
Soil tests and an architectural survey are being conducted at a site near McCleary in Grays Harbor to determine if a new women’s prison will be located there, it was announced Wednesday.
Rep. John Rosellini, D-Seattle, vice chairman of the committee charged with selecting a site for the $4 million facility, confirmed that previous tests had eliminated two other sites from further consideration.
August 25, 1967
Hal Boettcher, head track and cross-country coach at Hoquiam High School, will return to the football wars this fall as a member of the Grizzly coaching staff, Don Holmlund, vice principal and athletic director announced today.
Boettcher, who formerly tutored the Hoquiam junior high gridders, joins Fred Holevas, Jerry Anderson and Andy Christoff as assistants to first-year head coach Ron Maughan.
25 years ago
August 24, 1992
Bowerman Field, the airport at Hoquiam owned and operated by the Port of Grays Harbor, is undergoing a multi-million dollar transformation.
Three major projects under way this summer lay the groundwork for modernization and the addition of sophisticated lighting and landing systems.
Once the upgrading takes place, the Port theoretically will be poised to attract an airline offering daily flight service to the region’s international airports and Portland and SeaTac.
August 25, 1992
The Russians were a little late, but then they had a good excuse.
Actually they had several good excuses, take your pick: thousands of miles, fierce storms, steep waves, engine trouble, the disintegration of their county and a crab pot.
The crab pot, which got tangled around the propeller of one of the boats shortly before they were to cross the Grays Harbor bar, was just the latest in a series of misadventures and mishaps for the crew of the ragtag flotilla.
The three ships, the Saint Peter, the Saint Paul and the Saint Gabriel, set out from Vladivostok, Russia, more than a year ago on June 29, 1991. Their dream is to circumnavigate the earth.
The ships — each about 52 feet in length with a maximum speed of 10 knots (with the wind at their backs) — finally reached Westport at about 1 a.m. Monday and left for Aberdeen later that day. They will be on display at the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport at least until the weekend.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
