75 years ago
December 24, 1944
Sunday, no newspaper published
December 25, 1944
Five Aberdeen men with the Seabees in the South Pacific this week sent greetings to the “home-folk” in recognition of the third anniversary of the Seabees, Dec. 28.
They are Thomas J. Martin, Dwight W. Motes, J.F. Siemiller, Alfon Gribos and Don W. Karshner.
The following was written by a Seabee in commemoration of the anniversary.
“The third anniversary of the workingest, fightingest bunch of men in the nation’s armed forces, the Navy Seabees, will be observed Dec. 28 by 240,000 officers and men.
“Born just three weeks after the Pearl Harbor disaster with an authorized strength of 3,000, the Seabees won their spurs at Guadalcanal and have been with the assault troops in every major American amphibious operation. They can now boast that they built the network of air and naval bases in the Pacific that pushed the (enemy) back 3,000 miles, that they developed amphibious equipment and techniques that helped carry the day on the African, Sicilian, Italian and Normandy beachheads.”
December 26, 1944
Former Aberdeen athletes and fans at home should do everything possible to support and show their loyalty to high school and independent athletics. This is the advice of Lieutenant Richard (Rick) Frazer, former Bobcat football captain, who left Sunday, following a leave here with his wife and parents.
“Every ex-Bobcat in the service is very much interested in how the Bobcats and the independent teams are coming along,” Lt. Frazer said. “You can be sure that their loyalty to Aberdeen high school will be greater than ever when the war is over. Like every other serviceman I can hardly wait to read the newspapers or letters about the athletic activities here.”
December 27, 1944
Railroad friends didn’t forget Christmas and again seven-year-old Carleen Newman, daughter of Police Officer and Mrs. Carl Newman, possesses bountiful gifts.
Striking up an acquaintance with railroaders when Carleen flagged them with a fluttering hand by day or with a flashlight by night, the custom of tossing off Christmas gifts into the Newman yard as the train passed near the old Olympic highway has continued for five years.
Passenger, freight and log train employes all gave Carleen gifts. Those formerly on the run and now employed elsewhere mailed their gifts. One railroader in the navy in the South Pacific had a present sent in time for Christmas.
50 years ago
December 24, 1969
Quinault members manning tractors were trying to ease the grounded 235-foot crane barge up the beach by high tide this afternoon so that it won’t be demolished by the surf.
The barge, discovered at 6 a.m. Tuesday broke loose from its tug at 2 a.m. yesterday and washed ashore near some of the prime surfing beach along Washington’s Pacific Coast. The barge is grounded about 400 feet south of the mouth of the Quinault River.
The surf buffeted the barge at high tide and broke off a rudder last night. The wooden side of the barge facing the ocean has been battered badly, a Quinault spokesman said.
December 25, 1969
Christmas, no newspaper published
December 26, 1969
After two years of operating out of his own basement, Gerald Pirtilla has moved his citizens band radio shop into the building at 123 N. Park and hung out his sign — “G.S.P. Co., C.B. Outfitters.”
He sells a complete line of citizens-band radios and equipment plus walkie-talkies, inter-com systems and does repair work on all.
Yet he works at it only part time. He’s a longshoreman eight hours at night then attends electronics classes at Grays Harbor College until early afternoon when he gets to the shop.
December 27, 1969
Saturday, no newspaper published
25 years ago
December 24, 1994
The Salvation Army depends on the donations in the red Christmas kettles to see it through the year. The change helps buy food and clothing and provides for needy people long after the Christmas baskets and toy drives have dried up.
Giving is down, Aberdeen Salvation Army officials say, and it’s getting harder to find people to stand at the kettles. Few people volunteer anymore, and many of those hired for $5 per hour don’t last.
One day before Christmas Eve the kettles have brought in about $23,000. And that’s before the wages and payroll deductions — a big chunk — are taken out.
December 25, 1994
When you ask Hoquiamites about Christmas traditions, the name Ed Bowers is likely to be the first to pop out of their mouths.
“A Christmas tradition? Ed Bowers and his giant Christmas tree!” says Suzie Gregory, 18, born and raised in Hoquiam. Gregory says that Bowers’ tree is an essential part of her hometown’s Christmas and New Years celebration.
The redwood was planted in 1941 by the home owner’s former owner Harold Ellingson. Bowers acquired the house in 1960 and then began his annual light display. He has not missed a year since.
The lights run in a series of colors according to the phase of the holiday season. For the first several weeks, the tree is adorned with bright, multi-colored bulbs from top to bottom. On Dec. 24, they are switched to pure white in honor of the birth of Christ. Throughout the end of December and early January the lights shine red and white in honor of the new year.
Bowers, 77, has been known for years as the “Santa” of the town. Some Hoquiamites might remember Christmases past when Bowers would pay visits to neighbors, distributing gifts dressed in full Santa garb. Others may recall the traditional Christmas parties that the retired owner of Interstate Asphalt threw in his spacious entertaining room.
December 26, 1994
After six seasons as general manager and three as coach of the Seattle Seahawks, Tom Flores probably will be fired this week — perhaps as early as today.
Flores, 57, was brought here by Seahawks’ majority owner Ken Behring, his old friend, as president and general manager in February 1989. Behring then talked him into becoming coach after the owner and coach Chuck Knox agreed to part company in December 1991.
Behring, a bottom-line land developer from Danville, Calif., saw season ticket sales plummet to a club-low 53,000 this season. Only three of the eight regular season home games were televised locally and then only because TV stations guaranteed the sellouts.
December 27, 1994
If you were counting on the $1,000 Hoquiam Rain Derby prize to bail you out in 1995, you better have guessed high.
Lions Club members, who have monitored the annual rainfall for half a century, expect it to top 70 inches by year’s end.
“I think this is going to be one of the highest totals in several years,” said Carroll Wayman, the Lion in charge of recording the daily rainfall.
“The last few years it’s been in the 50s and 60s,” Rain Derby chairman Dick Schouboe said. As of last night, 68.52 inches of rain had fallen.
Records go back to 1901 with the record low, 40.38 inches in 1985 and the record high 113.4 in 1933.
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
