75 years ago

Feb. 16, 1942

Allocations of gas masks and other civilian protection equipment has been made by the office of civilian defense to 14 Washington cities or metropolitan areas, Governor Langlie has announced in his capacity of state director of civilian protection.

The OCD emphasized, however, that the items have merely been allocated and that most of the equipment has not been manufactured. “Obviously, manufacturing difficulties and priority problems will have a decided effect on the date of delivery,” the OCD said.

Equipment allocated includes gas masks, surgical equipment for medical teams, stretchers, folding canvas cots, first aid belts, gas proof capes, steel helmets and firemen’s hips boots, turn out coats and pants.

Feb. 17, 1942

“I’m cleaning my rifle as well as my boat.”

That sentence, spoken grimly by a grizzled Aberdeen fisherman, tells the attitude of Grays Harbor’s fishing fleet as, preparing for the 1942 season, the trollermen ponder their chances with Japanese submarines off the Washington coast.

The possibility of packing depth charges on their boats, to be dumped overboard if they suspect the nearness of an enemy sub, has been considered and discarded by the trollers.

“Our boats are too slow for that kind of action,” Robert Johnson, skipper of the Frontier, explained. “We wouldn’t have time to move away before the charge went off. But a machine gun or a 37 mm tank gun would come in handy out there.”

50 years ago

Feb. 16, 1967

• An estimated 120 Taholah and Queets residents attended a recognition and birthday party held recently in honor of Tribal Council President James Jackson at the Taholah School.

Forty-nine-year-old Jackson was born and raised in Taholah and has been involved in shaping the affairs of the community for many years. He is owner and operator of Jackson Shake Co. in Moclips.

• The Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor that a local Boy Scout council can bestow, was presented to Aberdeen residents Don F. Smith and Jack Sorrells at the annual recognition dinner of the Twin Harbors Area Scout Council which was held at the Morck Hotel earlier this week.

Feb. 17, 1967

The Aberdeen YMCA is offering a four session Charm Clinic to all local junior high school girls. The first session, “What is Charm?” will cover the areas of “At Home,” “At Church,” “At School” and “At Play.”

The second session “What Goes Over” will cover wardrobe and clothing problems while the third session “What Goes On” will talk about makeup, as well as care of the girls’ skin and hair.

The final session, “Pardon Me, Your Slip is Showing,” will include tips on manners and mannerisms that will help the young ladies be a more charming person.

25 years ago

Feb. 16, 1992

Donn Leiske, owner of Shopware, Inc. in Central Park has watched the little enterprise he launched in his garage in the Wishkah Valley nine years ago grow into the national leader in its niche. Shopware, which manufactures and distributes vocational education software products and video, had sales of just under $1 million last year and now employs 20 people.

In December, the former Wishkah Valley vocational shop teacher appeared at a state-sponsored workshop encouraging entrepreneurship in timber towns, to share his knowledge with others considering a move into business.

Feb.17, 1992

Food bound for Russia will be loaded gratis onto a freighter arriving in Aberdeen today — the longshoremen’s contribution to a statewide effort to nurture the infant democracy.

About 100 tons of food donated for the Russian Far East, much of it from the Seattle Rotary Club, rolled into town this morning. It was packed into a dockside warehouse awaiting the arrival of the freighter Pestova at the Port of Grays Harbor at 6 p.m.

“It was a unanimous vote at the membership meeting that we put a gang on this whether it takes three hours or eight hours,” said Jim Ketola, president of Local 24 of the ILWU.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom