75 years ago
December 12, 1942
Daring fliers of the United States navy always “deliver the goods” when they go out to meet the enemy in battle, and what they miss the straight-shooting anti-aircraft gunners aboard the navy’s battle wagons mow down.
This was the declaration today of Machinist Mate Joe Olesiak, who was raised in Cosmopolis and graduated from Aberdeen High school. He’s seen action in the Coral sea, Midway and Solomon battles.
Olesiak’s heavy cruiser pulled out of Pearl Harbor only two days before the attack Dec. 7, and was somewhere near the equator when the enemy flew over the island.
“We were so mad when we returned to find Pearl Harbor wrecked that we were more than willing to head for Tokyo right then,” he declared.
December 13, 1942
Sunday, no newspaper published
50 years ago
December 12, 1967
A program hailed as the greatest boost for mental health in Grays Harbor County was unveiled last night at a meeting of the Grays Harbor-Pacific Mental Health and Retardation Corporation.
About 20 members approved unanimously a contract signed by the commissioners of both counties and by the Rev. Elmer Church, president of the corporation.
The contract grants to the corporation $23,740 for mental health services during 1968. The program will include outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, a community education program and consulting services to other agencies.
The community was “just treading water” on mental health and retardation until now, Rev. Church said. “I’ve been here two years and I’ve wondered how can you people have problems under your very nose without seeing them.”
December 13, 1967
On Dec. 13, 1867, the United States Post Office Department established a postoffice in Hoquiam.
The moving force behind it was a young Scotsman named Edward Campbell, who along with Johnny James and the Karr brothers, James and Henry, arrived on the Harbor in 1859. They were tired of long horse-back-canoe trips to Montesano to fetch messages from the outside world.
Figuring out just how the name of this area should be spelled presented a problem — the Indians called the area Ho-qui-umpts meaning “hungry for wood.” The original government engineers spelled the town “Hokium” but the settlers finally ended up spelling it “Hoquiam.”
25 years ago
December 12, 1992
In the two months since Gerald Werre, Robert Van Der Maas and James Simmons plunked down $125,000 to purchase Aberdeen’s tallest building, they have been working on the parking problem and sprucing up the place. They’ve taken a big step in solving the parking problem by purchasing a lot across the street, next to Fay’s Towne Shop with 26 spaces.
Inside, new carpeting, fresh paint and some cleaning is turning drab, cold office space into more attractive digs for local businesses.
At at the very top of the building, beyond the reach of the elevator, is the building’s crowning jewel — the penthouse. Barbara and Delwin Fandrich of the Frandrich Piano Co. in Hoquiam have been living in the penthouse since March. The penthouse, which resembles a Spanish hacienda perched on the black rooftop, offers a stunning view in all directions. Inside it’s a roomy apartment with interesting antique features.
December 13, 1992
Holy guacamole!
Julie Ashley, produce manager at the Heron Street Safeway in Aberdeen, and Dick Creavan, sign painter for the store, have won the $20,000 grand prize in a contest sponsored by the Chilean Avocado Commission.
But when the green stuff comes in, they won’t be taking it to the bank. That’s because, to their surprise, the award isn’t $20,000 in cash, but $20,000 worth of avocados.
That’s right. The pair won an acre, or roughly 24,000 Chilean avocados.
They won the prize for their recent display which proclaimed avocados “The star of any meal.”
Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom
