75 years ago

April 20, 1944

The day is not far off when Grays Harbor and Pacific county people will be able to have their breakfast at home, travel by air to Portland and Seattle to do their business and be back in time for dinner. Paul G. Sturges, public relations director for Southwest Airways, predicted last night at a meeting with chamber of commerce transportation committees at Hotel Morck.

Under the Southwest Airways route plans, Aberdeen and Hoquiam travelers would fly from Moon Island, Pacific county people from the Raymond airport, which is partially completed, while Sturges thought it advisable to have another airport somewhere between Montesano and Elma to serve passengers of that district.

April 21, 1944

Fourteen Grays Harbor and seven Pacific county veterans of World war II were placed in civilian jobs, chiefly in essential industries, during March, Fred Collins, manager of the U.S. Employment Service office, said today.

Claude Long, who handles veteran placements in the Aberdeen office, is a veteran of World war I.

“There is not the slightest difficulty in finding jobs for veterans,” Collins said. “Employers are anxious to add such workers to their payrolls.”

50 years ago

April 20, 1969

A lot of marriages are “on the rocks” in the Grays Harbor Geology and Gem Society, the president of the group says with a grin.

“When you boil down that fancy title for the club you come up with a bunch of dedicated rockhounds,” adds Mahlon Chestnut. “Not only is rockhounding fun, but it’s educational, too.”

The Chestnut family has been prowling beaches for agates, digging in hillsides and traveling around the Northwest in search of rocks for about five years now.

Established by seven members in 1939, the Grays Harbor Geology and Gem Society now boasts more than 130 active members. The society’s first rock show in more than a decade is set for next weekend at the Grays Harbor Community Center in Aberdeen.

April 21, 1969

Ocean Shores Veterans of Foreign Wars may officially open the new clubhouse about May 1 it was announced by Doyle Miller, commander.

The pre-fabricated building arrived last week to the prepared site east of Highway 109 at Hogan’s Corner, south of Ocean City.

Proceeds for the scheduled crab feed May 3 will go into a scholarship fund in memoriam of Larry Copeland, a Vietnam veteran, who died in a trailer house fire in Ocean Shores in February. The fund to be between $250 and $300 will be given to a North Beach high school senior.

25 years ago

April 20, 1994

It was a game of opportunities and missed opportunities.

Aberdeen capitalized on the numerous opportunities Hoquiam offered, while the Grizzlies failed to take advantage of the few chances the Bobcats gave them.

Tallying in every inning — as frequently on unearned as earned runs — the Cat Ladies clobbered Hoquiam, 8-0, Tuesday afternoon at Pioneer Park in a contest called after 4½ innings via the Black Hills League’s eight-run rule.

The Bobcats got two hits each from Alison Herling and Jeanette Eaton.

April 21, 1994

Orian DeBay was fresh-faced and fresh out of the Navy when he fought his first fire in Aberdeen in 1948. By the time he retired as chief 30 years later, DeBay had battled hundreds more, some of them political blazes sparked by fiery Fran White, Aberdeen’s mayor at the time.

DeBay went on to a second career of nearly 15 years as an inspector for the State Fire Marshall’s Office before retiring last December. According to the chiefs and assistant chiefs of the Aberdeen and Hoquiam fire departments, DeBay remains “a vital part of the fire service in Grays Harbor County.”

For a lifetime of dedication to his community, DeBay has been named the Daily World’s Firefighter of the Year for 1994.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom