75 years ago

May 18, 1944

Two new timber shows owned by Schafer Brothers Logging company and Rayonier Inc., south of Aberdeen, both of about two years duration, will be opened June 1, it was learned today.

The Rayonier timber, located on Charley creek south of the city limits, contains about 20 million feet of pulp and other types. The stand is mostly hemlock and spruce but contains some fir and cedar.

Schafer Brothers expect to be hauling logs June 1 from their new Indian creek show where they have a two-year supply of hemlock and fine stands of cedar and spruce. Fallers and buckers are at work now.

May 19, 1944

Suntanned and travel-wise, Earl Hulbert, Jr. of the merchant marine, is here on leave after a 15,000-mile trip on a Liberty ship.

Graduated from Weatherwax high school last June, young Hulbert enrolled in the maritime service and attended the merchant marine training school at Catalina for three months. He was assigned to his ship and began his long trip last November.

The islands of the South Pacific are scenic but he is inclined to believe they have been overrated for their beauty.

Chile has a barren, hilly coastline and parts of it are comparable to some sections of Montana. Lima, Peru was the most beautiful city he visited and is about the size of New Orleans.

The only encounter his ship had with the enemy occurred on the anniversary of the death of Tojo’s son. “(Enemy) planes attacked us during the night, but were so unsuccessful that they didn’t even wake me up,” he said. “I slept right through the only time our ship was under fire, and didn’t know what had happened until the next morning.”

50 years ago

May 18, 1969

A Wishkah Valley soldier who volunteered to leave a non-combat post in Vietnam for battle duty had a stack of ribbons for bravery to show his parents when he came home on leave recently.

As a crew chief gunner, Spec. 4 Jeff Williams won the Distinguished Flying Cross, the highest medal that can be worn by an Army man during aerial combat.

He won the Bronze Star with a “V” for valor when his craft was shot down south of Vinh Long and landed 50 meters from an enemy position. Williams also has received a Purple Heart for a shrapnel wound to his knee, and an Air Medal with “V” device.

He graduated from Weatherwax high school in 1967 and joined the Army three months later.

May 19, 1969

A coffee hour after the Valley High music concert was converted into a heart-warming testimonial affair for Louis Poppe, who is retiring this year after 22 years as vocational-agricultural instructor with the Willapa Valley School District.

After the concert, Mr. and Mrs. Poppe were lured to the stage of the multi-purpose room and when the curtain was drawn they were greeted by more than 200 well-wishers including their six children and 18 grandchildren.

25 years ago

May 18, 1994

Donny Bell of Hoquiam’s Timber Gym won the 198-pound open class and was the best overall lifter at the Inland Northwest Powerlifing Championships Saturday at Spokane.

Bell squatted 710 pounds, benched 400 and deadlifted 605 for a total of 1,715 pounds. The victory qualified him for the Senior Nationals in Houston July 22.

May 19, 1994

Suzy Marlow’s three-run home run triggered a 10-run seventh in the opening game as Ocosta registered a landmark softball sweep of Steilacoom, 15-7 and 21-6, in a Nisqually League doubleheader Wednesday at Steilacoom.

It was the first victories in the three-year history of the Ocosta softball program. The Wildcats finished the season at 2-18.

“Once we got the momentum going, we figured out we could probably do this,” said Wildcat coach Barbara Rasmus.

Marlow, Melissa Bowen and Renee Frye slammed out three hit apiece to lead the Wildcat attack in the nightcap.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom