75 years ago

November 25, 1944

A first-hand account of the Battle of Leyte gulf came this week from an Aberdeen sailor aboard the carrier escort, U.S.S. Marcus Island.

William D. Jones, radio technician, second class, wrote his father, Photographer B.B. Jones: “Have you ever had a dream of somebody chasing you and you could only run in slow motion?”

“I was in that state, only the ‘guy’ chasing me was a (Japanese) battlewagon. We let him have half the ocean too — the bottom half. We have (Japanese) flags painted all over us now. The old ‘Mighty Marcus’ got nine planes, hits on three cruisers and a couple of battlewagons, and sank a destroyer.

“Just because the news looks good in the papers, though, don’t think this war is about over. It isn’t by a long shot.”

The Marcus, according to an official navy bulletin, participated in the operations which culminated in seizure of Leyte and Samar islands, the Philippines islands, and in the defeat and rout of the Japanese fleet the nights of Oct. 24 and 25.

50 years ago

November 25, 1969

Monkeys make interesting — but elusive — prisoners.

Bill Franklin, McCleary police chief, found that out last Friday when he was called out on a monkey hunt and found the critter hanging to the side view mirror of a pickup truck.

He put the monkey in the back seat of his car but she wanted to sit in the driver’s seat. He put a leash on his prisoner and tied the end of it to the door post. The monkey untied the leash and handed it back.

And then she jumped on the steering wheel, sitting on the horn.

Franklin lodged her in the town jail but forgot to lock the door. She walked out, went to the water fountain, got a drink, then toured city hall, never breaking a thing.

When recovered late Friday night by the owner, Roseanne Willowmer, the monkey was hanging from a light fixture.

25 years ago

November 25, 1994

Aberdeen firefighters counted their blessings Thursday. Today they were counting arson fires.

The morning after Thanksgiving found firefighters at a home on West First Street and then at the Eagles Hall.

Police and fire investigators say both fires clearly were intentionally set. They were trying to determine whether they were the work of the same arsonist.

Jack Foster, Eagles club secretary, said most of the damage was to the liquor storage room, and he hoped the hall could be reopened by this evening.

Assistant Chief Bob Phillips said damage to the residence is estimated at $35,000 to $40,000 and the house in not habitable.

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom