75 years ago

February 17, 1945

Archie M. Tincani, ship’s service man, third class of McCleary, is a member of the crew of the USS Cimarron, veteran navy oiler, that has participated in every major naval operation in the Pacific since the beginning of the war, according to a press release. The Cimarron has refueled more ships than any other oiler in the navy, it was said.

She has traveled along with every task force that has gone out, including the one that launched Doolittle’s fliers on the first raid on Tokyo in April, 1942.

Fired upon by enemy submarines, sought out by enemy bombers, the 522-foot oiler, often reported lost, has never suffered any casualties among her officers or crew, nor sustained any damage.

Fueling at sea is a hazardous, delicate operation. During a “transfusion” the dangers of collision or fire are constant. The Cimarron, which replenishes her bunkers from commercial oilers, often goes from six to nine months without ever docking.

50 years ago

February 17, 1970

Horace “Ted” Smail, 35, a Weyerhaeuser logger, was killed about five miles north of Raymond yesterday when struck by the top of a tree that broke loose from a snag he was falling.

A Weyerhaeuser spokesman said Smail was working as a power saw operator in the area known as the B and U Operation. The Montesano resident was a Marine Corps veteran and had worked for Weyerhaeuser for about two years.

25 years ago

February 17, 1995

Commuters who skirt the bluff into or out of Aberdeen will be stuck with two lanes until spring, state officials say.

“If you look, it’s obvious that we’ve got some erosion taking place out there,” said John Hart, project engineer for the state Department of Transportation.

Asked about rumors that the bluff has a fracture in it and is unstable, he said the bluff is not posing a danger to motorists.

“What we have is a mess issue, not a safety issue,” Hart said. “There’s about 9,000 cubic yards at the top that needs to be excavated that’s sloughing off and muddying the road.”

Compiled from the archives of The Daily World by Karen Barkstrom