Time Machine Trip to September 1943

 

Kaukauna Times – September 1943

By Lyle Hansen

September 1, 1943

The Board of Education, at a special meeting held Monday' evening in the High School office, signed a contract to hire Fred Barribeau, who is physical education instructor at Goodman High School, to replace Clifford Kemp, who resigned as physical education instructor at Kaukauna High School. Kemp began work in the personnel department at the Thilmany Pulp and Paper company today.

 

Mayor Lewis Nelson, president of the Outagamie County Historical Society, reports that a group of tree surgeons restored the 300-year-old white oak, known as the council tree, situated on a bluff overlooking a bend in the Fox river at the end of Park Street recently. This tree, a landmark of the Fox River during Kaukauna’s past, is believed to mark a favored tribal meeting spot of the Menominee Indians.

 

September 8, 1943

Phil Haas, right, has set all kinds of records this year in the Junior Hardball league. The 13-year-old hurler is seen with city recreation director Clifford Kemp.

 

Five hundred pounds of junk jewelry was collected by the service circle of Appleton's King's Daughters. The jewelry has, been sent to the San Francisco League for servicemen which will give the articles to servicemen as they leave for the battle areas. Junk jewelry has been found to be as valuable as money in obtaining food and other goods from South Seas nations.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Anton Lemke, Lawe St., received two cards from their son Pfc John Lemke, Sunday, the first word they have had from him since his last letter written in February of 1942, over a year and a half ago. private Lemke informs his family that he is a prisoner of war of the Japanese government and is in a military prison in the Philippine Islands. He writes that he is well and uninjured and sends his regards to his family and many friends in Kaukauna.

 

September 15, 1943

Meatless   Friday's   will become a reality in the near future of Outagamie County. A survey is being conducted, at this time, to determine whether 100 percent cooperation can be had.

Military funerals services were conducted for Private Clarence Vanden Heuvel, 22, of Little Chute, who died a week ago of pneumonia in a hospital in Palm Springs, California. Clarence Vanden Heuvel is the first Little Chute youth to die in the current war. The funeral was held at St. John's Catholic Church, Little Chute.

 

Mr. and Mrs. William Van Able route 3, have received the message from the war department, informing them that their son, First Lieutenant Wilford Van Able, has been missing in action since September 2.

Atlantic City, N. J. – The beauty who was named “Miss America 1943” last week is Miss Jean Barel, 19-year-old Miss California.

At a meeting of the senior class Friday night Gerald Derus was elected president, Alan Johnson, vice president and Patricia Schaefer, secretary treasurer.

September 17, 1943

Kaukauna grid stars are now “Carrying the Ball” for Uncle Sam in the navy.

Jack Peterson, Vernon Cornelius, and Jack Leddy.  

Kimberly High School meets Kaukauna here tonight. for the season opener. This is the first time these two schools have ever played each other, which will add more interest to the game. According to Kaukauna athletic director, Paul Little, Kaukauna is favored in the contest even though the team has lost three of its outstanding players who have enlisted in the Navy.

A waterwheel, plume and attractive stone house have recently been added to the grounds adjacent to the Badger Tissue Mills on Island St. greatly adding beauty to the grounds. The five-foot metal water wheel is run from water piped from the Badger power canal.

 

September 22, 1943

Sergeant Francis J. Vondracek, Kaukauna, is one of seven Wisconsin and Michigan men who received the distinguished service cross recently in an announcement made by the war department. All the men’s citations are based on deeds performed in New Guinea. Sergeant Vondracek received his citation for extraordinary heroism in action near Burma in December 1942. Sergeant Vondracek armed with four grenades and covered by three riflemen worked his way forward to wipe out all three Japanese pillboxes which had stopped his company all day.

 

September 24, 1943

At the request of Mayor L. F. Nelson, the aldermen voted to cooperate with the third war loan drive and purchase $20,000 worth of war savings bonds.

Mrs. Edward Christenson and her daughter, Mrs. Janet Longo, both residing at 913 Draper street, received a purple heart award posthumously to their son and husband respectively from the war department. Mrs. Christenson’s purple heart was awarded to her son Sergeant Donald E. Christenson who was killed in action July 29 in the south Pacific. Mrs. Londo’s purple heart was awarded for her husband Victor Londo Jr. who was killed in the Atlantic. 

Corporal Arnold Theyssen of Kimberly is the only serviceman in the southwest Pacific area to be treated with the new drug, penicillin. Theyssen was shot in the back last December in the Buna campaign and is being treated in Australia. His condition has much improved since receiving the new drug.