1940 - Wolf & Dessauer's G. Irving Latz requested a Santa light display. It was designed by Isabel Parker of local firm Brinkman Corp. Santa first took flight in 1940 with three pairs of reindeer, then a fourth pair of reindeer was added for the 1941 holiday season for a total of eight. “Where was Rudolph?” Well, Rudoloph not invented until 1939, had not yet risen to national popularity. The display took a brief hiatus after the United States entered World War II. Santa returned to the side of the Wolf & Dessauer store in 1945 and spent every holiday season there until the late 1950s, when the display was put into storage. It remained there until the late 1970s when a General Telephone installer named Jim Green came upon the display in storage at L.S. Ayers, which had taken over the former Wolf & Dessauer. The display was then moved to a General Telephone lot near Southtown Mall, where the pieces lay out in the elements for a year until the telephone company needed the storage space back, when the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce was contacted which helped support restoration efforts. In June 1979, General Telephone lent a truck to a group of volunteers who prepared to move the display to yet another storage space. On a Sunday in late September 1979, all 35 pieces were laid out on a gravel lot. Lots of stories in print and television news increased involvement in the project, and in the holiday season of 1979, the first two sets of reindeer had been restored and hung on the side of the Fort Wayne National Bank building. Santa and his other two sets of reindeer joined them the following year. Copied and paraphrased from Fond memories of Santa display include path to restoration by Corey McMaken published November 23, 2017 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Santa Claus is comin' back to town by Dell Ford appeared in the November 10, 1980 The Journal Gazette newspaper and posted for Throwback Thursday on November 23, 2017. Thousands of people now gather every year the Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the lighting of Santa and his reindeer, the Merrry Christmas wreath, a Christmas tree, and other lighting projects added over the years with various groups posting photos and videos on social media!
For "Throwback Thursday" we share this aerial photo of downtown looking South to North. That is Harrison Street in the middle of photo, with Calhoun Street to the right. Many of these buildings are now gone.
On this day in 1940, the first monthly retirement check was issued to Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont in the amount of $22.54. Miss Fuller, a legal secretary, retired in November 1939, and started collecting benefits in January 1940 at age 65. Ida May Fuller lived to be 100 years old, dying in 1975. In this photo, she is seen receiving her first Cost of Living increase benefit check on October 3, 1950.
In 1940, Central Catholic wins the second of back-to-back Catholic national championships.
Before 1943, parochial schools were prohibited from playing in the Indiana High School boys basketball tournament. While every other team played in the sectionals, Central Catholic would participate in the Catholic state tournament, and when the Irish won, they’d advance to the National Catholic High School Basketball Championships in Chicago to play in the field of 32.
The Irish won their first national title in 1939, beating Leo of Chicago 44-37 at Loyola University to finish 25-4. Ed Stanczak led the scoring with 19 points, Jim Boedecker scored nine and George Bitler seven.
Central Catholic scored more than 40 points in all five tournament games. For the season the Irish averaged 41 points and allowed only 28. Central had beaten Leo 27-17 during a regular-season tilt.
The other starters were Bob Heiny and Gene Maxwell with John Falvy, Nick Leto, Ed Gorman, Ed Klotz and Ed Dehner coming off the bench.
Coach John Levicki’s Irish survived a 29-27 barnburner the next year against Indianapolis Cathedral in the state tournament.
The national tournament was also much closer as Central Catholic beat Chicago St. Phillips 33-31 in the third round, Leo of Chicago 51-42 in the semifinals and finally beat Santa Fe, New Mexico 35-33 for the championship. Stanczak had 15 points this time and Klotz nine. Stanczak scored seven of his points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning basket.
The other starters that year were Harold Morthorst, Dick Krouse and Ed Dehner, with Nick Leto, Bob Walker and Bob Heiny coming off the bench.
Also, in 1956, the Pistons lose the first game of the NBA Finals to Philadelphia 98-94.
Established 1924; ended 1941. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament (NCIBT) was held every March from 1924 through 1941 to determine the national basketball championship for Catholic high schools and academies in the United States. Under the auspices of Loyola University from 1924 through 1934, and Loyola Academy from 1935 through 1941, this invitational meet featured competition between 32 outstanding teams representing various sections or states of the United States. National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament records, 1924-1941 at ArchiveGrid.org.
1940, April 2 - Robert Hiss, the census enumerator, started recording the 16th U.S. Federal Census in Aboite Township.
1940, May 13 – World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons. From May 13, 2013The Greatest Generations Foundation on Facebook.
1940, May 15 - McDonald's opens its first restaurant in San Bernardino, California.
1940, November 5 - Robert Lee Brokenburr, son of a former slave, became the 1st African-American elected to the Indiana Senate. Tweeted November 5, 2015 on Indiana 2016 Twitter and on Facebook referenced Legislator attacked racial barriers article by Diana Penner published February 26, 2009 on IndyStar newspaper.
1940 November 20 - Santa and his reindeer made their debut on the Washington Blvd. side of Wolf & Dessauer department store. It was the second largest display of its kind at 155 feet long and 5.5 tons. It now uses 24,717 LED lights.
HISTORY JOURNAL ▸ On this day in 1940, Mayor Harry Baals turned on the Santa and His Reindeer light display for the first time at Wolf & Dessauer in downtown Fort Wayne. It only had three pairs of reindeer at the time; a fourth pair was added later.
1941, January 14 - Westfield Village, Fort Wayne's first public-housing project, opened on a 15-acre site north of Taylor Street near Rockhill Park. A two-bedroom apartment in the 120-unit complex operated by the 3-year-old Fort Wayne Public Housing Authority rented for $12.50 a month. For another $1, you could get a three-bedroom apartment. The units were torn down in 1974. Copied from the 1940 to 1949: In the shadow of war various newspaper articles from the Fort Wayne History Stories about time periods archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper.
1941, February 19 - the Indiana General Assembly passed House Bill 47 know as Delayed Birth Records. Births were from many years earlier - in some cases as early as the 1850's and 1860's.
Electric toasters changed a lot in their first 50 years! Watch this video to see them evolve! Still curious? Check out this 1940s clipping showing 14 styles of toaster on the market at the time. https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1940s-toasters/140613318/
Electric toasters changed a lot in their first 50 years! Watch this video to see them evolve!
Still curious? Check out this 1940s clipping showing 14 styles of toaster on the market at the time. 1940s toasters [ Detroit Free Press Detroit, Michigan, Monday, Feb 24, 1941, Page 7 ]
1941, March 11 - The Lend-Lease Act of 1941President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Lend-Lease Act—authorizing the President to sell, lease, or lend military hardware to any country he designated as vital to American national security. In December 1940, British leaders informed American officials that the war against the Axis Powers had nearly bankrupted the country. Great Britain no longer would be able to pay cash for arms as U.S. law required. From Historical Highlights Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk United States House of Representatives.
1941, October 31 - The 60-foot-tall Mount Rushmore National Memorial containing head sculptures of US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt was completed after 14 years of work.
1941, November - the 4th Thursday becomes "official" Thanksgiving day after various days of celebration from various government proclamations going back to November 21, 1678 in Boston, Massachusetts. Read the Thanksgiving history on the Happy Thanksgiving! November 25, 2010 Library of Congress Law Library blog by Kelly Buchanan.
By the beginning of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidency, Thanksgiving was not a fixed holiday; it was up to the President to issue a Thanksgiving Proclamation to announce what date the holiday would fall on.
Tradition had dictated that the holiday be celebrated on the last Thursday of the month, however, this tradition became increasingly difficult to continue during the challenging times of the Great Depression.
Roosevelt’s first Thanksgiving in office fell on November 30, the last day of the month, because November had five Thursdays that year. This meant that there were only about 20 shopping days until Christmas and statistics showed that most people waited until after Thanksgiving to begin their holiday shopping. Business leaders feared they would lose the much-needed revenue an extra week of shopping would afford them.
They asked President Roosevelt to move the holiday up from the 30th to the 23rd. He chose to keep the Thanksgiving holiday on the last Thursday of the month, however, as it had been for nearly three-quarters of a century.
In 1939, with the country still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression, Thanksgiving once again threatened to fall on the last day of November. This time President Roosevelt did move Thanksgiving up a week to the 23rd. Changing the date seemed harmless enough, but it proved to be quite controversial. Small business owners felt it put them at a disadvantage and they sent letters of protest to the President.
As opposition grew, some states took matters into their own hands and defied the Presidential proclamation. Some Governors declared November 30th as Thanksgiving. And so, depending upon where one lived, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the 23rd and the 30th. This was worse than changing the date in the first place.
Families who lived in states such as New York did not have the same day off as family members in states such as Connecticut! Family and friends were unable to celebrate the holiday together. In this telegram from November 13, 1940, Leota and Helen Care ask FDR what day they should serve their turkey.
President Roosevelt observed Thanksgiving on the second to last Thursday of November for two more years, but the amount of public outrage prompted Congress to pass a law on December 26, 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
Thanksgiving, as an annual celebration in our nation, goes back to the late 1700s. You may be surprised how many times the date of this holiday has changed.
In 1789, the first Federal Congress requested that the President recommend a day of thanksgiving before going on recess. President George Washington then proclaimed November 26, 1789, as a "Day of Publick Thanksgiving." Thanksgiving was celebrated on different dates until President Abraham Lincoln established it as a yearly celebration on the last Thursday of November in 1863.
However, in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday to extend the Christmas shopping season. This confused some states, which accepted the change, while others did not. To resolve this, In 1941, Congress declared the last Thursday of November as the legal Thanksgiving Day, except when November has five Thursdays, in which case it would be the fourth Thursday. President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, thus establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.
1941, December 1 - gas rationing went into effect across the nation in order to conserve rubber for use in World War II. The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was cancelled for the duration of the war. Read President Roosevelt's stand on nationwide gasoline rationing by reading the New York Times.
1941 December 7 - a Sunday, Pearl Harbor Hawaii is attacked by the Japanese. Approximately 2,400 Americans were killed and more than 1,100 others were wounded, galvanizing the nation around the rallying cry "Remember Pearl Harbor." Five servicemen from the Fort Wayne died during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma, Fort Wayne men who died were Seaman Raymond Boynton, Machinist’s Mate Arthur Glenn and Seaman Maurice Spangler. Aboard the battleship USS Arizona, Fort Wayne men who died were Gunner’s Mate Marshall Coffman and Seaman Harold Summers. None of the bodies of these sailors were ever recovered until 2017 when Machinist Mate Arthur Glenn's remains were identified and received a proper burial August 21, 2018.
As the nation observes the 74th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, the #DoD honors the men and women who sacrificed their lives, and those who fought to preserve the nation's freedom. #PearlHarbor74
Remembering Pearl Harbor - 2015 by Department of Defense December 6, 2015 on YouTube
Seventy-four years ago, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. President Franklin Roosevelt called it "a date which will live in infamy."
The US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Air Service on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack shocked the nation and launched the United States into WWII.
Major General Charles Douglas Herron, who was born and raised in Crawfordsville [Indiana], warned that Hawaii was susceptible to such an attack a year before. According to an US Army historian, Herron, while acting as commander of the Hawaiian Department from 1938 to 1941, "warned that carriers would approach at night, launching their planes to strike the naval base at dawn, in an attempt to destroy the US air forces. He expressed concern about the weaknesses of Hawaiian air and artillery defense against a surprise attack. He also argued for a long-range reconnaissance patrol and an efficient early warning communications system."
Herron retired from service 10 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor and while his suggestions were taken seriously, they were not implemented quickly enough to avert disaster. Learn more about Charles Herron: A man of character, fearless and dependable Beth Swift published August 19, 2016 in the JournalReview.com.
On December 7, 1941, the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Air Service. The attack shocked the nation and launched the United States into World War II.
Major General Charles Douglas Herron, who was born and raised in Crawfordsville, warned that Hawaii was susceptible to such an attack a year earlier. According to an U.S. Army historian, Herron, while acting as commander of the Hawaiian Department from 1938 to 1941, "warned that carriers would approach at night, launching their planes to strike the naval base at dawn, in an attempt to destroy the US air forces. He expressed concern about the weaknesses of Hawaiian air and artillery defense against a surprise attack. He also argued for a long-range reconnaissance patrol and an efficient early warning communications system."
Herron retired from service ten months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Although his suggestions were taken seriously, they were not implemented quickly enough to avert disaster.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, leading to America's entrance into World War II. Shown here is the 3rd Extra edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, which had a paper out with news of the attack within three hours.
This edition reported that "Honolulu and Oahu came through a baptism of fire today with calm determination as wave after wave of Japanese bombers rained missiles all over the island."
1941, December 8 - The Declaration of War against Japan.
On this date, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, addressing the nation in a Joint Session in the House Chamber, asked Congress to declare war against Japan for the surprise attack against American naval facilities in and around Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, a day earlier. With much of the U.S. Pacific Fleet still smoldering, Roosevelt assured Members of Congress and the American people, “With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.” From Office of the Clerk U.S. House of Representatives.
1941, December 11 - The House declaration of war against the Axis Powers (Germany and Italy)
On this date, the House approved a declaration of war against Axis Powers Germany and Italy—just three days after Congress had declared war against Japan. On the morning of December 11, during a rambling speech at the German Reichstag, Adolph Hitler declared war on the United States in accord with the Tripartite Pact of September 27, 1940; Italy followed suit. President Roosevelt’s swift rejoinder requesting a declaration of war against both Axis nations was read to the House by reading clerk Irving Swanson. “The forces endeavoring to enslave the entire world now are moving toward this hemisphere,” Roosevelt wrote. “Rapid and united effort by all of the peoples of the world who are determined to remain free will insure a world victory of the forces of justice and of righteousness over the forces of savagery and of barbarism.”
1942-1947 - The Beacon military base newspaper was published weekly on base containing war news, local troop events, supportive Fort Wayne businesses and organizations and more.
Thanks to our newest partner, the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum, the history of Baer Field and its war time works told through the pages of the base newspaper "The Beacon" will be shared digitally with the public. From 1942 to 1947, the Beacon was published weekly on base containing war news, local troop events, supportive Fort Wayne businesses and organizations and more. Stay tuned for more details to come.
1942 - World War II the U.S. Office of Price Administration (OPA) rationed gasoline Gas Ration Stickers samples at Cartyped.com.
We love sharing historic photos of Fort Wayne. Motorists travel in downtown on this spring day. Can you guess the year? #tbt (photo via Downtown Fort Wayne)
1942, January 16 - Carole Lombard, age 33, the movie actress, third wife of Clark Gable, after attending a war bond rally in Indianapolis, died in an airplane crash near Table Rock Mountain, Nevada. She was born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on October 6, 1908.
ON THIS DAY // On January 16, 1942, Actress Carole Lombard dies in a plane crash after attending a war bond rally in Indianapolis. The popular movie star was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was famous for her roles in such screwball comedies as My Man Godfrey and To Be or Not to Be, and for her marriage to the actor Clark Gable. You can learn more here: Actress Carole Lombard killed in plane crash via History
33-year-old Hollywood actress Carole Lombard was killed in a plane crash in the Nevada mountains on January 16, 1942.
Famous for her roles in screwball comedies, Lombard was returning from a tour to sell war bonds. Twenty-one others also lost their lives in the crash, including Lombard's mother and 15 soldiers.
The story made front-page news around the U.S., including in this paper from New York.
Read the full article in the Elmira Star-Gazette on our site: Carole Lombard dies in 1942 plane crash Star-Gazette, Elmira, New York, Saturday, January 17, 1942, Page 1
The talented and glamorous Carole Lombard was a well-known Hoosier who died on this date 82 years ago. Most haven’t read what was said about her by Indiana Senator Raymond Willis on the U.S. Senate floor upon her death after she sold $2 million worth of war bonds at the Indiana State House on Jan. 15, 1942. Read the remarks here: January 19, 1942 Congressional Record-Senate 437#WWII#Indiana#Bonds
1942, January 17 - Vernon Engelbrecht crew member of B-26 #40-1475, Bomber Squadron 33 and Carole Lombard deaths were printed side by side in the The Journal Gazette newspaper. The bomber squad story is retold in Follow Up: Researched Background of the members of the crew of B-26 #40-1475, Bomber Squadron 33 by Marie S. Schmidt. The crew died in a military plane crash just 23 days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, but the wreckage was not located until 1992 when three hikers were curious about the old wreckage of a plane on Keller Peak in California's San Bernardino Mountains. The story was retold in the article Memorial honors local soldier killed in '41 crash by Nancy Vendreley November 11, 1994 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
1942, February 19 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066 allowing internment of Japanese Americans. 110,000 Japanese Americans living in coastal Pacific areas were placed in concentration camps in remote areas of Arizona, Arkansas, inland California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. They were allowed to return to their homes 2 January 1945. For more see A | More | Perfect | Union Japanese Americans & the U.S. Constitution by the Smithsonian National Museum of National History. It was repealed February 19, 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford. See Japanese American Internment on Today's Document.
1942, April - the USS Indiana was commissioned in and served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. Considered one of the fastest and most powerful in the naval fleet. The ship was involved in several invasions, including Iwo Jima. Decommissioned in 1947, the ship was sold for scrap metal but select pieces, including the prow, were preserved on display at a seafood restaurant in California until its recent acquisition by Indiana University. In 1966 the U.S. Navy gave IU the ship’s mainmast and two gun mounts. All three pieces are on display on the west entrance of Indiana University's Memorial Stadium. Copied from USS Indiana Dedicated At Memorial Stadium by Lacy Nowling and Ben Decamp published September 8, 2013 on IndianaPublicMedia.com. Wood from the deck was used to make the desk currently used by the Governor of Indiana. From a November 21, 2013 post by Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook.
1942, April 18 - The Doolittle Raiders struck Tokyo, Japan in response to the Pearl Harbor attack causing only minor damage, it forced the Japanese to recall combat forces for home defense, raised fears among Japanese civilians, and boosted morale among Americans and our Allies abroad. From PublicDomainFootage.com (Public Domain Archival Stock Footage)
On this day in 1942 War time food rationing began in the U.S. Civilians first received ration books—War Ration Book Number One, or the "Sugar Book"—on 4 May 1942, through more than 100,000 schoolteachers, PTA groups, and other volunteers.
1942, May 15 - They also served by Judy G. Russell
published May 15, 2013 in The Legal Genealogist blog about the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), President Roosevelt signed into law the first federal statute enabling women to serve officially in noncombat positions.
1942, September 25 - the earliest Fort Wayne has ever experienced measurable snow, amounts of one-tenth of an inch or greater. From First snowfall brings record 4 inches by Dave Gong published November 22, 2015 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Did you know these items were rationed in the U.S. during WW2? After coffee became subject to rationing on November 29, 1942, this infographic was published in newspapers across the U.S. to illustrate some of the other products also under rationing or experiencing shortages at that time.
Coffee would be rationed in the U.S. until July 1943, but other items were rationed for different lengths of time.
Could you make it 5 weeks on 1 pound of coffee? When wartime coffee rationing began in the United States on November 29, 1942, newspapers published articles like this one explaining the new restrictions and regulations, including which rationing stamp could be used to buy coffee. Coffee would be rationed in the U.S. until July 1943.
Read the full article in the San Bernardino Sun on our site:
ON THIS DAY // On December 1, 1942, gas rationing went into effect across the nation in order to conserve rubber for use in World War II. For the same reason, the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was cancelled for the duration of the war. You can learn more about President Roosevelt's stand on nationwide gasoline rationing by reading: Full Gas Rationing Dec 1 Ordered by the President via The New York Times
1942, December 4 - FDR ordered the dismantling of the WPA, created to provide jobs during the Depression. From December 4, 2014 Tweet by American History Museum on Twitter.The WPA indexed many books like birth, marriage, and death records for most counties useful for researching genealogy before their funding ended. Many of those books are now digitized and found online at Internet Archive.
#DYK: When canning reached peak popularity around 1943, US women competed in contests to show off their skills. Canning was vital to wartime food preservation efforts. Pictured here, Mrs. Fidel Romero proudly exhibits her canned fruits & vegetables. #WHM
Shoe rationing went into effect in the U.S. 80 years ago, in February 1943, with 3 pairs allotted per person per year.
As this front-page article from February 8 reported, shoe rationing was implemented "without advanced warning" and "almost immediately crowds stormed shoe counters in stores operating on Sundays in many cities."
Only a few types of shoes (mainly soft-soled) were exempted from rationing. A person's shoe ration coupons could be shared within their family, and police, mail carriers, and people in certain other industries could qualify for extra shoes.
Do you have any family stories about shoe rationing? Share them with us in the comments!
It's National Mac And Cheese Day! Check out these old newspaper ads from 1943 and 1944 for clues about how boxed macaroni and cheese became a pantry staple in America. When war rationing changed how grocery shopping was done, boxed macaroni was advertised as a wholesome and ration point-friendly dinner option.
1944 - Selected sentences from a long February 5, 1994 newspaper article state: By the end of 1944, two more young women would be beaten and strangled; in 1945, another two would die. It was a series of murders as horrific as any we see in our own violent age and, for that simpler time, it was a cause for civic hysteria. ''It looks like the work of a maniac," declared Police Chief Jule Stumpf after the third murder. The victims were: Wilhelmina Haaga - Wednesday, Feb. 2, 1944, Anna Kuzeff - May 22, 1944, Phyllis Conine - Sunday, Aug. 6, 1944, and Dorothea Howard Tuesday, March 6, 1945. From Killer in the rain A HALF-CENTURY AGO, FAST-GROWING FORT WAYNE WAS PARALYZED WHEN YOUNG WOMEN STARTED TURNING UP MURDERED, ALL THOUGHT TO BE VICTIMS OF A KILLER IN THE RAIN. NO ONE WAS ABOVE SUSPICION IN A STRING OF VIOLENT DEATHS OF LOCAL WOMEN IN THE 1940S - CRIMES THAT WOULD BAFFLE AUTHORITIES FOR YEARS. In SUMMIT CITY HISTORY NOTES by Richard Battin posted in I Remember Fort Wayne in the online archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper. This article was shared in a June 26, 2022 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook with lots of comments including a newspaper article on the accused murderer Franklin Click who died in the electric chair and A history of executions in Indiana by Dawn Mitchell published December 11, 2019 on indystar.com stating: Franklin Click, Dec. 30, 1950 - In 1949, Fort Wayne police arrested Franklin Click on a charge of raping and almost strangling a housewife. Click then confessed he had killed Anna Kuzeff, Phyllis Conine and Billa Haaga. He was indicted for all three murders but tried and convicted of only the Conine murder.The tragic story of Ralph Lobaugh, the innocent man who spent 30 years in prison by Kristine Phillips Indianapolis Star. The tragic story of Ralph Lobaugh the innocent man who spent 30 years in prison August 19, 2022 on YouTube. A January 18, 2023 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
1944 - Kids gathered milkweed pods for WWII effort paid 20 cents a bag for use in life jackets from Pantagraph.com October 13, 2007 article by Bill Kemp Archivist/Librarian McLean County Museum of History in Illiniois.
1944 - the Joslyn Manufacturing and Supply Co. in Fort Wayne began work on a contract with the Manhattan Engineering District to turn short, stubby chunks of uranium into long rods. Those rods would help fuel atomic bombs, make America the world’s first superpower and begin the Cold War, a nuclear standoff that lasted for the next half-century.
On March 14, 1944, the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons defeated Sheboygan to claim the franchise’s first National Basketball League championship. Bobby McDermott, a great scorer and a sometimes combative personality from Queens, led the team to victory. McDermott was also named the league’s most valuable player. Learn more about the history of the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons here:
1944, June 22 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs the GI Bill of Rights, authorizing benefits for WWII veterans, just days after the D-day invasion of Normandy. The bill had unanimously passed both chambers of Congress in the spring of 1944. The act put higher education, job training, and home ownership within the reach of millions of World War II veterans. See On display: GI Bill of Rights by the The National Archives and their Google+ post June 9, 2014.
1944, October 28 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Fort Wayne
On October 28, 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Fort Wayne. Joined by Indiana Governor Henry Schricker and Senator Sam Jackson, Roosevelt delivered a speech, hoping to persuade Hoosiers to re-elect him as president. Most Hoosiers voted for Republican candidate Thomas Dewey instead.
On October 28, 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Fort Wayne. Joined by Indiana Governor Henry Schricker and Senator Sam Jackson, Roosevelt delivered a speech, hoping to persuade Hoosiers to re-elect him as president. Most Hoosiers voted for Republican candidate Thomas Dewey instead.
Fort Wayne has had several presidential visits. In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was passing through the area on his way to Chicago and his train was halted for 10 minutes at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. The President made a speech to the crowd and spoke about all that the citizens of Indiana were doing to help win the war. Every U.S. President “from Harding to Eisenhower” made stops at this station to deliver campaign speeches.
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan made a spontaneous visit to Fort Wayne before returning to Washington. The area was experiencing record flooding, causing thousands to evacuate and leaving thousands more homeless. Reagan met with residents and helped pass sandbags up to the edge of the St. Mary’s River.
Have you met a U.S. President? Share in the comments.
(1944, October 28). Thousands Greet FDR in This City. Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, p. 1.
Leininger, Kevin (1982, March 17). President Pitches in For Cameras. Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, p. 1
1944, December 16 - Battle of the Bulge, one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The United States suffered 19,276 fatalities, more than in any other battle in the war. Read the full story The Bloodiest Battle in The National Archives publication Prologue.
1944, December 17 - the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II ended on this day in 1944 by Maj. Gen. H. Conger Pratt, Western commander, in a proclamation effective January 2, 1945. See Monday, December 18, 1944 The New York Times - Times Machine .
1945, February 19 – March 26 - The Battle of Iwo Jima when U.S. Marines landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. Between 20,530 and 21,060 Japanese defenders entrenched on the island, from 17,845 to 18,375 died either from fighting or by ritual suicide. Only 216 were captured during the course of battle. With more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead. From February 19, 2016 post by The Greatest Generations Foundation on Facebook.
#OTD in 1945, Governor Ralph F. Gates signed the Fair Employment Practices Act at a time when returning World War II veterans pushed women and Black workers out of jobs at a higher rate than white male workers. In early 1946, the Fair Employment Practice Commission was set up “to discourage, the practice, when and where found, of denying employment by discriminating against employees on account of race, creed, color, national origin or ancestry.” The Indianapolis Recorder noted that the Indiana law, one of the first in the nation, was “advisory,” whereas the recently passed New York State fair employment law had “real teeth.” Learn more at: Ralph F Gates
The image below is courtesy of Wikipedia
1945, April 12 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt died. FDR held the office of president longer than anyone, more than twelve years. Under his direction, the United States endured two of its most significant and overwhelming crises, the Great Depression and World War II. FDR's White House Stenographer's diary. Read more in Life and Death in the White House on Smithsonian National Museum of American History blog.
1945, April 30 – World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for one day. Soviet soldiers raise the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building. Fold3 shows the front page Hitler Dead headline of The Star and Stripes newspaper.
1945, May 8 - Jubilant crowds take to the streets as Allies accept Nazi surrender and celebrate WWII victory in Europe on V-E Day.
On May 24, 1945, the Fort Wayne Daisies won their first game of the inaugural season in the All-American Girls Professional League. The league was established during World War II to help keep baseball in the public eye while men were drafted in the U.S. Armed Services. The Daisies were league champions from 1952 to 1954.
1945, July 30 - the cruiser USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The ship sank in 12 minutes. Of the 1,196 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. Survivors drifted in the ocean until August 2. See USS Indianapolis Memorial on IN.gov. A submarine commisisoned January 5, 1980 was the third ship named USS Indianapolis in the United States Navy named for the state capital Indianapolis, Indiana. See also The Worst Shark Attack in History by Natasha Geiling published August 8, 2013 on Smithsonian.com.
On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay released the atomic bomb “Little Boy” over Hiroshima, Japan. The bomb leveled the city and left between 70,000 to 100,000 dead. A second bomb, “Fat Man,” was dropped three days later on the city of Nagasaki, killing another 50,000 to 70,000 people. On August 14, the Japanese surrendered, ending World War II.
On August 15, 1945, President Truman requested that the United States Strategic Bombing Survey conduct a study of the effects of the atomic bombs against Japan. The Survey examined confiscated records of the Japanese government and interrogated numerous Government officials and private citizens throughout Japan.
The Survey concluded “..that certainly prior to 31 December 1945, and in all probability prior to 1 November 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated.”
Some historians have used these findings to argue against the decision to use the bombs against Japan. Others point out that the Survey had access to information unavailable before the war’s conclusion and that those conducting the survey purposefully downplayed the importance of the atomic bombs in securing Japan’s surrender.
The debate continues today, confirming President Truman’s decision over 60 years ago as one of the most controversial decisions of the 20th century.
The atomic bomb "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima 78 years ago today. Pictured here is a mockup of Little Boy. It was the first photograph of the bomb casing ever to be released by the government. http://fnote.it/6xx5
1945, August 14 - Japanese forces surrendered, ending World War II. Around 338,000 Indiana men fought in the war and over 118,000 Hoosier women also served in the military. 13,370 Indiana servicemen were killed.
Some favorites. A jubilant crowd of thousands gathered at the corner of Calhoun Street and Washington Boulevard on Aug. 14, 1945, to celebrate the victory over Japan and the end of World War II.
This iconic photograph was captured on August 14, 1945, in New York City as Americans celebrated the surrender of Japan. A euphoric US Navy sailor kissed a complete stranger during a V-J day celebration in Times Square: http://fnote.it/6xx6
1945, September 2 - a written agreement was signed by General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Allied Commander on the deck of USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan, on V-J, Victory in Japan, Day when Japan surrendered ending their participation in World War II!
1945, September 10 - Mike, the headless chicken, Sept. 1945
On September 10, 1945, a rooster named Mike "sprung into prominence by his refusal to quit this earth even though his head had been severed with an axe." Mike would go on to live for about a year and a half without a head, being displayed in sideshows and featured in the media during that time.
1945, December 28 - The US Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge was composed in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister. On Flag Day in 1954 Congress added the words “under God.”
It was on this day in 1945 that Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. It was written in 1892 by a minister and Socialist named Francis Bellamy, who was eventually forced out of his position because he preached too many sermons about Jesus and socialism. Bellamy wrote the Pledge for Youth's Companion magazine, which had launched a program offering kids a flag for their school in return for every 100 magazine subscriptions they sold. Youth's Companion decided to step it up a notch and partner with the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (the World's Fair) to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's landing in America. They wanted schools nationwide to participate in honoring the flag. One hot August evening, the magazine's employees were in the offices planning for the celebration, and the editor asked Bellamy to write something for students to recite. Bellamy agreed to hole himself up in his office for an hour and see what he could do. He said later: "Here arose the temptation of that historic slogan of the French Revolution which meant so much to Jefferson and his friends, 'Liberty, equality, fraternity.' No; that would be too fanciful, too many thousands of years off in realization. But we as a nation do stand square on the doctrine of liberty and justice for all. That's all any one nation can handle. [...] The words seemed to take care of themselves — they were the old words of American history and evolution, with the ear instinctively helping in their choice. They had been condensed to 23. When they were said aloud, they seemed to have a carrying resonance together with ease of speech." His pledge was published in early September, and it read simply: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." On Columbus Day, October 12th, it was recited in public schools all over the country.
In 1923, the National Flag Conference changed the words from "my Flag" to "the Flag of the United States of America," so that immigrants wouldn't be confused about which flag they were honoring. In 1942, Congress first acknowledged the Pledge as part of legislation codifying flag-related rituals, but it wasn't until this day in 1945 that they officially recognized it and it was sanctioned by Congress. The words "under God" were added in 1954 to make sure it didn't sound like something that would be recited by Communists.
"Indiana Dental Hygienist Law is a short 11-page pamphlet that details the beginning of certification of dental hygienists. This book was published in 1946 by the Indiana State Board of Dental Examiners. Previously in the state of Indiana, certification had not been required to be a practicing dental hygienist."
#OTD in 1946, our first official Indiana state historical marker was installed, which commemorated the history of the State Capitol as it moved from Corydon to Indianapolis in 1825. The Indiana Historical Bureau had worked with the WPA on a series of markers in the 1930s and early 1940s that featured white painted signs with black lettering. These markers quickly began to show deterioration from weathering and needed to be replaced.
After World War II ended, many expressed interest in a more permanent marker program to commemorate the people, places, events, and organizations that shaped the development of the state. This led to the standard design and format we know today: a cast aluminum marker featuring the outline of the state in the crest, a dark navy background, and gold lettering, mounted on a post.
Since the installation of the State Capitol marker in 1946, nearly 750 other markers have been installed across Indiana. Find a complete listing of the topics that are commemorated here: Find a Marker
The image below is courtesy of the Indianapolis News, December 25, 1946..
FRIDAY FACT: In February 1947, the Indiana legislature tried to outlaw the Ku Klux Klan. Any group member that advocated "malicious hatred by reason of race, color or religion" and caused "riot, disorder, interference with traffic" along with "violence, or denial of civil or constitutional rights" would be found guilty of "racketeering in hatred," imprisoned up to 2 years and fined up to $10,000, plus lose their right to vote for up to 10 years.
Source: Laws of the state of Indiana, passed at the eighty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly begun on the ninth day of January A.D. 1947 (Indianapolis: The Bookwalter Co., 1947).
1948 - Mike's Carwash opens the first full service car wash in Indiana.
1948 - In 1947 the Bell Telephone System (AT&T) assigned 86 area codes across the entire United States. Two area codes were assigned to Indiana. Area code 317 served Indianapolis north to Michigan. Area code 812 served Bloomington south to Kentucky. See map on Indiana - Area Code History on telecom.com.
1948, August 11 - Hagerstown Indiana’s Ralph Teetor, blind since youth, filed a patent for what he trademarked as Speedostat which became known as curise contrl on automobiles. Photo and information posted August 11, 2018 on Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebookreferencing the article The Sightless Visionary Who Invented Cruise Control Self-driving cars were far from Ralph Teetor’s mind when he patented his speed control device by David Sears published March 12, 2018 on Smithsonian.com.
1948, November 2 - Harry Truman who as Vice-President took over as President when Franklin D. Roosevelt died suddenly in 1945 towards the end of the World War II, upset New York Governor Thomas Dewey for a second term.
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1949, March - the Indiana legislature abolished the policy of public schools being segregated by race or color. Kindergartens and grade schools had until the start of the 1950 school year to comply; junior high schools were given until the start of the 1951 school year and high schools until the start of the 1954 school year. The law also stated that school districts did not have to provide transportation to students who lived within 1 mile of a school. Source: Laws of the State of Indiana passed at the eighty-sixth regular session of the General Assembly begun on the sixth day of January A.D. 1949 (Indianapolis: The Bookwalter Co., 1949).April 11, 2014 FRIDAY FACT copied from Indiana Genealogical Society on Facebook.
1949, May 30 - the first TV station in Indiana went on the air. WFBM, Channel 6, premiered with a live broadcast of the 500-Mile Race. Copied from May 30, 2017 Facebook post by Indiana Bicentennial Commission on Facebook.
1949, June 14 - President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day. Read The Father of Flag Day on the The National Archives Prologue: Pieces of History blog about 19 year old teacher Bernard J. Cigrand who placed a 10-inch, 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk on June 14, 1885 at the Stony Hill School in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. He then asked his students to write essays on the flag and its significance to them.
1949, August 3 - After three years of acrimonious competition in the late 1940s, the BAA, Basketball Association of America, and the NBL, National Basketball League, merged Aug. 3, 1949, to form the NBA. How the NBA’s 75th anniversary sweeps away its early history Curtis Harris, January 21, 2022 at The Washington Post. See Fred Zollner and the Zollner Pistons mainstays of the NBL who became the Detroit Pistons basketball team.
1949, August 30 - Look magazine declared Fort Wayne America's Happiest Town.
America's happiest town : Fort Wayne / by Martin Gumpert, "Reprinted from Look magazine, August 30, 1949.", at Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium
Martin Gumbert stated: With all Fort Wayne's vitality, people don't shout, push or show symptoms of irritation. There are no extremes of poverty, no sprawling slums, no organized vice and gambling. There is little open prejudice. Everybody knows his neighbor. There is no ‘boss,' no bad civic memories. The story was revisited in Happy Fort Wayne label has roots in 1914 guidebook discussing the 1914 book by Dell Ford published August 21, 1978 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Is this town still happy? A Look back by Gary Penner published September 29, 1982 in The News-Sentinel newspaperand again in Fort Wayne: Fat, stupid ... and melancholy? Magazine says city's no longer nation's 'happiest,' but that's OK by Kevin Leininger published December 3, 2011 in The News-Sentinel newspaper.
1949, August 23 - Shelley Lee Long is born in Fort Wayne, she grew up to play Diane Chambers on top ranked sitcom TV show Cheers and star of the movie Money Pit.
