Date: Fri 18-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

VJ-Day-World-War-II-flagpole

Full Text:

Memories Still Linger Of A Great Celebration Of Peace 50 Years Ago

B Y A MY D'O RIO

It came over on the radio, starting around 7 pm, Tuesday.

The Japanese had surrendered. World War II had ended.

People could finally let go of the anxiety that a brother or husband would be

maimed or killed, and people started to celebrate.

Albert H. Nichols of Wendover Road was oblivious to what was happening at

home. He was sitting in Okinawa airport, preparing for an invasion into the

southern tip of Japan.

"We did not know what we were going to face," he said.

The Japanese, he said, had the reputation of never giving up.

But, Mr Nichols never found out. In that airport, news of the war ending was

announced. Mr Nichols said gun fire erupted from American soldiers rejoicing

in the news.

"Our next thought was, `When do we go home?' " he said.

Sherwood Scott, a resident at Ashlar of Newtown, said when the news was

announced, he was on shore patrol in San Francisco.

The aircraft carrier he worked on - the Hornet - was back in the United States

for repairs. Some men went home on leave, others were given tasks to keep

busy.

Mr Scott got shore patrol Tuesday evening, and "everything was wild. Everybody

was hugging and kissing and hooting and hollering... You tried to keep calm,

but you couldn't. It was bedlam"

He didn't get a chance to celebrate with the city, but he did get to go home

to Easton by New Year's Eve.

This week marks the 50th anniversary of World War II and the massive

celebration that followed. Upon hearing the news, people all around the

country did something they have not done since. They left their homes and

flooded the streets to rejoice.

San Francisco was not the only city in bedlam Tuesday night.

According to Nunnawauk Meadows residents, Bridgeport was pretty lively too.

Joan Bowers was just a little girl, but she clearly remembers her mother

yelling at her not to go in the streets, "because people were driving so

crazy."

And Beatrice Butler said people were dancing in the roads.

"It lasted far into the night. It was something," she said.

In Newtown, The Bee reported that residents had a late night as well. They

left their homes and went to, where else, the flagpole: Tentative waves of the

hand or short-noted toots of a horn soon gave way to loud cheers and raucous

blasts. A sense of relief grew into a will to celebrate and quick trips were

made to Edmond Town Hall and back to the Flagpole as early celebrants sought

an outlet for pent up emotions.

For many the opening of the doors of the Congregational Church and the ringing

of the bell were a solemn call to worship and prayer.

Through the evening, parties in threes and fours were entering and leaving.

Before eight o'clock rolled around, a mardi gras spirit had gripped the

throng. Arthur Smith, kindly maharajah of the Town Hall always quick to sense

his public's appetite, turned a loudspeaker onto the lawn.

Radio news, impromptu speeches and words from Veterans of Foreign Wars greeted

the gathering audience.

Many joined in street dancing.

Down in front of the Parker house, red flares lighted the surrounding

neighborhood and competed for attention with activities at the Town Hall.

By 9:30, an impromptu parade had been organized, long ranks of pedestrians,

bicycles and motor cars plus every conceivable noise-making device.

Routines Abandoned

In Newtown, stores and factories stayed closed on Wednesday. Even the paper

came out one day late.

Actually, all over the country, stores and factories had shut down on

Wednesday and even Thursday, which proved to be a problem for Nunnawauk

Meadows residents Jim and Adelaide Dolan, who then lived in New Jersey.

Jim had come home the weekend before the war ended to marry his sweetheart,

Adelaide. He had been overseas for three years, and was determined to get

married on Saturday, August 18.

Due to the stores being closed, the couple had hard time finding a jeweler to

sell wedding rings, not to mention finding a hall to rent for the reception.

"We remember that week very distinctively," said Mrs Dolan.

Despite the roadblocks, they found rings, a hall and got married on Saturday

as planned.

So while the rest of the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of World War

II ending, the Dolans are celebrating 50 years of marriage: their golden

anniversary.