Month: February 2013

Battle Of Sunda Strait

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On Saturday, February 28, 1942, the heavy cruiser USS Houston (above) and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth came under attack by Japanese forces during the Battle of Sunda Strait.  The Houston lost 693 men, and the Perth lost 353.

Battle Of The Java Sea

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On Friday, February 27, 1942, the Battle of the Java Sea began.  Imperial Japanese naval forces scored a decisive victory over the Allies in World War II.  The USS Langley, above, was sunk.

Birth Of The Air Defense Command

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On Monday, February 26, 1940, the United States Air Defense Command was created.  It was inactivated in 1944, when the threat of air attack seemed negligible.  It was reestablished as a major command in 1951, and I did some computer programming work for it in the early 1960s.  It was redesignated the Aerospace Defense Command in 1968, and divided into the Tactical Air Command and the Strategic Air Command in 1980.

Dale Drives Home

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On Tuesday, February 25, 1958, after attending Pearl Gardner’s funeral (see yesterday’s blog), Dale wrote, “I drove to Minneapolis from Osceola in 6 hours.  Had Stan’s car washed at a Richfield car wash.  High was 57°.  Beautiful day for driving, south wind.  Helen and I went to the library after supper.  Stan went to class at the U at night.”  That was a 300-mile drive.

Dale Drives Stan’s Chevy

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In Osceola from Minneapolis on Monday, February 24, 1958, on his way to Pearl Gardner’s funeral, Dale wrote, “Lloyd, Marie, and I drove Stan’s Chevy to Milo for Uncle Pearl’s funeral.  Nice day, high 52°.  Mother and I went to the cemetery at sunset to see the flowers on Uncle Pearl’s grave.”  Pearl Gardner was a second cousin of Dale’s.  Lloyd and Marie were Dale’s siblings.  My Chevy was a 1957 model similar to the above – I wish I had kept it.

WW II Early Days

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Near Santa Barbara, California, on Monday, February 23, 1942, a Japanese submarine fired 17 shells at an oil refinery, sparking fears of an invasion.  See the headline in the San Luis Obispo newspaper above.

Dale Gets Holiday Time

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In Minneapolis on Friday, February 22, 1957, Dale wrote, “Double time today.  Cold.  Low 5° below, high 7° above.  Took Dalene to work with me in the afternoon, took her to a show at night.”  This was Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday, which is why he got double time and she had no school.

Putting On Chains

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In Minneapolis on Thursday, February 21, 1957, Dale wrote, “5 inches of new snow and colder.  Put tire chains on after work.  Took Dalene to a basketball game.  Talked to Stan in Muscatine, on the phone, regarding income tax and tuition.”  Some of you will remember snow chains, like those above.

Moving Bill And Leona

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In Osceola on Tuesday, February 20, 1934, Dale helped Leona (Dale’s cousin) and Bill Van Sant move with a team and wagon, much like the one above.

A Delicious Dinner

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In Minneapolis on Sunday, February 19, 1967, Dale wrote, “Light snow again.  I shoveled five inches of new snow off the driveway and sidewalks.  Watched basketball in the afternoon.  To Stan and Judy’s for dinner, delicious.”  My first wife Judy was a good cook.  In this photo at my house, Judy and I (holding daughter Virginia) and my sister Dalene are in the back row, Helen and Dale are in the middle row, and my sons Christopher, David, and Jeffrey are in the front row.

Jettie Takes The Train

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In Muscatine on Sunday, February 18, 1951, Dale’s mother Jettie called to ask to be picked up at the Burlington train station, coming from Osceola.  Dale and Helen did so and brought her to Muscatine for a few days to visit.

Dalene Goes To Stillwater

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In Minneapolis on Friday, February 17, 1961, Dale wrote, “High about 27°.  I went to the bank before supper.  Dalene went to a basketball game at Stillwater.”  It’s about 30 miles to the St. Croix River at the border with Wisconsin.

Shoveling Out

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In St. Paul on Sunday, February 16, 1941, Dale wrote, “Home all day.  Blizzard in the forenoon.  Stanley and I shoveled to the mailbox and garage.  Mrs. Marshall and Mary Ann came over at night.”  They were neighbors.

Vintage Tablecloth

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In Muscatine on Wednesday, February 14, 1951, Dale wrote, “Bought Valentines for Helen, Stan, and Dalene.  Put them under tablecloth at supper.  Sugar Ray Robinson beat Jake LaMotta on TV at night.”  Do you remember oilcloth (above)?  That’s what we used as our tablecloth.

Dale Visits His Alma Mater

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In Osceola overnight on Wednesday, February 13, 1952, Dale wrote, “Took Mother to cemetery.  Went to Osceola High School and looked around.  Seems small.”  He had graduated from there (above) 25 years earlier.  He drove back to Muscatine that evening.

Marie Comes To Visit

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On Sunday, February 12, 1950, Dale and Dalene drove to the Burlington train station, picked up Dale’s sister Marie Kimmel, and brought her back to Muscatine to stay while Helen had minor surgery.  The route, above, was about 50 miles.

Dale Joins The IRS

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In Washington, DC, on Thursday, February 11, 1937, Dale took the day off from his Veterans Bureau file clerk job and applied for a position with the Internal Revenue Service.  Two weeks later, he was notified to start at Internal Revenue on March 1.

Gonna Move Again

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In Washington, DC, on Thursday, February 10, 1938, Dale took a half day off work and rented an apartment at 1259 Holbrook Terrace NE.  They moved there the following Wednesday; co-worker Orris Olsgard and his wife Olive moved to the same building with them.
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