Some More On James Sisson of Roanoke, Virginia

I did find in MyLife site the name James Sisson in Roanoke, Virginia, who is/was age 92 and born June 18, 1925.  Perhaps this is he.

I also found another entry in the Find-A-Grave site for a Willis James Sisson who served in the U.S. Navy from 1934-1964 and is listed as being a World War II, Korean War and Pearl Harbor survivor.  But he was born and died in Washington state, so likely is not the James Sisson I'm looking for.

This man was born 19 March 1913 in Tacoma, Washington and died 20 November 2006 in Washington state.  He is buried at Mount Angeles Memorial Park in Washington.

--GreGen

Home On Furlough From Pearl Harbor After the Attack

From the March 6, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Although the ship which he was aboard was the first United States vessel attacked by Japanese bombs on the morning of December 7 at Pearl Harbor, James Sisson, ... now home on furlough, said yesterday no one in the ship was injured."

Unfortunately, they didn't mention what ship he was on.  I didn't find out any other information on him either.

One Home, Anyway.  --GreGen

Follow Up On Yesterday's Post: William Harding Newton On USS Reuben James

Yesterday, I wrote that William Harding Newton of Roanoke, Virginia, had been on the doomed destroyer USS Reuben James when it was sunk.  At the time, it was not known if he was a survivor or not.

I looked it up and sadly, he was not a survivor.

The USS Reuben James (DD-245) was sunk by a German U-boat 31 October 1941.  Of a crew of 7 officers and 136 men, only 44 survived (no officers).

--GreGen

Cost of Homes Going Up in Roanoke, Now $6,300

From the April 3, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Cost of building a six-room residence in Roanoke as of March 1 was $6,300, representing an increase of $1,244 in the building costs since March 1938."

War Preparations Were Expensive on the Home Front.  --GreGen

Roanoke Man on USS Reuben James Sunk By German Submarine

From the October 3, 2016, Roanoke (Va.) Times "Looking Back."

"William Harding Newton, 21, son of William S. Newton, former Roanoke police lieutenant, was a member of the crew of the USS Reuben James, destroyer sent to the bottom by a torpedo in the North Atlantic Thursday night."

The War Hits Roanoke Even Before Pearl Harbor.  --GreGen

The Victory Book Collection and the Normandie

From the March 6, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times :"Looking Back."

1942, 100 Years Ago.

**  "The victory book collection in Roanoke has brought in some 1,800 volumes donated for the libraries of service camps, forts, and posts, it was said yesterday by Miss Pearl Hinesley, city public librarian and chairman of the drive here."

**  "R. Powell Black, of Roanoke, yeoman, 3rd class, United States Navy was one of the seamen who aided in the rescue of men aboard the USS Lafayette, formerly the French liner Normandie, and fought the flames on the huge ship when she burned in New York harbor February 9."

--GreGen

Making Model Planes in Schools for the War Effort and Life Magazine

From the March 6, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1942, 100 Years Ago.

**  "More than 200 boys taking general shop instruction in senior and junior high schools of this city already are at work on exact scale models of the world's fighting aircraft for the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics."

(They were also dong this in schools in DeKalb County, Illinois.)

**  "Roanoke friends of Lieutenant J. Lewis Ingles, attached to a balloon barrage corps on the west coast, were displaying pictures of the Army officer yesterday when copies of Life magazine reached here."

Someone Got Their Picture in the Magazine.  Wonder Who?  --GreGen

Women in the War Factories and Boy Scouts

From the March 13, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

**  "Roanoke women are coming into  themselves as industrial workers.  The first class to train them for making the guns, ships, and planes for victory began yesterday afternoon at the Jefferson vocational building as 15 women were introduced to the skills of air craft sheet metal work."

**  "A new phase of Boy Scout wartime service, the messenger service being set up to aid the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office, will be introduced to Roanoke scouts and scouters as a feature of the mammoth inspection at the Roanoke Auditorium this evening.

--GreGen

A Thank You from England

From the March 20, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"A moving letter of appreciation from England has been received by the Junior Red Cross of Belmont school in response to Christmas packages sent for the children of that country."

--GreGen

Lack of Bomb Volunteers and Girl Scout Cookie Sales

From the March 20, 2017, Roanoke (Va,) Times "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

**  "Completion of the civilian defense set up is being somewhat retarded here because of lack of volunteers for service in bomb squads, one of the most dangerous branches of the auxiliary police program."

**  "Roanoke Girl Scouts went over their goal in the annual cookie sale last night, the latest report showing a grand total of 14,410 pounds sold compared to the goal of 14,000 boxes."

I Wonder If Cookie Sales Continued During the Rest of the War.  --GreGen

Impact of War Hits Toothpaste and Shaving Tubes

From the April 3, 2017, Roanoke (va.) Times "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Observance of the new WPB [War Production Board] order prohibiting the sale of tubes of tooth paste or shaving cream by retailers unless the customer turns in a used, collapsible tube of some kind was still varied among the city's stores today."

I Imagine for Reuse.  --GreGen

WPA Work on Stadium Suspended in Roanoke and Noted Author Speaks

From the March 27, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

**  "Temporary suspension of WPA work on the uncompleted stadium was announced yesterday."

**  "William L. Shirer, famous for his best-selling "Berlin Diary," his on-the-scene description of events in Berlin during the first two years of the war over the Columbia Broadcasting System, and his subsequent analysis over CBS, will speak at the Academy of Music this evening at 8:30 o'clock."

--GreGen

Even Police Cars Rationed

From the April 3, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Finally free from complicated entangling restrictions, six new automobiles, specifically built for police work, were delivered to the Roanoke police department after approval certificates by the city rationing board."

Everything Controlled.  --GreGen

Army Day Victory Parade in Roanoke in 1942

From the April 3, 2017, Roanoke (Va,) Times  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"There was seriousness in downtown Roanoke last night as the Army Day Victory Parade 'with bands playing and colors flying, moved through the streets, serving notice that the city is rapidly girding itself for war on the homefront.'"

--GreGen

Sgt. Hisey Served With MacArthur

From the April 3, 2017, Roanoke (Va.) Times  "Looking Back.

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"R. Gordon Hisey, a staff sergeant from Roanoke, took dictation from General Douglas MacArthur for sixteen months.  Hisey was stationed on Corregidor for two years and returned to the U.S. before Pearl harbor."

Good Timing For Sgt. Hisey.  --GreGen

Air Raid Drill Practice Begins In Schools

From the Jan. 2, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va.)  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Training and practice in air-raid drills will be started within a few days in city public schools, authorities have announced.  Plans for the drills have been prepared."

Get Under Your Desks?  --GreGen

The War Strikes Home in Roanoke, Va.

From the January 2, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va.)  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

***  "The New Year spirit, dampened by the prospect of a long and hard war, flared less effusively in Roanoke last night as the city closed shop for the general holiday and waited anxiously for more definite news from the Philippines."

***  "The Virginia battalion Virginia Dare ambulance corps has received orders to mobilize at the City Market at 10 o'clock this morning."

--GreGen

Of Motorists and Enemy Aliens

Jan. 2, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va)   "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

***  "Motorists, having resigned themselves to the dictum that they will be unable to get new automobile tires for ordinary purposes, have swamped garages and repair shops to get their present tires retreaded and to buy scrapped ones."

***  "Today is the last day for enemy aliens to turn their short wave radios and cameras over to police authorities in Roanoke."

Wonder why?

--GreGen

Where the Boys Going?

From the Jan. 2, 2017, Roanoke Times, Va.,  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Publicity on the number of recruits, their names and destinations was halted by the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps recruiting offices here yesterday, with the explanation that such information was considered a military secret."

--GreGen

1942's New Year Resolution

From January 2, 2017, Roanoke Times (Va.)  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

A political cartoon showing a civilian man with fists clenched.  "New Year Resolutions:  #1 To Back Uncle Sam In Every Way That We Can:  Signed Roanoke..."

And They Did.  --GreGen