Pearl Harbor galvanized Tuolumne County 80 years ago
Tuolumne County sprang into action like other communities throughout the United States 80 years ago after the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor early on Dec. 7, 1941.
The front page of the then-weekly Union Democrat published on Dec. 5, 1941, offers little in the way of hints at how much life would forever change just two days later, but the following edition on Dec. 12, 1941, is filled with stories related to America’s subsequent entry into World War II.
“Registration Centers for Civilian Defense Throughout County,” read one headline for a story on the post-pearl Harbor front page about the Tuolumne County Civilian Defense Council’s call for citizens to register for the volunteer services.
Another story speaks of armed guards being assigned to all entrances of the Moccasin powerhouse and roads leading to O’shaughnessy Dam that holds back the main water supply for the City and County of San Francisco in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Charles Lehman Olmstead, 17, of Standard, was reported in a frontage story as the first Tuolumne County man to enlist in the U.S. Navy following news of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s declaration of war against Japan and Axis forces in a speech the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
“Tuolumne County men may well be proud of this boy who volunteered to serve his country at this critical time,” the article about Olmstead stated.
Hugh R. Mclean, who had been announced as The Union Democrat’s new editor a week earlier in the edition on Dec. 5, 1941, described in an editorial the way that the attack had galvanized the country and brought forth a “new spirit of service and sacrifice.”
“Japan has made the first attack, but to America goes the first victory,” the editorial said. “We have found ourselves. We are united.”
The fourth page of the edition also contains a short story about a Sonora man named James “Buster” Fernandes, who had been employed in Honolulu for five months, had sent his mother — identified as Mrs. William F. Speer — a cablegram letting her know he was alright.
“This will be good news to his many friends in Sonora, who have been concerned as to his safety,” the article stated.
Fernandes is also listed in another article as part of an incomplete list of Tuolumne County residents known to be living, working and serving in and around Hawaii at the time of the attack, which killed 2,335 U.S. service members and wounded 1,143 others.
Less than 100 survivors of Pearl Harbor are estimated to remain today, one of whom still lives in Tuolumne County.
Hal Mayo, 99, currently lives in Groveland and is being cared for by his daughter Judy Wilkinson and her husband, Robert Wilkinson, who said Mayo would be unable to participate in a story for the 80th anniversary due to current physical challenges.
Mayo was among three Pearl Harbor survivors living in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties at the time who were interviewed by The Union Democrat for a story on the 75th anniversary in 2016. He described being “on the other side of the island” when the Japanese first hit Kaneohe Bay and Wheeler Field.
“We heard machine guns and our first thought was the Air Corps was playing games on a Sunday morning, which didn’t make sense,” he said in the 2016 article. “So we ran out of the hangar just in time for the first strafing attack.”
Chester “Ski” Biernacki, of Jamestown, and Delton “Wally” Walling, of Valley Springs, also shared their experiences for the 75th anniversary article in 2016, though both have since passed away.
Here’s a reproduction of the main story titled “The War… And Tuolumne County” from the Dec. 12, 1941, edition of The Union Democrat:
Although shocked by the report of the undeclared warfare waged by the Japanese forces upon Honolulu and the Philippine Islands early this week, Sonora residents quickly rallied and before Monday had passed were already starting plans for an intensive defense program and the mobilization of both civilian and military forces.
Stunned expressions of disbelief followed the first day’s reports of attacks on the Pacific Islands, then worry and deep concern regarding Tuolumne County residents who are located in the danger zone. However, as no official reports of injuries were received from the warzone, these quickly subsided.
Heard war declared
Every Tuolumne County resident listened in on the historic session of Congress and the address of President Franklin D. Roosevelt Monday morning, and with the strains of the Star Spangled Banner dying away, mobilization organization immediately swung into action. One indication of the spirit of the people of Sonora was indicated by the appearance of American flags in the sidewalk standards along Washington Street directly after the Congressional session. These have since flown daily.
Many volunteer
The rush of many young men of the county to recruiting stations in Sonora and elsewhere, together with the reporting of many draftees who were home on leave, to the local Draft Board, tended to show the feeling and spirit which was invested in these citizens. These enlistments ranged from youth of high school age to business men and clerks and laborers in various vocations.
Although many Tuolumne County youths have enlisted in the U.S. Navy, complete records could not be obtained. Among those who have enlisted are Leslie Hays, Moccasin; Rodney Penrose, Jacksonville; Warren Wenneson and Albert Dies, Jamestown; Albert Dambacher, Shaws Flat; James Wallace, Moccasin; Charles Hess and Ray Minners have enlisted in the Navy Reserves.
Lookout service
The aeroplane lookout service, scheduled to have been held in practice Tuesday, was thrown into full operation Sunday under the direction of the State and National Forestry Services. Observers are on a full 2-hour schedule on many fire lookout stations throughout the county. The lookouts at the Tuolumne and Stent stations were the first observers to report the two planes which flew over the county Sunday afternoon.
Early in the week, many business concerns and industries received instructions from their head offices for immediate defense steps. These included limiting of persons in the confines of their offices, elimination of personal telegrams and telephone calls not of an urgent nature, reduction of the use of electric power, placement of guards around vital power centers, cataloging of housing, food, medicinal and other personal resources.
In keeping with this order, the Safeway grocery store has received orders to install blue bulbs for window displays, and the Purity store has received orders to cooperate with all local authorities in observing complete blackouts every night. The first store blackout was Wednesday night.
Organized for the past few months under an ordinance of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, the County Civilian Defense Council swung into action with much interest manifested by the many attending.
Defense bond sales
Indicative of the general public’s response to the declaration of war against the Axis nations was the response made in the sale of National Defense Bonds during the first three days of the week. A total of $10,500 worth of bonds were sold in that period. This sale raises the total sale in Tuolumne County to date to $58,675, according to the Bank of America. Local bank officials received orders this week to eliminate all unnecessary lights.
The Western Union received orders that no code messages would be accepted, with a strict censorship enforced. No guarantee of cables to the island possessions could be made by the company. Although messages could be sent to the boys in camp, no guarantee or notification of delivery can be made.
Officers of the California Highway Patrol were ordered to 12-hour duty with instructions to remain in constant contact with the Sonora office.
Telephones busy
Officials of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company were swamped with telephone calls Sunday and Monday and the traffic continued heavy all week. Instructions were received from district headquarters urging the public to refrain from personal calls which were not urgent in order to permit official messages a clearer channel. The local staff was directed to cooperate with the U.S. Forest Service in the air warning program. Additional workers were added to the staff to handle the volume of business.
Resident in war zone
A survey made by members of The Union Democrat staff resulted in learning that more than 30 Tuolumne County residents or relatives of county residents are residing or in service in the Pacific war zone. So far no word of injuries to any of them has been received. The following is an incomplete list of those who are living, working and serving in the island territories:
George Bartlett, member of the U.S. Army Engineers, stationed at Hickman Field.
Grant Mcmeen, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.S. McMeen, in U.S. Army hospital at Honolulu recovering from accident injuries of several months ago.
James Overton Fernandes, son of Mrs. William F. Speer, sheet metal worker at Hickam Air Field.
Leonard Weston, son of Mr. and Mrs. King Weston, enroute to Pacific Island, prior to war attack.
Stanley Smullen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smullen, ensign in U.S. Navy, stationed at Honolulu.
Nick Harris, son of Mr. and Mr.s Ray Harris, sailed to Philippines prior to attack.
Curtis Belcher, reported serving on U.S.S. Lexington, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Belcher of Sonora.
Bob Froehlich, U.S. Army, stationed at Hickam Field, son of Andy L. Froehlich.
Winifield Maurice, son of Mrs. Madge Maurice, stationed at Pearl Harbor.
Mrs. Francis J.P. James (nee Elizabeth Wrigley., living at Honolulu.
Kenneth Griffin, son of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Griffin, residing in Hilo.
Howard Peters, formerly of this city, attorney in Honolulu.
Ed Robinson, son of Mrs. E.F. Robinson,of Jamestown, civilian worker at Pearl Harbor.
Franklin Morey, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Morey, on the U.S.S. Chandler in Pacific waters.
Joe Harrison, husband of Mrs. Norma Harrison of Sonora, defense worker near Honolulu.
Tommy Gibbs, son of Mrs. Margaret Gibbs, stationed on U.S. vessel in Pearl Harbor.
Bob Adamina, former Pinecrest lifeguard, stationed at Manila.
Joseph Stevenot, brother of A.D. Stevenot, president of the Philippine Telephone Company, at Manila.
Lt. Robert Pierpont, West Point graduate last June is with the U.S. Army in Manila. He is the nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Simpson and a son of Mrs. Phillip Pierpont, known here. His brother, Phillip Pierpont Jr., is in service in Alaska.
Lt. Ernest Hodge, son of Supervisor and Mrs. E.H. Hodge of Tuolumne, is with the Asiatic fleet on the Cruiser U.S.S. Houston, according to last reports.
Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Bickle, formerly of Moccasin, who recently moved to Honolulu.
Even the children of the county have enlisted in a defense measure by the collection of old scrap iron which will be placed at the base of the respective flag poles at the various schools. The collection should make an important contribution to the nation’s needs for this vital material.