Heroic Troops Hold Hongkong Against Japanese Assault
British Canadian and Indian troops clash with Japanese at Mt Cameron and Victories Peak in Hongkong island. Fighting remains intense with a light enemy penetration contained. Canadian commander Brig. J. K. Lawson and Col. Patrick Hennessy reportedly killed. Tokyo and Berlin reports confirm heavy fighting and prisoner losses.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Mt. Cameron
Hongkong Island
Victories Peak
Hongkong
Ottawa
J. K. Lawson
Patrick Hennessy
Tokyo
Mt Cameron
Berlin
Happy Valley
Victora City
Six West Virginians Commissioned in Air Corps Reserve
The War Department announced on December 23 that six West Virginians have accepted commissions as second lieutenants in the Air Corps Reserve. The officers are Jerry Pennywell Hall and Brian Dunn Rummel Jr. of Charleston, Harold Dakan Jefferson of Moundville, Glenn McCutcheon of Summersville, Robert Trout Peters of Bluefield, and Harry Lewis Spangler of Peterstown.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
War Department
West
Christmas Church Services Climax City Observance Tonight
Churches across the city stage a peak Christmas music program tonight with midnight masses at Sacred Heart and St Anthony's, and services at St Pauls and Trinity Lutheran. St John's Episcopal holds 11:15 pm Holy Communion with carol singing. Emmanuel Baptist gathers at 7:36 pm for prayer followed by carols under three large trees and carol trips for shut ins. St John's junior choir presents a Christmas program on Christmas day at 11 pm near Diamond and Gold mining costs in South Africa have soured during the war.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Secred Heart
St Anthony's Catholic
St. Paul's
Trinity Lutheran
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Japs Seek Hitler Aid Yet Move Seen Dubious
The piece argues Japan seeks Nazi support while doubting success, and notes possible Davao incursions to guard routes to the China Sea. It discusses Allied naval strategies, Japan’s air and replacement strength, and potential German moves, with Turkey's stance and the Dardanelles as pivotal factors.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hitler
Britain
AW. 5
Pacific
Tokyo
London
Washington
Russia
Libya
Bulgaria
Dardanelles
Turkey
Axis Supply Ships Smashed Off Libya Headlines
Six Axis supply ships were sunk or damaged off Libya in heavy action. A medium sized vessel, possibly an armed merchant cruiser, was torpedoed and set afire, listing as last observed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Libya
Truce Declared On Strikes as Labor Talks Continue
President would have authority to take over and operate affected plants and freeze conditions. A wage board would rule on increases. Connally vowed to push for Senate action after Christmas. Mississippi Gov Johnson urged an anti strike bill to calm fears.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Curs
Connally
Paul R. Johnson
Mississippi
Congress
Senate
Charleston Holiday Rush Shows Mixed Industry Holiday Plans
Charleston industrial firms map Christmas schedules with some units operating as usual and others closing. Carbide and Carbon Chemicals in South Charleston and E I duPont at Belle plan business as usual for about 6,000 workers while Morgantown’s ordnance unit began production.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corporation
South Charleston
E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company
Belle
Kanawha
General Machinery Ordnance ‘Company
South Charleston Naval Ordnance Plant
Carnegie-Illnois Steel Company
Morgantown
International Nickel Company
Huntington
Chesapeake and Ohio
American Car and Foundry
West Virginia Rail Company
Standard Ultramarine Company
Wheeling Steel Company
Blaw-Knox Company
Wheeling
Panhandle
Charleston Chamber of Commerce
Invasion News From Luzon Coast and Davao
Reports describe Japanese landings near Lingayen Gulf and along Agoo to San Fernando with heavy air activity. Filipinos forced into labor in Albay and Legaspi, while Manila evacuations and a Dutch strike at Davao harbor accompany the widening conflict.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tayabas
Albay
Camarines Sur
Alfred Moreno
Legaspi
Manila
Naga
Lingayen Gulf
U. S
Damartis
Santo Tomas
Lingayen
Mindanao
MacArthur
Davao
Netherlands East Indies
War Department
Washington
Agoo
San Fernando
Thhe City
Birth Announcements From St Francis Hospital
Birth notices report a daughter for E W Conner Elk River road on Dec 19 and daughters for John Kozicki 1611 West Virginia Dunbar and W S Pettigrew 1617 Virginia street and for Paul Smith 1330 Lee Bec 23. The text also notes a wartime purchasing surge and a Charleston post office record mail volume.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Francis Hospital
E. W. Conner
Elk River Road
John A.kozicki
West Virginia Avenue
Dunbar
W. S. Pettigrew
Virginia Street
Paul Smith
Lee Street
Bec
Churchill Bars One Supreme War Lord To Win Struggle
Churchill and Roosevelt hold a historic Washington press conference as they outline a global anti Axis coalition. Churchill rejects a single supreme war leader while signaling Britain and the United States will coordinate efforts across land sea and air. The White House forms a war council to unify worldwide strategy and supply.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Churchill
Cho
Roosevelt
Hadeen
Napoleon
U. S
Great Britain
Hitler
Middle East
Suez
Spain
West
Africa
England
Germany
Russia
Britain
Empire
White House
War Council
Washington
Japan
Maly
China
Netherlands
Cil
Gerald ‘Campbell
Japs on Wake Island Fight for Hold Another Day
Navy observers see a still hopeful scenario on Wake Island as Marine defenses repulse 13 aerial assaults in 16 days of combat. They note the presence of roughly 100 acres of brush upland across the three Wake islands and acknowledge that Wake could be recaptured if reinforcements arrive, despite likely eventual fall if Yamamoto commits enough ships and planes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Isles
Wake Island
Sea Navy
Wake
Mikado
Isoroku Yamamoto
Wake and Midway Hold as Pacific War Draws In
The report notes Wake and Midway resisting Japanese attacks while relief ships could not divert to them. Marines faced dwindling supplies and reinforcements as the main onslaught targeted the Philippines and Malaya. Australia reports three months of wartime expenditure exceeding 225 million pounds. Britons are urged to halve cigarette use to aid the war effort.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pacific
Singapore
Celebes
Sulu
Davao
Mindanao
Mindanao Sea
China Sea
Formosa
Japan
Gulf
Luzon
Formos
Hongkong
Philippines
Batte
Britain
U. S
Nippon
Tokyo
Wake
Searces
Midway
Guam
Malaya
Also Mentioned on This Page
West Virginians
Air Corps Commission
Government
National Defense
Spanish
Sombra
Atlantic Oceans
ecaDea
Snoccupied
France
taeEn
Tebe
Wigey
Algeria
Italy
Corsica
Sardinia
Mediterranean Sea
Wikttrato
Arrow
Bern
North
Xs & Cmate
Christman
Widener
Naples
Leake Canemdalgue
Widmer
York State
Jeewn Sravate
Charleston
New Point
Moscow
Dick Hiller
Navy
Australia
Sevinge
Finan Bros
DR. Burl
Merry Christmas
Maud Muller
Quarrier ST
Stora
Giant Stills
Chaice Base
Cobbs Creek
Continental Pistilling Corporation
Phila
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!