This Was Doylestown, 1945

Crowd jams Court House for services on V-E Day -

Editor's note - Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies on Monday, May 7, 1945, but President Harry Truman did not make an official announcement until the following day, designated as V-E (Victory in Europe) Day. While Americans were grateful, rejoicing was low-key because the war against Japan continued. The country would not erupt in wild celebrations until V-J (Victory over Japan) Day on Aug. 15

Jammed from the judges' bench to the front doors, one of the largest crowds that ever assembled in the Court House attended the services held Tuesday morning, as the fire siren sounded and church bells rang to signal that the Germans had surrendered and the war in Europe was officially over.

The services, originally planned to be held on the lawn of the Court House, were moved to the main courtroom because of a rain that started shortly before 9 o'clock in the morning.

In addition to the adults, several hundred students from the Doylestown Public School came over to the services when school was dismissed at the sounding of the siren. No seats were available after the first fifteen minutes following the signal, and those arriving just before the services began were seated on the floor, on the steps and in every available spot.

The program, directed by Rev. Edwin G. Spahr, opened with the singing of "America," followed by the invocation and reading of the Scriptures by Rev. Bernard Repass. A prayer by Rev. Alexander B. Davidson, a scriptural reading by by Rev. Meyer M. Hosteiter, remarks by Rev. Frank Damrosch and the benediction by Rev. Spahr constituted the program.

A musical number given by Frank Stevens on the marimba was the only instrumental portion of the services. The singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by the entire audience closed the services.

"The war's not over yet and I don't see the need of any kind of celebration whatsoever except a religious observance," commented a county judge. He spoke the opinions of most everybody locally, for there are hundreds of Doylestown boys fighting Japan at this minute.

The war that was started by the Nazis has so far cost Doylestown 18 lives, with 18 gold names on the Honor Roll as mute evidence. Twelve Doylestownians made the supreme sacrifice in the European war theatre or aboard ships carrying out the war details in that area. The other six were killed in the Pacific war theatre or in training in this country.

[Editor's note - Three more Doylestown servicemen lost their lives before V-J Day, bringing the death toll to 21.]

Hundreds of Bucks countians distinguished themselves in helping to write with blood and heroic exploits the story of the destruction of the German war machine. Whenever a battle was fought against the Germans, there were Bucks countians at the front.

"The finest thing that the people of Doylestown could do today would be to go to their churches and pray for the speedy victory over the Japanese," a Doylestown mother with a son in the South Pacific remarked.

Road To Victory [original headline of editorial] -

Joy over the complete success of the Allied cause in Europe need not blind America to the fact that V-E Day in itself is not total victory, but merely the first large step in that direction.

Much remains to be done. Heavy tolls of life, of expense and sacrifice still are needed.

Three great further steps lie ahead.

First, of course, is the defeat of Japan.

This is brought much nearer, made far more inevitable, but the job is yet to be done. Victory is only a dream until the crushing of Japan becomes a reality.

Second, is the formation of a workable Union of Nations, dedicated to peace and justice. We have been engaged in mere skirmishes in that direction. The united wills of whole peoples are the moral force which must be armed and mobilized for success in the cause of lasting peace. And this will be no one-day or one-year war. Yet it must be won.

Third, in the past which Lincoln, at a somewhat similar hour in American history, termed: "to bind up the nation's wounds."

The shock and stresses of war have created grave domestic problems which must be met and solved. We must build a new unity and co-operation in our own national family before we can truly help the rest of the world live together in peace and justice.

Private from Doylestown enjoys fried chicken in Germany -

Living on "K" rations for so long a time has its compensation, according to Pfc. Allen O. Histand, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Histand of Doylestown.

The compensation, he pointed out in a letter received by his parents this week, is that eggs and fried chicken in Germany, even though the former may have been produced by hens owned by the Germans, and the latter prepared by the German frauleins, taste ever so much better.

Pvt. Histand wrote that the Germans have no regard for the Allied soldiers, even the medics, who, according to the regulations of the Geneva convention, are not supposed to be fired on. So he feels the soldiers of the Allied cause have every excuse for helping themselves to whatever they can, even though it be fried chicken.

He wrote this after he and his outfit captured a German town. Fried chicken and eggs, he said, were a real treat after having been compelled to live on "K" rations so long.

According to Pvt. Histand, who has been serving with the Sixty-ninth Infantry of the First Army, he has gone through some extremely hard fighting.

On one occasion, he wrote, his outfit was assigned the task of capturing a small bridge spanning a river before the enemy had an opportunity of blowing it up, but his outfit never had a chance to complete its mission because of the intense enemy fire.

The outfit advanced over a stretch of about 500 yards, and then was compelled to come to a halt because of the hail of bullets and shell fire by the enemy, Pvt. Histand wrote.

He continued: "While I was running, I saw dirt which was struck by the bullets flying up in front of me. I glanced to the right, the left and to the rear, and there I also saw dirt flying in all directions, The bullets, which appeared to have been whizzing from every direction, were hitting inches from me. Finally, the fire became so intense we were compelled to throw ourselves to the ground until dark."

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Doylestown Township Emergency Police meet -

The Doylestown Township Emergency Police held a well-attended meeting Wednesday evening in the consolidated school..

Announcement was made that W. J. Childs had resigned as scoutmaster of the troop of Boy Scouts sponsored by the police, and Paul W. Kutz, principal of the Doylestown Township Consolidated School, has been designated to become his successor.

During the meeting, a letter of thanks for the large contribution of used garments to be forwarded to war-stricken countries was read. A communication from the State Council of Defense contained a request that the Emergency Police continue to function until the defeat of Japan.

Harold Hager, of the honor roll committee, requested that efforts be made to keep the honor roll [of township residents serving in the military] up to date.

The Emergency Police recently purchased an ambulance body in Philadelphia, and preparations are being made to mount it on a chassis.

Mr. West announced the motion picture projector, which had been purchased by the Emergency Police, and which now is the property of the local school, has been insured against burglary. Dr. Adolf Berg, a member of the school board, announced fire insurance had been placed on the projector.

At the close of the business meeting, several motion pictures were shown by Mr. Kutz, and refreshments were served.

Severe storm hits Doylestown -

Doylestownians are accustomed to blackouts, brownouts, rainouts and washouts, and Thursday night--whether they liked it or not--a "windout" was added to the various "outs" of the season.

After an all-day rain that welled at the creeks in Bucks county and actually made automobile travel dangerous at times, there burst forth from the northwest gusts of wind of great velocity which weather experts measured at 60 miles an hour at times. Temperatures tumbled 10 degrees between 9 and 11 p.m. Thursday night.

Victory gardeners arose Friday morning feeling sick. They know that things are not growing and Thursday's rain didn't do a bit of good, and the drop in temperature furnished another setback. The big majority of victory gardeners who are holding back before planting anything are the wise boys.

Some large limbs were snapped off Doylestown trees by the high wind. A large portion of a tree at Broad and Union streets, and another on the property of John L. Dubois on Pine street, were snapped off and had to be hauled away by borough workmen Friday morning.

There was some trouble in certain sections of Bucks county with electric power service, which was short-circuited by falling limbs, but not to any great extent to cause inconvenience.

By 10 o'clock Thursday night, the force of the wind had become so great that passenger buses between Doylestown and Willow Grove were rocked violently and drivers had difficulty in keeping cars on the highways.

Doylestown Lions Club formed -

Doylestown's third service club was organized Tuesday night when the Lions Club of Doylestown met and elected officers who will be formally installed at the charter presentation meeting to be held on June 26.

The new Lions Club is headed by Burgess [Mayor] Wilbur H. VanDine. The club will meet the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. The club was sponsored by the Souderton Lions Club, and has 20 members at the present time.

Other officers elected Tuesday night included the following: Vice presidents, Ivey Estep, Oscar Leidy and A. Luther Nash; secretary, Ira C. Shaw; treasurer, C. Herbert Haldeman; tail twister, Harry J. Noll; lion tamer, Fred Reed. Directors for two years include Robert W. Robinson and C. Clifford Beck; directors for one year, Fred Dietz and N. Orville Frankenfield.

Tuesday night's dinner meeting was attended by District Governor of Lions International Thomas Howland, of Philadelphia, who made a brief talk on the importance of proper organization work. Zone Chairman Harry Frederick, of Souderton, was another speaker, in addition to Past District Deputy Governor Floyd Frederick, of Souderton.

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News of Our Men and Women in Uniform -

Staff Sgt. Walter Maximuck, 21, son of Mrs. Kuzuma Maximuck of Doylestown, is currently assigned to the Army Air Forces Redistribution Station No. 4 at Santa Ana Army Air Base in California. Sgt. Maximuck, who entered the service in March 1943, has completed 35 missions as a mechanic gunner in a B-17. He has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and four battle stars for his participation in the European theatre with the 8th Air Force.

James Gemmell, 20, of Doylestown, was top-ranking student with a scholastic average of 89 in completing Gunner's Mate Service School at Great Lakes, Ill. last week. Gemmell was advanced in rating to seaman first class and assigned to further training at Dearborn, Mich.

Mrs. Norma Brinzer, of Washington street, has received word that her husband, Vincent Brinzer, who has been in service in England for the past 13 months, has been promoted from the rank of carpenter's mate third class to that of carpenter's mate second class.

Stationed on Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, as a member of a coast defense unit of the Central Pacific Base Command, is Pfc. Paul W. Petrillo, who before his induction was co-owner of a shop in Doylestown.

James C. Bohlen, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles I. Bohlen, R.F.D. 2 Doylestown, was enrolled recently in an intensive course at the Radio Naval Training School located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Sgt. Mary E. Butler, of the Women's Reserve of the U.S. Marine Corps, daughter of Capt. and Mrs. George C. Butler of Doylestown, and Technical Sgt. Harvey R. Crouthamel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey K. Crouthamel of Buckingham, were married in the First Presbyterian Church in Norfolk, Va. on Friday.

Howard B. Abel, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard B. Abel of East Oakland avenue, received notice Friday to report at the Navy headquarters in Philadelphia for induction and assignment to a training school. He will leave Doylestown on Wednesday.

Cpl. John J. Harley, Army Air Forces, is spending a furlough with his family on West State street. Cpl. Hartley has been stationed at Stinson Field, San Antonio, Texas, but has just completed special training at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

Mr. and Mrs. H. Roy Buckner, of Cottage street, received a V-mail letter from their son, Pvt. Howard Roy Buckner, Jr., U.S. Infantry, that he had been liberated on April 30 and expected to be home in about a month. Pvt. Buckner was made a prisoner of war by the Germans on September 12, 1944. His letter was written from Munich.

Seaman First Class John Gana, 18, son of Mrs. and Mrs. Edward Gana, R.F.D. 2 Doylestown, who is training to become a naval air crewman, graduated this week with the highest grades in his class at the aerial gunners school at U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla. He is next scheduled for specialized training in Navy planes at Banana River, Fla., after which he will receive his air crewman's wings.

Cadet Nurse Jane Neis, stationed at Bayonne, N.J., and Chief Petty Officer A.L. Zan Wansele, U.S. Navy, instructor in radio at a Navy base in New York City, spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Neis, of Green street.

In the casualty list released Friday, the War Department announced that Capt. Frank P. Stryker, 29, of Doylestown, was killed in action in Germany.  

[Editor's note - Doylestown's postwar Maplewood development, where the streets bear the names of Doylestown service members killed during the war, includes Stryker Avenue, named for Captain Stryker.]

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of May 6-12, 1945