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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 Issue 3 -The 212th Coast Artillery, Defender of Renton's SkiesSeptember 2007 Volume 38, Number 3 Continued on page 4 THE Original Homeland SecurityTHE Original Homeland SecurityTHE Original Homeland SecurityTHE Original Homeland SecurityTHE Original Homeland Security The 212th Coast Artillery (AA) - Defenders of Renton’s Skies: 1942-1945 By Tom Monahan During the perilous first days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the people of Renton had a legitimate fear that a similar raid would be directed at the vital war industries based here. To the rescue came the soldiers of the 212th Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) who stood guard, watching the skies of Renton for an attack which never came. This is their story. PRO PATRIA The 212th Coast Artillery had a long history of defending our country before it ever began its mission in Renton. Origi- nally the 212th had been created as an infantry unit, when several existing companies were combined to form the Twelfth Regiment of the New York State Militia in 1847. It was at this time that it gained its heraldic coat of arms and its motto, “PRO PATRIA,” which is Latin for “For the Homeland.” The regiment served honorably in this capacity through several military conflicts, including the Mexican War, the War between the States, Spanish-Ameri- can War, Mexican Border conflicts, and finally World War I. The change- over from the 12th Infantry to the 212th Coast Artillery came in 1921. As aircraft became more useful as weapons of war, the U.S. Army quickly realized that opposing forces could just as easily bomb American factories with air strikes as we could bomb theirs. This necessitated a new style of defense: anti-aircraft artillery positions. The 212th ranks as one of the first units to be converted to this special mission in U.S. Army history. After receiving their orders to take on this new challenge, the men of the 212th rapidly set to work learning how to use the tools of their new trade – six 75mm field guns re- mounted to serve as anti-aircraft weapons and two large searchlights.1 MASTHEAD PHOTO - Battery E, 212th CE (AA) standing in formation, waiting to pass in review for the last time before being split up for service in Europe. Sgt. Flynn is standing in front holding the Guidon Pennant. (#1989.085.2943, Renton History Museum) Staff Sergeant Bill Flynn (second from right) puts the men of the 212th through air raid drills. (#1989.085.2931, Renton History Museum) Renton Historical Quarterly 2 Renton Historical Quarterly Susie Bressan, Graphic Design & Layout Louise George, Copy Editor Daisy Ward, Text Input & Copy Editor Karl Hurst, City of Renton Print and Mail Services Renton Historical Society Board of Trustees Bob Hunt, President Sandra Meyer, Vice President Elizabeth P. Stewart, Secretary Paula Tran, Treasurer Larry Sleeth, '07 Robert Bonner '08 Kevin McQuiller, '08 Ron Stroben '08 Susie Bressan '09 Laura Clawson, '09 Doug Kyes, '09 Martha Zwicker, '09 Lynn Bohart '09 Robin Baches '10 Terri Briere, City Liaison Museum Staff Elizabeth P. Stewart, Museum Director Daisy Ward, Administrative Assistant Dorota Rahn, Volunteer Coordinator Tom Monahan, Research Specialist Sarah Iles, Collection Manager Pearl Jacobson, Registrar Louise George, Secretary Renton History Museum 235 Mill Avenue South Renton, WA 98057 Phone: 425.255.2330 FAX: 425.255.1570 Board Meetings: Please call the museum for time and location. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm Admission:$3 for adults $1 for children Always free to members and to the general public on the first Wednesday and third Saturday of the month. I hope you’ve had a chance to come in and see the restored Roxy neon sign mounted and illuminated in the main gallery in the museum. We’ve been planning an installation for years, and Liz has done an excellent job of getting us to a display worthy of the history that this wonderful light show provides. Many of you have heard us discuss different options for some time now. The sign itself has taken a rocky trip and has spent some time in the outdoors in a pile, looking all but forgotten. We still get donations to what we used to call the Mezzanine Project. We had thought at one time that we would be able to build a structure within the gallery upon which the neon would mount. That structure evolved through several different concepts and we toyed with the idea of using the upper level as potential artifact storage (hence the Mezzanine name) and the area enclosed beneath as a pseudo-mine tunnel. Practicalities and logistics have shaped our ideas and tempered some of the dreams, but the best part is well on its way. There are plans to provide more elements to the Roxy display, so you’ll want to stop by and see how it changes. We knew going in that our space would have to be reworked, and some of the other permanent exhibits are going to see some updates as well. The coal car that used to sit outside the entrance will be reconditioned to a more authentic state, but that means that it won’t be suitable for outdoor display and it will come in to be part of the coal mine exhibit. Laura Clawson went over a number of these details in the annual report, so I don’t think I’m revealing any big news here. Over the years that we have been making these plans, many individuals and groups have contributed funds to help make these changes. I cannot possibly list them all here, but you can see a listing of names within this quarterly and most previous quarterlies of contributors. The Renton Rotary, I believe, made the single largest contribution and I find that I think about them every time I stand watching that neon flash. We had an assessment done recently of our preservation and storage tech- niques for our artifacts, as part of our ongoing process to improve the profes- sionalism of this operation. The gentleman charged with this task asked some interesting questions about our city and why we thought that preserving our history was important; what makes our community unique. Doug Kyes made an interesting and telling comment that relates to the donations I just mentioned. This city is made up of people who care about their community and work to make it better. It isn’t a construct of the rich and powerful. Our stories are of successful small businesses, working people, families that came here and left their mark by how they lived and what they took care of. The Renton Rotary and the other folks who have donated to help make our gallery updates didn’t do it to get their name in the paper or a building christened in their honor. They did it because this is part of the mark of our community, what makes Renton something very special. The history we hope to capture isn’t glorious in world-shaking proportions. It is the story of these people who have lived here, and those who live here now. These contributors who help us capture our past are also the folks making the history we will be telling in the future. By Bob Hunt, President President's Message 3 Renton Historical Quarterly Renton Museum Report By Elizabeth P. Stewart It’s been a very busy summer here at the Museum—lots of events and several new exhibits! We’ve had plenty of new folks come through during events—for the Art Walk, the Chamber After Hours, Renton River Days, and the Poker Tour—and we’re hoping they’ll be tempted to come back and maybe even become members. In July we unveiled the newest change to our main gallery, the Roxy Theatre neon sign. I hope you’ve seen it by now, in all its bright red-and-green animated glory. Western Neon Inc. did an amazing job of restoring the original fan and recreating the L-shaped “Fey’s Roxy” sign. Since the sign went up, we’ve had numerous visitors tell us their memories of Sunday afternoon movies and particularly Mr. Fey, dressed up in his suit at the door for every show. It’s so gratifying to hear how the sign has reminded people of that part of their childhoods. Also this summer we hosted “English as a Second Language, Humanity as the First!,” an exhibit of artwork by the ESL students of Renton Technical College (RTC). Every year about 1000 new immigrants study English at RTC, aspiring to improve their lives and become better citizens of our community, not unlike the English, Welsh, Irish, Italian, and other immigrants who founded Renton. The ESL students created these heartfelt art projects to practice their English while describing their home countries and their experiences in Renton and South King County. We were delighted to be able to bring this history-in-the- making to a wider audience. And now that summer is over, we’re embarking on a “study” fall. We’ve already had a surveyor come through as part of a Collections Management Assessment funded by the American Association of Museums. James Burns, the Curator of History at Tempe Historical Museum, spent two days touring our collections so that he can provide us with recommendations for improve- ment in storage, policies, and procedures. In October and November, we will be visited by a Preservation Architect and a Conservator as part of the Institute for Museum and Library Services’ Conservation Assessment Program. These reports will provide us with expert recommendations that we hope will make us eligible for more funding; they will also factor into the Museum Master Plan that we’ll be working on in 2008. Tell your friends about new programs and exhibits, and stop by if you haven’t seen the Roxy sign yet! Renton Historical Quarterly 4 The Original Homeland Security continued from page 1 Camp Stewart, Georgia housed the Army’s anti-aircraft training center, and after just four months, the 212th was commended for attaining the highest rating in combat efficiency, both tactical and technical. Lt. Colonel Francis A. House assumed command of the regiment on February 22, 1941. The boys of the 212th barely had time to adjust to their new duties when war with Japan broke out on December 7th. Just three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the regiment was ordered to head to Washington D.C. to protect the nation’s capital. It arrived a week later, and by the 14th, had its guns in place and was watching the skies for any sign of trouble.2 Their stay in the capital would be a short one, however, and by January 8th, the regiment was reassigned to protect strategic areas in nearby Norfolk, Virginia. After four months, the regiment finally left the East Coast all together. They loaded up seven trains full of vehicles, equipment, weapons, and men, and headed out west to Renton. L to R: Sergeant Bill Flynn, Cpl. William Searcy, Pvt. Jack Rabinowitz, Pfc. Al Bucci, drill with M-5 director and 45mm gun. (#1989.085.2933, Renton History Museum) 5 Renton Historical Quarterly EAST MEETS WEST Since the 212th was a unit which had originally been part of the New York National Guard, there were very few men in the regiment who had ever been on the West Coast. Moving from the hustle and bustle of New York City and Washing- ton D.C. to the comparatively small town of Renton was quite a culture shock for some of the men. Among those noticing the difference was a twenty-one-year-old New Yorker by the name of Bill Flynn. Flynn had joined the Army with some buddies in 1940, not expecting to serve for any extended length of time, when the bombing of Pearl Harbor changed his plans. Heading to Renton from his stint in D.C. signaled some significant changes for Bill and his fellow soldiers. The area, he said, was not ready to host the 600 New Yorkers when they arrived. “We only had tents to sleep in for six months until the barracks were built,” said Flynn in a 1985 newspaper interview. “Renton was a small town. Everyone was friendly and seemed to know each other. You felt safe and comfort- able here.”3 During the early years of the war, the population of Renton increased dramatically as men and women from all over the country moved in to work at Boeing and PACCAR making aircraft and tanks for the war effort. At the outbreak of hostilities in 1941, the population of Renton was numbered at around 4,500 people. By 1947 that number had swelled to an amazing 15,300. Bill Flynn soon found himself in charge of a twelve-man gun section, tasked with guarding the skies over Boeing and PACCAR with a 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft artillery piece and several 50 caliber machine guns. His position was located adjacent to the Boeing plant, which at the time was Bonnell’s Nursery and is now the site of Renton Municipal Airport.4 There were also three other machine gun emplacements guarding the area, one at the Shuffleton power plant, a second one along Lake Washington Boulevard, and the last on Park Avenue where Gene Coulon Park is now located. Staff Sergeant Flynn soon got to work leading his men in the construction of storage shacks and piling sandbags to protect both the artillery and ammunition.5 Seven members of the 212th in their combat gear. Front row, L to R: Sgt. Bill Flynn, Cpl. Joe McDonough, and Pfc. Joseph Anardi. Back row, L to R: PFC John Wildeman, Private Daniel F. Peterson, Private Joseph Sam, and Private Joseph Caruso. (#1989.085.2941, Renton History Museum) The Original Homeland Security continued from page 4 Renton Historical Quarterly 6 Renton's Hilltop Community continued from page 5 FRENCHIE’S OR THE USO The following weeks and months soon began to drag along for the men of the 212th. Days were spent in a series of inspections, drills, and routine exercise, preparing for a possible Japanese air raid. As time went on and no enemy planes seemed imminent, the soldiers had to find ways to amuse themselves after a long duty shift with no action. The nearest tavern, Frenchie’s on Lake Washington Boulevard, was officially off limits to Flynn and his men, but there were a few notable times when Bill thought his men deserved to bend the rules a little. “I realized that people need some kind of diver- sion, so I’d let them go out in two hour shifts,” he remembered. This bit of kindness almost got Staff Sergeant Flynn in big trouble one night, when a Colonel from Battalion Headquarters came by for a surprise inspection. “One man had gone to get the other at Frenchie’s, so we were two men short. I asked Joe Sam, one of my men from the Omak Indian Reservation, to stall the Colonel for as long as he could. He did a good job – the guys got back in time, and we went through the paces of a gun drill just fine.”6 For those men who didn’t want to risk the punishment for sneaking off to a forbidden tavern, more wholesome enter- tainment could be found at Renton’s USO. The USO, or United Service Organization, became famous during World War II for hosting clubs in towns across the country where off-duty military personnel could mingle with local people, dance, and listen to live music. In Renton, the USO band often played in an upstairs room at the Thorne Building on Wells Avenue South. Dances were frequently held at the Henry Ford School Gymnasium as well, since larger crowds could be expected when Navy ships in Seattle gave their sailors shore leave. Staff Sergeant Flynn was one of the troops who preferred the USO to the tavern, and this decision changed his life for the better. While listening to the band at the USO, Bill met an attractive young lady from Issaquah named Evana Omaits. They fell in love, and at the end of the war in 1946 they were married at St. Anthony Catholic Church. The USO also sponsored outings for military personnel stationed near Renton. One popular activity for soldiers was to board a boat down on Lake Washington at the Kennydale dock and take a cruise. Many local families also agreed to host a soldier or sailor, inviting them to dinner or some other form of local entertain- ment. A picnic in the park or a simple home- cooked meal away from camp was a welcome distraction from the pressure of guard duties. Local military personnel hurry to catch a boat for a cruise around Lake Washington. (#41.9781, Renton History Museum) Left: Event at Renton USO Club, 1945. Evana Omaits (later Flynn) is in the striped skirt on the left. (#41.3365, Renton History Museum) 7 Renton Historical Quarterly THE GREAT DIVIDE The rest and relaxation was not to last for all of the boys in the 212th. With the war in Europe beginning to swing heavily in favor of the Allies, and the Japa- nese being pushed further and further back toward Japan, it soon became clear that the men of Staff Sergeant Flynn’s unit could be put to better use elsewhere. In the fall of 1943, the unit was divided up, and most of the men, Bill Flynn included, were shipped off to Europe. Flynn ended up in France, where he participated in the infamous Battle of the Bulge. Bill fought through the rest of the war in France and Germany, ending up in the German town of Mannheim on the day the Germans surrendered. The fighting he witnessed firsthand in those last days of the war more than made up for any lack of action while guarding the skies over Renton.7 Those men of the 212th left behind in Renton continued to do their routine duties, waiting for the day when news of an American victory would release them from their task. That happy day finally did come in August of 1945. According to newspaper reports, the streets of Renton spontaneously filled with cheering crowds, each celebrating the war’s end in their own unique fashion. According to one report, “Sailors grouped on the corner of Third and Wells initiated the celebration by embracing and kissing all girls passing that way, and by using the papers of Highland’s newsstand as impromptu confetti. R. G. Highland reported that the losses of his papers were reduced to ten or fifteen dollars when one of the sailors paid him ten dollars compensation for the ones used as confetti.” Cars poured into the streets with their horns blasting, causing one spectator to lament, “The war is over, and I haven’t even got a horn on my car!”8 With the surrender of Germany and Japan, the 212th could finally look forward to being reunited with their families. Although many of the men would return to other parts of the country, some, like Bill Flynn, stayed here in Renton. On February 10, 1991, a select group of around fifty members of the 212th re- united in Seattle to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the day that the unit was called into service during the war. The men who came could now share a lifetime of stories and memories they had accumulated, living in the free country they helped to defend so many years before. Bill Flynn and his wife Evana raised three children in Renton, and he went on to become Director of Security at Valley Medical Center until his retirement in 1981. Bill remained active in the community he came to love during his time on duty with the 212th, and at the time of his death he was a well-liked parishioner at St. Anthony Church and a founding member of Knights of Columbus Council #3645. His respect for history led him to donate his personal photos and the records of his time in the Army, without which this article could not have been written. Our city owes Staff Sergeant Flynn, and all of the brave men of the 212th Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft), a debt of gratitude for their service 1 Historical Sketch of the 212th Coast Artillery (AA), Seattle, Washington, June 21, 1943. p. 1 2 Ibid, p.2. 3 Renton Chronicle, May 9, 1985, p. A1. 4 Historical Sketch of the 212th Coast Artillery (AA), Seattle, Washington, June 21, 1943. p.2. 5 Renton Chronicle, May 9, 1985, p. A1. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Renton News Record, August 16, 1945. p.1. Renton Historical Quarterly 8 Good-Bye Four Cows Wide Bridge You can’t help noticing the work being done to the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad bridges around town these days—the disappearing Rainier Avenue bridge and the revamping of the Cedar River bridge, among others. Throughout Renton’s history the railroads have been an important freight delivery system, bringing first coal and logs out of Renton, then car and plane parts to and from PACCAR and Boeing. The Seattle & Walla Walla was the first to arrive in 1877, and after many name changes over the years—Northern Pacific; Columbia & Puget Sound; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul (AKA Milwaukee); Pacific Coast Railroad; Great Northern—the company now operating the railway is BNSF. BNSF began working on the bridges this summer to prepare for many more years of freight service for Boeing and others. As their crews improve these bridges for the safety of trains and drivers, one of the bridges that will be substantially changed is the “Four Cows Wide Bridge.” Although no one has been able to substantiate this story, the legend behind the name relates to the land deal that Erasmus Smithers reportedly negotiated with the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad in 1877. In exchange for the land the railroad wanted, Smithers insisted that they construct a tunnel wide enough to enable him to move his cows from one field to another. The bridge came down in July, and when it goes back up it will be two lanes wide instead of four cows, and much taller. If you have historic photos of Four Cows Wide Bridge, the Museum would love to add them to our collection. For more information on railroad bridge construc- tion in Renton, see the City of Renton website, www.rentonwa.gov. Above: Four Cows Wide Tunnel, August 2007, before demolition. (Photographer: Sarah Iles, Renton History Museum) Left: BNSF bridge at Rainier Avenue, looking south, in 1970. (#41.6361, Renton History Museum) 9 Renton Historical Quarterly Mystery Solved! Museum staff have received numerous questions over the years about a mysterious structure underneath Highway 405 near Longacres Way. Several wooden beams rest on concrete pedestals; on top of the beams rests a low circular planter that still has a spindly bush in it. In the spring Ashley Sarmany and Robert Anderson sent us this photo, asking if we knew what it was. One of our volunteers, Nancy Fairman, finally identified it as part of the main entrance to the old racetrack. We assume there was another one just like it on the other side of the road, but we have no photographic evidence of it. Although we have over 50 photos documenting the racetrack for the Historic American Building Survey—a National Park Service program that has documented the American architec- tural heritage since 1933—none of these images shows this entrance. If you know of any historic photos that show this feature of the Longacres entrance, please contact the Museum. From the Collections Department… By: Sarah Iles, Collection Manager Work in any collections department is dependant on one resource: man (or woman) power. Since I am the only employee of the Collections Department, I have had to seek out assistance from other sources. Our volunteers, of course, continue to be a wonderful source of help. Volunteer Registrar Pearl Jacobson and Volunteer Archivist Stan Greene have provided and continue to provide countless hours of work with collections. Addition- ally, Administrative Assistant Daisy Ward and Volunteer Betty Seligman have been hard at work organizing our obituary collection to make it available for researchers. Recently, another source of help has been the Museology Master’s Program at the University of Washington (UW). Intern Benny Eisman has been with the museum since January. His main focus while studying at UW was exhibit design, fabrication, and installation. Benny previously worked with the exhibit team at the Burke Museum in Seattle where he gained experience with all aspects of exhibit work. Utilizing those techniques and ideas, he has spent several months working on development, design, and installation in order to bring us an innovative new coal mining exhibit. Coal Was King is now open in the museum’s main gallery. Tracy Buck is another UW intern who helped out this summer in our collec- tions department. Her focus while studying at UW was Collections Manage- ment and she completed internships at a variety of other institutions, including the Henry Art Gallery, Wing Luke Asian Museum, White River Valley Museum, and Issaquah History Museums. Together, Tracy and I spent two and a half months compiling an inventory of the Custer-UW intern Benny Eisman spackling in the new Coal Was King exhibit. UW intern Tracy Buck working on the Custer-Lewis inventory. Lewis Collection. During the race to empty the Custer house, the contents of the house were brought to the museum without any documentation. Tracy and I have now created this documentation. This inventory has pro- vided an understanding of how many objects we are dealing with and how much in the way of resources we will need to allocate toward the project. Just as her internship was ending, Tracy was offered a position as the new Assistant Collections Manager at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle. She accepted the job and is now continuing her work in the museum field at MOHAI. Collections Report continued on page 13 continued on page 12 Collection Snapshots These two scrapbooks were rescued in July from a house in Skyway that was undergoing demoli- tion. Workers on the demo crew discovered the scrapbooks, recog- nized their importance, and brought them to the museum. The scrap- books were created by the Daughters of Job, Bethel 45 of Renton and represent the 1955-56 and 1957-58 school years. The scrapbooks are filled with information about the activities of Bethel 45, including photographs, programs, keepsakes, and newspaper articles. The scrapbooks are also themed (the circus for the earlier book and flowers for the later) and contain hand-painted decoration throughout. Because they were salvaged, we don’t have much information about the scrapbooks or Bethel 45. Additionally, most of the photographs only contain first names. To date, we have been unable to track down anyone associated with the Daughters of Job from that time period. If you or anyone you know was a part of the Daughters of Job, Bethel 45 in the mid to late 1950s, please contact the museum. We are interested in obtaining any information about the group and/or the scrapbooks. 1955-56 Daughters of Job Scrapbook (RHM# 2007.036.001) 1957-58 Daughters of Job Scrapbook (RHM# 2007.036.002) This fall the museum is hosting a lab course from the UW Museology Program. The History Collections Management lab teaches students the practical skills involved with managing a history collection. Storage tech- niques and cataloging procedures are among the skills they will be learning. The museum is also partnering with the Museology Program American Furniture class. The museum will be providing the furniture that the stu- dents’ final projects will be based on. Each piece of furniture will have a report created for it that discusses its style, provenance, and history. These reports will be provided to the museum for our records. The Renton History Museum’s connection to the UW Museology Program has proven to be a benefi- cial partnership. We are striving to keep the connection strong in order to gain skilled interns and also to provide those interns with valuable working experience in a history museum setting. continued on page 12 Renton Historical Quarterly 12 Volunteer Report By Dorota Rahn, Volunteer and Education Coordinator It’s hard to believe that summer is gone. Children have started school and everybody’s schedules have started to fill up for the rest of the year. How- ever, when I look back I can see that July was also very busy for our volunteers. Every year the museum participates in Renton River Days and every year we wouldn’t be able to staff, not only the museum but also our booth at the Liberty Park, if not for our volunteers. This year 26 volunteers, including six board members, represented the museum during the local fair. Rachel Vdolek recruited her mom, Alice Vdolek, and they both prepared a new hands-on activity for children. They cut out several hundred paper salmon so children could use their imaginations to color them in creative ways. John Springer and Wil Samson helped us to set up and put down the tent. They did this twice, since we had to put down the museum booth at the end of the Kid’s Day and set it up again for the weekend. Museum staff really appre- ciated their effort, because each time we also had to load and unload Tom’s truck full of supplies for the booth. Ila Hemm, John Springer, Marian Schultz, Lynn Bohart, Laura Crawford, and Robin Baches helped children with hands-on activities during Kid’s Day. We had about 400 children visit our booth on that day. One can only imagine how many Native American head-bands they helped to color and tape together, how many table mats and lanterns they helped to weave, and how many origami dogs they helped to fold. Aileen Chambers, Shirley Phinney, Clark Petersen, Vivian Williams, Ernest Lees, John Hilden, John Springer, Jessica Fleming, Robert Bonner, Bob Hunt, and Paula Tran showed the same level of determination and patience while entertaining children and promoting the museum among adult visitors of the museum booth during the Renton River Days weekend. Nancy Fairman and Bea Mathewson kept up a tradition of supplying early morning coffee and donuts to grateful Renton River Days’ vendors. Sandy Burkey, Marjorie Gould, Mary Sutter, Dorlene Bressan, Jessica Fleming, Ernest Lees, Don Emmons, and Bettijane Tomkinson greeted about 200 visitors at the museum building during the RRD weekend. Renton River Days is a big challenge for the museum staff every year and we are very grateful to people who understand this and help us in every possible way. THANK YOU!!! 13 Renton Historical Quarterly Please Choose Membership Category & Any Donation You Wish To Make: ppppp Student/Teacher Individual ($12)________ ppppp Senior Individual ($12)________ ppppp Individual ($20)________ ppppp Senior Couple ($20)________ ppppp Family ($30)________ ppppp Patron Benefactor ($100)________ ppppp Business ($100)________ ppppp Corporate ($100)________ ppppp Life ($500) One Time Only ________ (partially tax deductible) p General Fund Donation ________ p Endowment Fund Donation ________ In Memory of: Total enclosed:_____________ Join the Renton Historical Society Today! Name:__________________________________________________________ Membership Level:________________________________________________ Business Name:__________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________ City:State:__________________________Zip:____________+ 4 (______) Please make checks payable to the Renton Historical Society. VISA/MASTERCARD #__________________________Ex.Date:_________ Your Signature:_______________________________________________ p Please share your e-mail address with us:__________________________ p Please send me a volunteer application form. (32/1) Mail To:Membership Secretary, Renton Historical Society 235 Mill Avenue South, Renton, Washington 98057-2133 Contributions to the Mezzanine PrContributions to the Mezzanine PrContributions to the Mezzanine PrContributions to the Mezzanine PrContributions to the Mezzanine Projectojectojectojectoject Charles Divelbiss Contributions to the EndowmentContributions to the EndowmentContributions to the EndowmentContributions to the EndowmentContributions to the Endowment The Boeing Gift Matching – Lloyd and Fumiko Hoshide In-Kind ContributionsIn-Kind ContributionsIn-Kind ContributionsIn-Kind ContributionsIn-Kind Contributions Pritchard Design Asian Pacific Americans flyer, English-Second Language Display Panel; Fall 2007 Event flyer; Coal Mine Map Panel Contribution frContribution frContribution frContribution frContribution fromomomomom RRRRRenton River Days Donut Saleenton River Days Donut Saleenton River Days Donut Saleenton River Days Donut Saleenton River Days Donut Sale Bea Mathewson Nancy Fairman New MembershipsNew MembershipsNew MembershipsNew MembershipsNew Memberships Seth & Denice Russell family Candis TalleyGayle Dean Donna Furman Lynn Moran familyNorm & Carol Abrahamson Sharon Moats Sally J. TowneRyan Runge Gary & Marcie Palmer family Lorene & Dirk CloughEdward Corker Deaths Reported (February 15 to May 31)Z denotes former Society Life Member % denotes former Society member In Recognition With Stewart Pope’s passing on June 30, we would once again give recognition to Stewart and Ellen White Pope’s 1998 gener- ous contribution of EMC Stock in memory of their parents. The contribution jump-started the Endowment Fund. They were recipients of the George W. and Annie Lewis Custer Heritage Citizenship Award in 2003 in recognition of their support of the museum. Ellen passed away in 2003. We also express recognition to the passing of Fumiko Hoshide on August 7. Lloyd and Fumiko have been loyal contributors to the Endowment Fund for many years. RRRRRobert L. Allsoppobert L. Allsoppobert L. Allsoppobert L. Allsoppobert L. Allsopp MarMarMarMarMary Anna Borsuoldy Anna Borsuoldy Anna Borsuoldy Anna Borsuoldy Anna Borsuold MarMarMarMarMarcy Brucecy Brucecy Brucecy Brucecy Bruce Clark D. BurClark D. BurClark D. BurClark D. BurClark D. Burdickdickdickdickdick PPPPPauline E. Carpineauline E. Carpineauline E. Carpineauline E. Carpineauline E. Carpine KKKKKenneth Aenneth Aenneth Aenneth Aenneth A. Carson. Carson. Carson. Carson. Carson Thomas M. CastagnoThomas M. CastagnoThomas M. CastagnoThomas M. CastagnoThomas M. Castagno Michael ChandlerMichael ChandlerMichael ChandlerMichael ChandlerMichael Chandler John D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. Cline Clyde E. DahmClyde E. DahmClyde E. DahmClyde E. DahmClyde E. Dahm Martha DavidsonMartha DavidsonMartha DavidsonMartha DavidsonMartha Davidson LorLorLorLorLorenzo DelRenzo DelRenzo DelRenzo DelRenzo DelRosarioosarioosarioosarioosario RicharRicharRicharRicharRichard Dierstd Dierstd Dierstd Dierstd Dierst David FDavid FDavid FDavid FDavid Fulthorpulthorpulthorpulthorpulthorp CarCarCarCarCarol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodner Elisha (E.D.) D. GoodnerElisha (E.D.) D. GoodnerElisha (E.D.) D. GoodnerElisha (E.D.) D. GoodnerElisha (E.D.) D. Goodner Shirley Ann HansenShirley Ann HansenShirley Ann HansenShirley Ann HansenShirley Ann Hansen WWWWWarararararrrrrren M. Hasselen M. Hasselen M. Hasselen M. Hasselen M. Hassel RRRRRobert Louis Haynesobert Louis Haynesobert Louis Haynesobert Louis Haynesobert Louis Haynes FFFFFumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshide Pearl Mae HousePearl Mae HousePearl Mae HousePearl Mae HousePearl Mae House Christine M. JohnsonChristine M. JohnsonChristine M. JohnsonChristine M. JohnsonChristine M. Johnson Ethel Shockley KruseEthel Shockley KruseEthel Shockley KruseEthel Shockley KruseEthel Shockley Kruse Barbara S. LallyBarbara S. LallyBarbara S. LallyBarbara S. LallyBarbara S. Lally Neil RNeil RNeil RNeil RNeil R. Maune. Maune. Maune. Maune. Maune Evelyn MaxinEvelyn MaxinEvelyn MaxinEvelyn MaxinEvelyn Maxin Arthur J. McCrArthur J. McCrArthur J. McCrArthur J. McCrArthur J. McCreadyeadyeadyeadyeady Frances M. NealFrances M. NealFrances M. NealFrances M. NealFrances M. Neal Daniel RDaniel RDaniel RDaniel RDaniel R. O’Connor. O’Connor. O’Connor. O’Connor. O’Connor Thomas M. PThomas M. PThomas M. PThomas M. PThomas M. Park, Jrark, Jrark, Jrark, Jrark, Jr..... DolorDolorDolorDolorDolores Moran Peres Moran Peres Moran Peres Moran Peres Moran Perrrrrr yyyyy RRRRRobert Robert Robert Robert Robert R. Peterson. Peterson. Peterson. Peterson. Peterson Elizabeth J. Duke PiciniElizabeth J. Duke PiciniElizabeth J. Duke PiciniElizabeth J. Duke PiciniElizabeth J. Duke Picini Ben PilloBen PilloBen PilloBen PilloBen Pillo WWWWW. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope RRRRRoooooxaine Rxaine Rxaine Rxaine Rxaine Reynoldseynoldseynoldseynoldseynolds RRRRRaymond Paymond Paymond Paymond Paymond P. R. R. R. R. Rosaosaosaosaosa FFFFFrank Arank Arank Arank Arank A. R. R. R. R. Ruttuttuttuttutt Joseph E “Sonny” SeelJoseph E “Sonny” SeelJoseph E “Sonny” SeelJoseph E “Sonny” SeelJoseph E “Sonny” Seel KKKKK enneth N. Sparenneth N. Sparenneth N. Sparenneth N. Sparenneth N. Sparrrrrrowowowowow Clinton SpencerClinton SpencerClinton SpencerClinton SpencerClinton Spencer John E. ThompsonJohn E. ThompsonJohn E. ThompsonJohn E. ThompsonJohn E. Thompson TTTTTom Tom Tom Tom Tom Torkelsonorkelsonorkelsonorkelsonorkelson Alan WAlan WAlan WAlan WAlan Wallisallisallisallisallis Zena WZena WZena WZena WZena Werererererrrrrreeeee Z % % Z % % RentoniansRememberedHarHarHarHarHarrrrrry “Bud” J. Ballary “Bud” J. Ballary “Bud” J. Ballary “Bud” J. Ballary “Bud” J. Ballarddddd Dick & Mike Ballard Bob BensonBob BensonBob BensonBob BensonBob Benson Raymond Petermeyer Maxine BensonMaxine BensonMaxine BensonMaxine BensonMaxine Benson Raymond Petermeyer VVVVVirginia Shook Busatoirginia Shook Busatoirginia Shook Busatoirginia Shook Busatoirginia Shook Busato Hazelle DuBois LeRLeRLeRLeRLeRoy Caroy Caroy Caroy Caroy Carrrrrrollollollolloll Raymond & Lisa Graham KKKKKenneth Aenneth Aenneth Aenneth Aenneth A. “Corky”. “Corky”. “Corky”. “Corky”. “Corky” CarsonCarsonCarsonCarsonCarson Beth & Mike Potoshnik Conrad ChambersConrad ChambersConrad ChambersConrad ChambersConrad Chambers Raymond & Lisa Graham Tim ChinnTim ChinnTim ChinnTim ChinnTim Chinn Hazelle DuBois John D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. ClineJohn D. Cline Jack Morrison; Lila Jean Tonda; Lou Niemi & family; James & MaryWilliams; Betty Sipila; Robert & Gilda Youngquist; Shirley Wold; C. Floyd Hughes; Bill & PatriciaBorek; Joyce McIver; Betty War- ren; Bob & Roberta Logue; Mr. & Mrs. Don Camerini; Carrol &Evenelle Juenke; Don & Betty Rahkonen; Hazel & Peter Newing; Danica & Victor Kaloper; RachelThomas; Vivian Cook; John & Eleanor Bertagni; Martha Kingen; Richard & Corinne Lucotch Earl ClymerEarl ClymerEarl ClymerEarl ClymerEarl Clymer Raymond Petermeyer Elizabeth Swales DuBoisElizabeth Swales DuBoisElizabeth Swales DuBoisElizabeth Swales DuBoisElizabeth Swales DuBois Hazelle DuBois CarCarCarCarCarol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodnerol Bennett Goodner Renton High School Class 1944 AarAarAarAarAaron Goodwinon Goodwinon Goodwinon Goodwinon Goodwin John & Joyce Peterson Daisy GoodwinDaisy GoodwinDaisy GoodwinDaisy GoodwinDaisy Goodwin John & Joyce Peterson Eva GoodwinEva GoodwinEva GoodwinEva GoodwinEva Goodwin John & Joyce Peterson Lorraine GoodwinLorraine GoodwinLorraine GoodwinLorraine GoodwinLorraine Goodwin John & Joyce Peterson Judy GrJudy GrJudy GrJudy GrJudy Gregoregoregoregoregor John & Joyce Peterson Skip GrSkip GrSkip GrSkip GrSkip Gregoregoregoregoregor John & Joyce Peterson FFFFFumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshideumiko S. Hoshide Lloyd Hoshide; Dale & Joan Frank Frances (Dee) HughesFrances (Dee) HughesFrances (Dee) HughesFrances (Dee) HughesFrances (Dee) Hughes Jerry & Barbara Shellan; Richard& Corinne Lucotch Arthur James McCrArthur James McCrArthur James McCrArthur James McCrArthur James McCreadyeadyeadyeadyeady Beth & Mike Potoshnik Charles MalmassariCharles MalmassariCharles MalmassariCharles MalmassariCharles Malmassari Raymond Petermeyer Gloria NicholsGloria NicholsGloria NicholsGloria NicholsGloria Nichols Aileen Chambers; Raymond Petermeyer Carl WCarl WCarl WCarl WCarl W. Niemi. Niemi. Niemi. Niemi. Niemi Lou Niemi & family PPPPPauline Prauline Prauline Prauline Prauline Proctor O’Delloctor O’Delloctor O’Delloctor O’Delloctor O’Dell Owen W. Proctor Ellen White PopeEllen White PopeEllen White PopeEllen White PopeEllen White Pope Agnes, Judith & Jobie Robert White WWWWW. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope. Stewart Pope Bea Mathewson; Agnes, Judith & Jobie Robert White EmerEmerEmerEmerEmer y Potoshniky Potoshniky Potoshniky Potoshniky Potoshnik Otto & Donna Sabrowsky RRRRRaymond Raymond Raymond Raymond Raymond Rosaosaosaosaosa Ms. Madelene Zanatta VVVVVirginia Secrirginia Secrirginia Secrirginia Secrirginia Secrestestestestest John & Judy Peterson Jim SepalJim SepalJim SepalJim SepalJim Sepal Fred Carpine family Don ShumanDon ShumanDon ShumanDon ShumanDon Shuman Raymond Petermeyer WWWWWilliam Thomasilliam Thomasilliam Thomasilliam Thomasilliam Thomas Rachel Thomas John ThompsonJohn ThompsonJohn ThompsonJohn ThompsonJohn Thompson John & Eleanor Bertagni WWWWWilliam “Bill” Whiteilliam “Bill” Whiteilliam “Bill” Whiteilliam “Bill” Whiteilliam “Bill” White Agnes, Judith & Jobie RobertWhite MemorialsMemorialsMemorialsMemorialsMemorials $100 & Over$100 & Over$100 & Over$100 & Over$100 & Over Elizabeth Duke PiciniElizabeth Duke PiciniElizabeth Duke PiciniElizabeth Duke PiciniElizabeth Duke Picini Paul & Nancy Duke Josephine MathewsonJosephine MathewsonJosephine MathewsonJosephine MathewsonJosephine Mathewson Gene & Linda Aitken Stephen EastmanStephen EastmanStephen EastmanStephen EastmanStephen Eastman Gene & Linda Aitken Memorial MadeMemorial MadeMemorial MadeMemorial MadeMemorial Made thrthrthrthrthrough theough theough theough theough the RRRRRentonentonentonentonenton CommunityCommunityCommunityCommunityCommunity FFFFFoundationoundationoundationoundationoundation Clara BobbittClara BobbittClara BobbittClara BobbittClara Bobbitt (Sonja Kyes’ mother) Don & Susan Bressler Renton History Museum 235 Mill Avenue South Renton, WA 98057 Nonprofit Org US Postage PaidRenton, WA Permit No. 105 In Hindsight... Security staff at Boeing, September 15, 1945. If anyone can identify the people in this photograph, please contact themuseum. (#41.1176, Renton History Museum)