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Clifton V-E Day, May 8, 1945
Many surviving World War II veterans and citizens included in their
Memorial Day observances a memory of Victory in Europe or V-E Day, which
occurred 57 years ago on May 8, 1945. Clifton, as most other communities across
the nation, greeted Victory in Europe with both gratitude and sorrow; but also
with an attitude of looking forward to the future. The Herald-News, Passaic, NJ printed articles about Clifton’s citizens
involved in the fighting in Europe and Asia and community efforts to assist
their fighting brethren on a daily basis. May 7th, the day before
V-E Day, was no exception. We read about gunner S/Sgt. Charles Librizzi
harrowing experience aboard a Flying Fortress B-17 bomber. Leipzig, Germany was
the target of their bombing raid, but Leipzig returned the favor with
antiaircraft shells. The Clifton veteran, recipient of the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf
clusters and son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Librizzi of 67 Ackerman Avenue said,
“They began by knocking out our Nos. 1 and 2 engines right after ‘bombs away.’
That cost us 4,000 feet of altitude right away. A burst in the nose about that
time wounded the pilot and co-pilot, another in the rear hit the tail gunner. “The distance between us and the ground continued slipping away too
fast for comfort, and we were tossing out everything that wasn’t bolted down,
and some stuff that was. “Flak was still coming up fast and fancy. A close one ripped the No. 4
engine and it wouldn’t give full power, leaving us with just an engine and a
half to fly on. And we did. It took some mighty sharp maneuvering, but the
pilot pushed that wreck over the lines to an emergency landing field in
Brussels.” Good news was also received at the home of Mrs. Julia DeNike residing
at 13 Fenner Avenue. Pvt. Joseph Bush, Mrs. DeNike’s son, was liberated from a
Nazi Prison Camp by the 83rd Infantry Division at Altengrabow,
Germany. Pvt. Bush was captured in March by the Germans and was moved from camp
to camp, with his family not hearing from him since December. Mrs. Pauline Chaplin, of 10-12 Alyea Terrace; however, received news
that her son Lt. Emil Chaplin had in fact been killed in action in Germany.
Mrs. Chaplin had two other sons in service at the time she received word of
Emil’s death. Lt. Emil Chaplin was an honor graduate of Clifton High School, a
winner of the Rensselaer Institute of Technology award in mathematics and a
graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. At the time
of his going into service on February 13, 1942, he was teaching school and
preparing for a master’s degree. In the community, news from the May 3rd Kiwanis meeting at
the Robin-Hood Inn featured the ambassador to Czecho-Slovakia William Kelgard
topic “The International Peace Conference at San Francisco.” Mr. Kelgard told
the gathering that although democracy was not perfect, “it still represented
the ‘only form of government under which free enterprise can exist and thrive.”
Kiwanis president Philip Quinlan and past president George Anderson co-chairman
also thanked members who assisted in the United Clothing drive in Clifton last
Sunday when a record collection of old clothing was picked up throughout the
City. Even though Victory in Europe seemed imminent, certain war effort
measures would still remain in affect. Rationing prospects appeared even
bleaker for the balance of 1945 than for the previous year, as surmised from
the Passaic Herald News article “OPA Outlines Prospects for Rationing During
1945 ‘Regardless of V-E Day.’” District OPA Director Richard J. Tarrant
explained that “We will still have a hard war ahead in the Pacific and on the
inflation and scarcity front…” and emphasized the importance of rationing and
price controls “so long as there is scarcity.” The newspaper article then presented a condensed version of the
memorandum that Mr. Tarrant presented to North Jersey’s 55 War Price and
Rationing Boards. The gasoline, tire, shoe, and automobile situation seemed
gloomy enough, but food and fuel oil appeared even bleaker. Mr. James F. Byrnes, Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion,
stated “Americans will not eat quite as well in 1945 as in 1944, regardless of
Germany’s defeat.” Food supplies would likely be reduced 5 to 10 per cent from
1944, driven by military needs and relief requirements in the liberated areas.
The fuel oil supply will be “as tight as last year, if not tighter.” This was
caused by the military supply line shifting from crossing the Atlantic Ocean to
having to cross the Pacific Ocean, which added an additional 4,000 miles to the
trek. May 8th news from the War front continued bleak with a
Herald News article headlined “132,000 Americans Killed in Europe.” But,
victory in Europe had finally been achieved with the news that Admiral Karl
Doenitz, Hitler’s successor, having addressed the German people, “said he
ordered the High Command to surrender unconditionally the night of May 6-7 on
all fronts.” Admiral Doenitz concluded by saying “On May 8 at 11 P. M. the arms
will be silent.” The news of the end of fighting in Europe, was greeted by
President Harry S. Truman with his radio address and proclamation: This is a solemn but glorious hour. General Eisenhower informs me that
the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of
freedom fly over all of Europe. For this victory, we join in offering our thanks to the Providence,
which has guided and sustained us through the dark days of adversity. Our rejoicing is sobered and subdued by a supreme consciousness of the
terrible price we have paid to rid the world of Hitler and his evil band. Let
us not forget, my fellow Americans, the sorrow and heartbreak, which today
abide in the homes of so many of our neighbors – neighbors whose most priceless
possession has been rendered as a sacrifice to redeem our liberty. We can repay the debt, which we owe to our God, to our dead and to our
children only by work – by ceaseless devotion to the responsibilities, which
lie ahead of us. If I could give you a single watchword for the coming months,
that word is – work, work, work. We must work to finish the war. Our victory is but half won. The West
is free, but the East is still in bondage to the treacherous tyranny of the
Japanese. When the last Japanese division has surrendered unconditionally, then
only will our fighting job be done. We must look to bind up the wounds of a suffering world – to build an
abiding peace, a peace rooted in justice and in law. We can build such a peace
only by hard, toilsome, painstaking work – by understanding and working with
our Allies in peace as we have in war. The job ahead is no less important, no less urgent, no less difficult
than the task which, now happily is done. I call upon every American to stick to his post until the last battle
is won. Until that day, let no man abandon his post or slacken his efforts. And now, I want to read to you my formal proclamation of this occasion… The Allied armies, through sacrifice and devotion and with God’s help,
have won from Germany a final and unconditional surrender. The Western world
has been freed of the evil forces which, for five years and longer have
imprisoned the bodies and broken the lives of millions upon millions of
freeborn men. They have violated their churches, destroyed their homes,
corrupted their children, and murdered their loved ones. Our armies of
liberation have restored freedom to these suffering peoples, whose spirit and
will, the oppressors, could not enslave. Much remains to be done. The victory won in the west must now be won in
the east. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil from which half the
world has been freed. United, the peace loving Nations have demonstrated in the
West that their arms are stronger by far than the might of dictators or the
tyranny of military cliques that once called us soft and weak. The power of our
peoples to defend themselves against all enemies will be proved in the Pacific
as it has been proved in Europe. For the triumph of spirit and of arms which, we have won, and for its
promise to peoples, everywhere, who join us in the love of freedom, it is
fitting that we, as a Nation, give thanks to Almighty God, who has strengthened
us and given us the victory. Now, therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of
America, do hereby appoint Sunday, May 13, 1945, to be a day of prayer. I call upon the people of the United States, whatever their faith, to
unite in offering joyful thanks to God for the victory we have won and to pray
that He will support us to the end of our present struggle and guide us into
the way of peace. I also call upon my countrymen to dedicate this day of prayer to the
memory of those who have given their lives to make possible our victory. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States of America to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of May, in the year of
Our Lord 1945 and of the Independence of our United States of America the 169th. May 8th also brought good
news of loved ones to several families in Clifton. Major George Mount Richmond,
air commander of B-17 Flying Fortress group formations was located in a
hospital in France recuperating from burns received after being shot down
during a mission against Nazi installations in Germany. His wife had previously
received word that Major Richmond and his crew had to bail out and that his
crew was picked up by the Americans, while Major Richmond was listed as missing
in action. He was previously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in February
and also holds the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. Major Richmond is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Richmond of 24 Day Street and is a Rutgers
graduate and attended the University of Virginia Law School. News was received of Staff Sergeant
William D. Pavlik, of the Engineer Combat Battalion, being awarded the Silver
Star Medal for heroic action in France, last June. “The citation (read)… During
an air raid in France, on June 11, 1944, a truck loaded with high explosives
and ammunition was hit by a bomb, wounding and killing several men. Sgt.
Pavlick, disregarding the intense heat from the burning truck and constant
threat of further explosions, remained at the scene of the fire to help remove
the wounded men to safety and administer first aid. The courage, coolness and
disregard for personal safety displayed by this enlisted man reflects the
highest credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.” Sgt.
Pavlick has been overseas 22 months, in India, Africa, and France, before going
to Germany. He is a graduate of Clifton High School, where he was an athlete. On V-E Day, Mayor William E. Dewey
proclaimed “I Am American Day” in Clifton. Mayor Dewey called upon all of
Clifton’s citizens to join in the observance of I Am American Day, Sunday, May
20, to honor foreign born men and women who have been naturalized as well as
great numbers of native-born citizens who have become of age in the last year.
He said, “These citizens are giving strength to our Democracy in its struggle
against tyranny and its striving to make secure through international
organization the rights and opportunities in our own and other sovereign
nations.” Mayor Dewey asked patriotic, civic and educational groups to hold
appropriate exercises in celebration of the event, to impress upon all citizens
their responsibilities for building the nation’s security and advancing its
welfare. “V-E Day greeted with mixed emotions
here, celebration subdued in Clifton,” was the title of an article in the
Passaic Herald News of May 9th, as Clifton welcomed Victory in
Europe. Mill whistles blared, church bells tolled, but no crowds appeared in
the streets. Mayor William E. Dewey and City Manager William A. Miller ordered
all offices at the City Hall closed for the day. Flags remained at half-staff,
as they had been since the death of President Roosevelt. Richardson Scale and Dumont
Laboratory closed, while Curtiss Propeller and Bright Star Battery Company
remained opened, but several departments at Bright Star were shut down when
joyous workers left their posts. At the direction of Superintendent
of Schools George J. Smith, all public schools opened and held assemblies,
where the teachers impressed upon the children the importance of the effort in
Japan and urged them to continue to buy War Bonds and Stamps. The children were
then sent home after the program at school. The police and fire department had
off duty officers report in case of emergency, but when everything remained
calm in the City, the off duty officers were sent home. Clifton’s calm response
to V-E Day was in fact no indication of its continuing response to support its
citizens in the field, returning home and still at home. In another article “OCD volunteers
[were] urged to serve until final victory.” The article provides a picture of
Clifton’s war effort: The Clifton Defense Council last
night called upon its thousands of volunteers in police, fire, radio, nursing
and other community services to ‘stay on the job’ until final victory in the
Pacific. Echoing the pleas of Governor Edge and State OCD Director William
Wachenfeld that there is still important work to be done in War Bond Drives,
Salvage Collections and other public service, the OCD asked its forces to
‘stand by.’ The resignation of Secretary Ira
Schoem was tabled for two weeks so that he might assist in transferring
agencies that had been organized for public protection to the Community War
Services Division. It was suggested that the Police Reserves and the staff of
WKKQ, the Federal Communications Commission short wave station, be placed in
charge of Police Chief James N. Marsh; the Fire Reserves, Fire Chief James L.
Sweeney; the Nurse’s Aides, to the Red Cross; and other OCD forces be assigned
to CWS, which has directed bond and salvage work in Clifton. City Engineer John L. Fitzgerald,
who has been commander-in-chief of the OCD in Clifton since it was organized in
1941, said he hoped that the thousands of public-spirited citizens who have
been doing ‘such a marvelous job on the home front,’ would continue their
services. He suggested the major services of the OCD could be concentrated in
Community War Services, of which City Treasurer John Franz has been chairman, and
Mrs. Loretta Schleich, secretary. A meeting will be held with City Manager
William A. Miller to complete arrangements. A letter was received from State
Director Wachenfeld, urging that the OCD forces be kept intact, until final
victory. Mr. Wachenfeld also expressed the hope that the OCD in Clifton would
again play an important part in the Seventh War Loan drive, which opens
officially next week. It was announced that the Federal
Communications Commission had renewed the license of WKKQ, the Civilian Defense
short wave station in Clifton, which had expired April 30. Frank Takacs, radio
aide, and Emil Ploenes, assistant aide, will remain in charge, under the
direction of Crine Hellegers, chairman of OCD communications. The meeting was held at the home of
Joseph Wittie, 312 Lakeview Avenue. A social hour followed and Mr. Wittie again
proved himself a gracious host. For returning veterans, Clifton’s
Quentin Roosevelt Post No. 8, American Legion, invited Clifton High School
Principal Harold J. Adams to discuss,
“the various programs through which the High School authorities cooperate in
the education of men in service, to assist them in completing their High School
courses and obtain their diplomas, and gave an outline of the facilities for
furthering the education of returning veterans.” Continuing, Principal Adams
“stressed the importance of a High School training for the post-war world,
predicting that the High School diploma will be the ‘big filter in the future,’
in seeking jobs.” He also said, “Clifton will have a well rounded program,
probably with adult evening classes and vocational guidance.” School children also contributed to
the effort to support Clifton’s citizens in service. The Clifton Junior Red
Cross packed 25 overseas boxes of games at the Clifton Red Cross. The shipment
included games of checkers, chess, and acey ducey; also distributed in the
shipment were tennis balls, soft balls, touch footballs, playing cards,
harmonicas, occarinas and crossword puzzles. Junior Red Cross Members, Josephine Zarcone, June Luteran, Shirley A.
Harbison, Barbara Kelsall, Naomi Evans, Margaret Van Breman, Janice Eslinger,
Joy Aamot, Valerie Minnic and Francis Gasparovic assisted in this effort. The Seventh War Loan Drive brought
the students of Public School No. 13 to the forefront with their weeks of
planning. Conrad O. Schweitzer, School 13 Principal, “announced at a special
assembly that although the campaign starts officially Monday May 14th,
the school will fire the opening gun tomorrow Friday May 11th, three
days in advance.” Principal Schweitzer told the students that they have done “a
magnificent job” in selling war bonds and that they were the country’s salesmen
and Uncle Sam was relying upon them to advertise the 7th War Loan
effort. The committee included Mrs. Marion Lynch, departmental grades; Miss
Clara Breeman, intermediate grades; Miss Elena Duplak, primary grades. Weekly
rallies were planned where huge posters prepared by the students would be
displayed and the “School No. 13 Seventh War Loan News” would be distributed. The economic well being of Clifton
post V-E Day was brought up at a merchant’s forum under the auspices of the
Commerce Council of the Chamber of Commerce. Arthur Rigolo, chairman of the
Clifton Committee for Economic Development, told businessmen “of the need for
making immediate post war plans to take care of increased consumer demand as
soon as restrictions are lifted.” He continued by saying, “Each firm and
business man should analyze his problems because competitors throughout the
Country and everywhere are making similar plans.” Mr. Rigolo concluded his
portion of the forum by detailing some of the factors that would play an
important part in increased sales, such as store appearance, new fixtures,
advertising, and window displays. John Meszaros of the First National Bank led
a forum discussion on bank credit. Henry Fette, chairman of the commercial
division, summarized the activities of the division since the first of the
year. Peter R. Barns, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, concluded the
meeting by informing businessmen on future trends in retailing and post war
markets. The
community of Clifton was not only involved in supporting its citizens involved
in the war effort, but also found enough resources to support the funding raising
drive of the American Cancer Society. Dr. George W. Surgent, County Physician
was chairman of the Clifton drive. Up to May 10th the Clifton drive
had raised $2,000 of its $6,000 quota. Corporate donors included Hoffman
LaRoche, Waldrich Company, Takamine Laboratory, Magor Car Company, and Bright
Star Battery Company. The news of an Army Barracks damaged
by flames was also reported in the May 10th Passaic Herald News. The
article stated, “Fire broke out in the abandoned Army barracks in Nash Park,
near Randolph Avenue, at 8:30 last night. No serious damage was reported.
Children living in the neighborhood have been using the building as a
playhouse.” The most striking appearance of Clifton right after V-E Day was a
view of Route 6 (now Route 46) at Van Houten Avenue looking toward Great Notch.
The only items visible in the photograph are electrical lines and one home,
located near an exit/entrance ramp. The photograph caption explained the
situation best by stating, “This is a sweeping view of Route 6, which shows the
natural beauty of this important entrance to the City of Clifton. There is talk
of dotting it with hot dog stands, ice houses, and vegetable stands. The
Planning Board has rejected on the first application, holding it should be
strictly residential.” If only the planning board could see this intersection
today. Clifton was an active community
during World War II as evidenced by the news articles of the few days between
May 7th and May 10th including V-E Day and began planning
for the post war era even before the announcement of V-E Day. Bibliography: The Passaic Herald News issues of
May 7 through 10. Prepared by: Donald Charles Lotz 6/4/2002
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