December 7, 2018
You are reading
“Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
It
was a fair and warm day in Junction City on December 7, 1941 with the
temperatures in the mid ‘50’s. Churches
were beginning the special pre-Christmas services. The unique “choir exchange” between the
Methodists and Presbyterians slated to take place that morning drew a large
attendance to both buildings.
The
afternoon found families gathered around dinner tables engaged in other
home-center activities. There was no
Christmas shopping on this December Sunday.
These were the days when the “blue laws” were in effect and retail
business had to remain closed on the Sabbath.
The
“Junction City Daily Union” newspaper of December 8 had an article in which the
author stated “Junction Citians were amazed Sunday afternoon when word was
flashed over the radio that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Amazement was followed by a reaction of relief.
The average individual here had expected war for so long that there was
no excitement when it finally arrived.
No crowds gathered on the streets and surprisingly few calls of inquiry
were made to the “Union” office.”
The
first flash was received at the newspaper office between 2:30 and 3:00 PM. Between 3 and 4,000 copies of a special
edition newspaper were published and sent out to readers. It wasn’t long until
every copy had been sold.
By
Monday evening, the sobering facts had set in – especially the thought that
“most of the service men are boys who were graduated from local schools just a
few years ago.”
We
have since been involved in other wars and conflicts we will never
forget the traumatic even of 9/11. Offer
your thoughts and prayers for those who have served and are serving in our
military today in remembrance of this day that will remain in “Infamy”.
And
...thanks for reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical
Society.
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