Less than three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Christmas 1941 in Shenandoah, PA balanced solemn church services and charity drives with bustling shops and eager children. Families faced empty seats of those in the service or lost in the war's first actions, yet community spirit shone through. Read the full story.
On the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the Pottsville Republican displayed flags of the Allied “United Nations” on its Mahantango Street headquarters. This patriotic gesture reminded the Coal Region of the global fight against fascism and honored the sacrifices made for victory in World War II. Read the full story.
Newspaper headlines across Northeastern Pennsylvania carried news of war and destruction in Hawaii in December 1941. Read the full story and the headlines.
Private Irvin Schwartz vividly recalls December 7, 1941, when news of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor interrupted a radio broadcast. He was later deployed to Normandy in 1944, serving with the US Army's 1st Division until Victory in Europe Day in 1945, sharing his experiences through letters to his hometown newspaper. Read the full story.
This is part of our “Letters from War” series documenting the World War II letters of Irvin Schwartz of Pine Grove, PA. The letters were all published in the West Schuylkill Press-Herald between 1943 and 1945. Read the previous letter here On a cold, windy night in December 1943, Pfc. Irvin Schwartz crawled his way … Continue reading Letters from War – Feeling homesick around the holidays in England, December 1943