[Milsurplus] "World War II on the Oregon coast"

[Hubert Miller]

September 21st I attended a presentation at the North Lincoln County Historical Museum on "World War II on the Oregon coast." Presenters were Joann Schneider,
1947 Taft High School grad, and museum president Mick McLean. Attendance was sparse, maybe a dozen people, which I felt was kind of a shame, but I was
assured that this was the lowest attendance for the program, and that it's held periodically throughout the area. I mostly wanted to get a "feel" for what it felt like,
the consciousness that was prevalent, and so for me it was worthwhile. I knew there was a fear of invasion, but I hadn't known some actual facets of this fear on
the Oregon coasts. I learned that at one point, local bridges were prepared to be blown up, in case of invasion. Volunteers were stationed at bridges to check cars.
In fact, the first World War II casualty in the continental United States was said to be one of these volunteers, at a bridge, I think the one just south of Waldport, Oregon.
The three bridge guards had motioned a car to stop, to warn him to turn off his headlights, but the driver swerved and crushed one of the bridge guards. The
presenters showed many slides of local scenes, people, and newspaper clippings. Once the war started, local young men all signed up with the military as soon as they
graduated, and local teachers and such moved to Portland to take war factory jobs, so there was a labor shortage on the coast, for example, with fill - in, untrained
schoolteachers. But one consolation on the coast was that the only rationed items that were in short supply were gasoline and sugar. Local gardens and venison
provided plenty of food for coast people.

I saw one that showed an alternate way to blackout car headlights. Instead of the usual covering with a slit, this one consisted of a film - like opaque covering. I took some
notes, and next day ordered an out - of - print book by a local author mentioned, a WAC nurse.

I took my Forest Service type S radio to show n' tell, as this was the radio the USCG "beach patrols" carried. Webber's book "Retaliation"  says the CG chose this radio over
the Army's heavier BC-222/ 322 radio, even tho the latter was more rugged and practical, in my view.
It kind of surprised me that I knew more about the beach patrols and some other WWII Oregon activities than the presenters. A friend of mine listened to my telling of
this presentation and commented that I should do something like this. Maybe.

Upstairs at the museum I spotted an Intervox ( Seattle ) RDF from around 1940. The reason I know it is that I own one, and know a little about Seattle manufacturers of
the era. Oddly, the front panel was facing the back wall, which made for an uninteresting display, and I suggested to a museum attendant that she turn it around to face
the viewer.

The museum also had a Japanese WWII mine, about 24 inches diameter, that washed up at Gleneden Beach in 1949. According to the placard nearby, the USCG had
 a chancy job defuzing it  - they had to tunnel under it to remove the baseplate, disable the booster and disconnect the chemical "horns" sensors. The placard also stated
that in one week in 1947, 6 Japanese mines had washed up on the Oregon coast.

Below, a photo of the Type S Radiophone, designed 1937, used to maybe 1950. And Japanese Type 93 Model 1 sea mine.  Photo might not make it thru; I did pare down the bytes.
-Hue Miller

[A picture containing indoor, wall  Description automatically generated]      [A picture containing indoor, floor, table, music  Description automatically generated]





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