VO .1 NO 14
"News of oAmencas Last Frontier’
KODIAK, ALASKA
JUNE 9, 1951
PRICE 10 CENTS
VFW Audit
is Denied
A sharp denial that the
local VFW club was closed
las- month for an audit of the
books, as reported in last
week’s MIRROR, came this
week from some members of
the group, including Edwin
Decker who has been the
commander of the local post.
Other members of the group
including John McLaughlin, a
past commander, meanwhile
insisted that the information
regarding the closing of the
dub, as released to the MIR
ROR, was correct in every
detail.
Paul Bleichner, who told
the MIRROR he is acting
commander of the Katmai
Post 7056 at the present
time, said the club is closed
until a quartermaster’s bond
is posted, after which an
election will be authorized.
In a signed statement,
Bleichner said: “The Katmai
Post No. 7056, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, is not closed in
order to have the quarter
master’s books audited. The
failure to obtain a quarter
master’s bond, which is a
must in the VFW in order to
elect and install the officers
for the ensuing year is the
reason the VFW is closed. As
soon as the flew bond is re
ceived there will be a new
election and installation of
officers, which is expected in
the very near future.”
An election of officers of the1
local organization is scheduled
for Tuesday.
The club has been closed for
several weeks. At an election
earlier this year Decker was
elected commander of the
oost succeeding John Drewes.
The MIRROR reported last
week that the club was closed
on May 8, when Jack Davis,
VFVV department commander
for the territory, made a visit
here and requested that a
complete audit of the books be
made.
The information released at
that time further revealed
that George Sonntag had been
named chairman of the in
vestigating board.
The building formerly oc
cupied by the U. S. Postoffice,
owned by Donnelley and
Acheson, has been remodel
led and will house one of the
departments of the D & A
store.
Robert Acheson, junior
partner, said he was un
decided which department he
w iid move to the building.
Alaska Airlines
Sikorsky Sinks
A twin-engine Sikorsky of
Alaska Airlines with 18 can
nery workers and two pilots
aboard sank in Chignik lagoon
last Saturday.
All occupants of the plane
got to shore safely.
First reports of the acci
dent reaching here said the
plane was on a flight from
Naknek to Chignik and struck
some object in the lagoon
while landing. The plane was
piloted by Swede Blanchard.
The Sikorsky has been in
Kodiak on numerous occa
sions. The las t time was early
last week prior to flying to
Naknek.
The big amphibian sank in a
matter of minutes after strik
ing the object in the water
which ripped open the hull. It
is doubtful if the plane would
be worth salvaging as the salt
water would have damaged
the engine and hull, Blanc
hard said.
Co pilot on the flight was
Rusty Fannen. The pilots
were wearing life jackets and
they opened an after hatch
and inflated a life raft to take
the 18 frightened passengers
to shore.
Salmon Run
Starts Late
Reports coming into the
local Fish and Wildlife Service
office since the opening of the
commercial fishing season in
dicate that the run of salmon
in the Kodiak area is late this
year. The season opened Wed
nesday. The Karluk and Red
River areas reported a small
catch by late yesterday, Roy
Lindsley, local fisheries agent
said.
Stream guards and enforce
ment agents halve been placed
at various spots around the is
land and the Kittywake II,
FWS patrol vessel, is due here
soon for the season’s work.
The FWS plane piloted by
A1 Kropf is based here and is
on duty, Lindsley said.
Elks To Observe
Flag Day
The Kodiak BPOE 1772 will
observe Flag Day Thursday
evening at the Elks Club. The
Boy Scout troop will partici
pate in the observances.
The public is invited to at
tend and the services will be
gin at 8 pm.
*
Sunken Plane
Evangel To Begin
Summer's Work
The Rev. Norman Smith
will arrive in Kodiak from
Ouzinkie within a few days
and will prepare to take the
Evangel, floating Kodiak
Baptist mission boat around
the island for the summer
work.
Mrs. Smith and their three
children will accompany him
during the summer cruise.
Rev. Smith was skipper of
the Evangel last summer.
An Oldsmobile driven by
Mrs. Grant Wheeler smashed
into a Ford driven by Louie
Savoy Tuesday at the corner
of South Mill Bay road and
Alaska Way. Damage t« Sa
voy’s car was estimated at
$100. The Oldsmobile was not
damaged.
Poppy Sales Totals
Given By Groups
Poppy sales by the Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary and by
the Veterans of Foreign War'
Auxiliary totaled over $1000
this year.
However, the two organiza
tions did not hold their sales
drive on the same day. The
Legion observed May 19, as
Poppy Day and the VFW ob
served May 26.
The Legion said its sales
were slightly over $700. The
VFW said its sales were1
near the $350 mark.
On May 30 Memorial Ser-!
vices were conducted at the
cemetery and dock by the
VFW and Auxiliary. The
groups expressed thanks to
the Armed Forces based on
he isl md for a sisting in the
observanct s.
Warning Issued
By Coast Guard
Owners and operators of
waterfront facilities were re
minded Wednesday of their
responsibilities in regard to
safeguarding their establish
ments against all kinds of de
structive forces, by the com
mandant of the 17th Coast
Guard District.
An information release from
the commandant stated: “In
accordance with existing
statues and Executive Order
10173 the CG has broad
general authority and respon
sibility to safeguard vital port
facilities and vessels from
sabatoge. Particularly at this
time the situation requires the
greatest degree of protection
for waterfront facilities and
losses from accidents and
sabotage. ’ ’
The commandant further
said that the CG forces are
available for shore-side pro
tection only in special cases
and therefore owners of shore
establishments should exercise
caution in safeguarding their
property.
Direct G. I. Loans
To Stop
World War II veterans
planning to apply for a direct
home loan from the VA had
better start filling out the
necessary forms.
The present direct loan pro
gram ends on June 30, 1951.
The Housing Act of 1950
authorized the VA to make
direct loans up to $10,000 at
4% to veterans with which to
build homes. The Act stipu
lated that the VA was authori
zed to make these direct loans
in those areas where the regu-1
lar G. I. loans were not avail-1
able from private lenders.
While the direct govern
ment loan program ends June
30. the regular G. I. loan pro
gram does not expire until July
25, 1957. Both programs are
subject to same minimum
down payments imposed by
the credit controls announced
in October 1950.
Garden Club Plans
Meeting
The Kodiak Garden Club
will meet Wednesday evening
at the home of Mrs. Glen
Banks on Mission Road.
A discussion of garden
problems followed by movies
will be the program for the
evening. The meeting will
convene at 8 pm. Refresh
Imentswillbe served.
Marshall
In Korea
By the Associated Press
’ Tokyo—Defense Secretary
Marshall made a surprise visit
to J apan and Korea this week
but said it had ‘ ‘no connection
whatsoever” with any current
peace moves. He also denied
he brought General Ridgway
any new directives on the
war fighting.
Marshall said the reason of
his trip was‘‘purely military”.
When asked if the trip had
any connection with peace
moves be smiled and replied,
‘‘You had better ask- Mao Tze.
Tung (Red China Premier)
about that.”
Meanwhile, Allied artillery
shelled the main east-west
road through the major Com
munist base of Chorwoii in
North Korea while the United
Nations pressure mounted on
che eastern and western anch
ors of the Red’s strategic iron
triangle supply area.
Allied superforts and light
bombers sprayed the triangle
recently with 500 pound frag
mentation bombs. The Air
Force said the strike was one
of the heaviest operations of
its kind.
London — Worried Foreign
Office officials disclosed that
two British diplomats familiar
with Anglo-American state se
crets vanished from England .
without explanation, touching
off a transcontinental hunt up
to and beyond the Iron Cui
tain.
Washington shared Lon
don’s concern. Both men knew
vital state secrets.
Canadian Vessels Sail
To Alaskan Ports
A bill to permit Canadian
vessels to engage in certain
Alaska service has been intro
duced in the Senate by Sena
tor Warren Magnuson.
Delegate E. L. Bartlett of
fered a companion measure to
the bill in the House.
The bills will extend for ar.
additional year the authority
granted Canadian ships to
transport psasengers from
Haines and Skagway to other
Alaska ports, and both pas
sengers and freight from Hy
der to other Alaska ports or
the states.
This relaxation of the mari
time laws has been in effect
for several years because of
insufficiency of American flag
service. The Alaska Steamship
Company, principal American
earner oonce’-ned. has offered
no objectio to passage of the
proposed ’ > k-.t’cn.