SEE INSIDE: Senate candidates write to constituents, page 6 . . . . New businesses open door on Plateau, page 11 . . . EHS, White River teams in postseason play, pages 12-13 . . . . Christmas tree season coming, page 19
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What’s Inside Police reports..................Page 5 Views...................................Page 6 Church...............................Page 8 Obituaries.........................Page 9
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We shall never forget By Ray Still “’For God’s sake, grab silk!’” Those are the words Plateau resident Staff Sgt. Hiram P. Jameyson heard when his B-17 was shot down near Brunswick, Germany, on March 23, 1944. Although Jameyson died in 2002, records of his life during his 15 months of captivity in Germany exist in the form of letters to his wife Lorraine and a daily diary, which he kept hidden from his captors. His letters and a transcribed version of his journal are available at the Enumclaw Historical Museum. The Courier-Herald is presenting his letters and journal entries as a tribute to Veterans Day.
Shot Down
Jameyson recalled his experience in vivid detail to The CourierHerald in March 1968. “It all began on our fourth mission,” he recalled. “We were hit with flak on the way to our target
and it knocked out one engine. They got us again over the target and we had to drop out of formation. We began to lose altitude and then we saw them – the German FW-190s just waiting for stragglers like us. Next thing I knew we were on fire and the flames were starting to swell over the wing gas tanks. Then – on the intercom – the last words from our pilot. ‘For God’s sake, grab silk!’” Jameyson watched his B-17 bomber plane crash and burn while he was held aloft by his parachute. His landing was marginally better – Jameyson broke a leg, the bone protruding from his flesh as he was quickly captured by German soldiers.
Letters and diary entries
“Dearest angel Lorraine, I am alive and well. I have a broken leg but am getting good treatment for it. Please don’t worry about me honey. Tell mother I am well. I can write 2 letters and 4 postcards a month. At present I have no return address. I was shot
down over Germany and I will have to stay here until the war is over, so have courage and wait for my return.” Jameyson wrote this letter on March 28, 1944, five days after his plane was shot down. Jameyson wrote to his newly-wed and pregnant wife as often as he could, optimistically sharing that he was healthy and doing well in Stalag III. His journal revealed his situation was not always as bright as he made it seem to his wife. “June 16 - ‘44 Rather cold today, nothing of importance, if Red Cross parcels don’t come soon, we will all die
of starvation. Wonder if Lorraine is thinking as much of me as I think o f her.” Food was a precious commodity in the camp. There were more than 1,200 American prisoners in the camp when Jameyson arrived, and the number increased by several thousand by the time the war was over. In July, more than 2400 prisoners were forced to evacuate Heidekrug to Stalag III.
SEE JAMEYSON, PAGE 17
Fire levy defeated Election 2014 for a second time By Dennis Box Editor
By Ray Still Staff Writer
The East Pierce Fire and Rescue Maintenance and Operations Levy failed to reach the supermajority needed to pass in the Nov. 4 general election. As of Monday the Pierce County Auditor’s website had 14,129 voting to approve, 56.24 percent , 10,994, 43.76 percent voted no. This is the second time this year
the levy received a majority of yes votes from the public, but not the 60 percent of yes votes necessary to renew the levy. According to East Pierce officials the fire department’s budget will shrink by about $3 million, or 14 percent of the overall budget with cuts affecting all of services including alarm response time to station staffing and public education programs.
SEE LEVY, PAGE 3
The dust and dirt from the 2014 general election is nearly settled with two incumbents and one newcomer from the 31st District heading to Olympia for the 2015 legislative session in January.
Senate
In the state Senate race, Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, won a seventh term, which sets a record for women in the state Senate. She began her Olympia career in 1990, beating Mike Todd in a squeaker by 345 votes. This election she outpolled Cathy Dahlquist, R-Enumclaw, by about 2,700 votes as of Monday on the Secretary of State’s website. Roach received 20,185 votes, 54 percent, to 17,473, 46 percent for
SEE ELECTION, PAGE 15
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