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Monday, August 31, 2015

Leon's Fur

Leon's Fur - 114 Market Street - Johnstown

Buzz Wagner Funeral

Not the best of shots - but a rare one - the funeral of the first Ace of WWII - Buzz Wagner up Grandview Cemetery.

Sophie Rutledge

Reader Barry Orner sent in this picture of Sophie (Fabish) Rutledge, his wife Karen's Maternal Grandfather's second wife. She worked for the railroad for awhile. She also worked in town cleaning steam boilers.

August 31, 1944: Yanks Streaking for Belgium; Russians At Bucharest; British Racing to Amiens


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The Johnstown Tribune - August 31, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Seaman Nick Fratrich
Birth Records:
Staff Sgt. & Mrs. James Kroskie - son
Mr. & Mrs. Henry Smith - son
Mr. & Mrs. William Thomas - son
 Pvt. & Mrs. Paul - son Gene Edward
Lt. & Mrs. E.J. Gillespie - son
Mr. & Mrs. Floyd Stombaugh - son
Pvt. & Mrs. James Rose - son - James Blair
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Park Jr. - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Harold Keith - son
Mr. & Mrs. George Sivi - son
Mr. & Mrs. James Metzgar - daughter
Pfc. & Mrs. Harry Horne - son
Pfc. & Mrs. Shelby Steele - son
Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Williams - son
Mr. & Mrs. John Quigley - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Downey - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hill - daughter
Staff Sgt. & Mrs. Michael Bernott - son

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Proposed Liberty Building



Liberty Building Proposed for the City of Johnstown. I ran across this really interesting article by accident HERE. This is taken from 'The American City - Vol, 20 - March 1919'. I was actually looking for something else.

How building this thing - spanning the river could have been a good idea is beyond me.

Baumer and Bedford

One of the many old playgrounds.

August 30, 1944: American Steel and Infantry Thrust Within 38 Miles of Belgian Border


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The Johnstown Tribune - August 30, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Local Names:
Pfc. Walter Piper
Wilson Piper
Lt. George Wright
William Weiser
Pvt. Blain George
Gilbert George
James Chamiok
Frank Chamiok
Cpl. Edward Swiencinski
Pfc. Alexander Swiencinski
Tech. Sgt. John Wilson
Pfc. David Joganic
Staff Sgt. John Sullivan
Pfc. Roy Beal
Pfc. Herbert Loutsenhizer
Russel Grumbling
West End Youths Each Lose Foot:
Robert Buettner
Leo Kot
Robert Fiscus
Richard Fiscus
James Ambrose
Tony Fabrizia
Obits:
Mrs. Pauline Kordell
Miss Sarah Bishop
Charles Stewart
Mrs. George Feik
Frank Ulery
John Bankhoffer
Patricia Bjorkland
Mrs. Ralph Gilormena
Mrs. Luke Dunlap
Elmer Heffley
Mrs. Agnes Pieszkala
Willis Hershberger
John Quinn

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Point Playground

On the hillside is the opening for the old Rolling Mill  Mine. The Point Stadium had yet to be built.

August 26, 1944: Allies Drive Toward Germany, Belgium On the Heels of Fleeing Nazi Troops


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The Johnstown Tribune - August 26, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Sgt. Howard Bischof
Alva Imler
Emory Fabrosky

Clinton Street

Clinton Street

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Cambria City Tenement



This tenement in Cambria City is behind what was St. Nicholas Church on 10th Avenue. The Penelec office building which is right across the street from St. Columba is where this house was.

By Pass Motel - Scalp Avenue


Spring 1942

Reader Barry Orner sent in this picture of his dad Jim (in uniform) and his grandparents to the left. Next to his dad is his Aunt Violet. On the bottom row we have his uncles -  Al Orner who also served in WWII, Ray in the middle and Bob who later served in Korea.



August 25, 1944: 'Paris Is Liberated,' Allies Report


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The Johnstown Tribune - August 25, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.

High Above

The bridge that heads to Woodvale in the upper left and part of the mill on the right.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Got Gas


August 24, 1944: Romania Joins the Allies; German Armies in Full Retreat in France


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The Johnstown Tribune - August 24, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Cpl. Charles Huff
Pfc. Harold Huff
Sgt. Fred Samrok
Pfc. Stephen Witeof
Pfc. Kenneth Griffith
Pvt. Theodore Kubala
Technician Fifth Grade Joseph Antosh

Overlooking the Mill

The big building next to the railroad tracks is the old Acme Warehouse in Woodvale - in the distance - Franklin Mill.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Morrellville Murder?


Ran across this interesting article while looking for something completely different from a local newspaper clipping,

May 2, 1927: MERLE MILLER IS DROWNED IN CREEK IN MORRELLVILLE: Lifeless Body Discovered Yesterday Morning, Head Submerged in Water: WORLD WAR VETERAN: With the head submerged in the shallow water of the St. Clair Run at a point about 50 feet from the old Cambria Water Company pumping station on Chandler Avenue.
The lifeless body of Merle Miller, aged 27, son of Adam Miller, of 159 Blaine Street, Morrellville, was found shortly after 9 o’clock yesterday morning. Investigation has resulted in the belief that the man wandered into the creek Saturday night between 10 and 11 o’clock and was accidentally drowned. A short time after 10 o’clock Saturday night William Milburn of rear of 173 D Street, while on the way home, saw the form of a man lying in an alley near his residence. He shook the man and believing him to be in a stupor, went into his home and called the city police, at the same time getting a flashlight. When he returned to the spot where the man had been lying, he discovered that in the interim he had left the scene. About this time Gerald McGarvey, of rear 121 D Street, and Harry Kyle, of rear 182 D Street, came along and reported having seen a man in another alley and heading toward the run. The citizens after consultation started in that direction but found no trace of him. Other lights were secured and the three made an extensive search along the run from F Street to D Street cut failed to discover the man. Their search lasted for an hour or more when they gave up the investigation. Police reports state that an officer was sent to the scene in response to the call made by Mr. Milburn, and that he was unable to locate the man seen in the alley.
Yesturday morning about 9:15 o’clock police were notified by E. Sarver, of 180 Chandler Avenue, that there was a body in the creek. The police patrol was sent to the scene and the body removed to the undertaking establishment of George Viering. Death had evidently resulted from drowning as the head was submerged in the shallow water near a clump of bushes, it was reported. Mr. Milburn and others who were searching along the run Saturday night passed by this point a number of times but did not notice the body lying there. A slight bruise on the nose is the only mark on the body, it was stated, discrediting the theory that Miller might have met with foul play, according to the police authorities. The accident victim was a veteran of the World War, have served with the American Expeditionary forces. For the past five weeks he had been making his home with the H. W. Gorman family, 179 F Street. His father and one brother, Vallie Miller, of Cambria Avenue, survive. The body was taken to the father’s home, 159 Blaine Street, from where burial will take place at 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon, in charge of the Rev. Joseph L. Gingrich, past of the Third Brethren Church. Interment will be in Benshoff Cemetery. Johnstown Post No. 294 of the American Legion, will have charge of the services at the cemetery. It is told that Merle was possibly a member of the KKK and that he was murdered. 

Harshberger & Sons

Downtown Johnstown