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It’s History by Fred Miller
OCEAN CITY CELEBRATES THE END OF WORLD WAR II
By Fred Miller
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“PEACE” was the headline on the August 15, 1945 Philadelphia Inquirer.
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, August 15, 1945, the Philadelphia Inquirer, like daily newspapers all over the country, set its headline in the biggest type size available and printed one word, “PEACE.” The article under the bold headline reported the most important story imaginable. “Washington, Aug. 14—The war is over. Japan has surrendered unconditionally, and Allied forces on land and sea and in the air have been ordered to cease firing. President Truman broke the news to a tensely waiting Nation at 7 p.m. today, just one hour after the Japanese acceptance of the final Allied terms had been delivered to the State Department by the neutral Swiss Government.
“The President’s announcement, delivered with a smile as he stood in his White House office flanked by the members of his Cabinet, ended the bloodiest conflict in all history. It came 44 months after Pearl Harbor, when the Pacific War began, and three months after the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.”
“War Over—Peace Flash Touches Off Noisy But Orderly Celebration Here” was the front-page headline of the August
Left: August 15 and 16 were the busiest days of the summer of 1945 for the Ocean City Beach Patrol as people celebrated the end of World War II. The 1945 OCBP photo included Captain Thomas A. Williams (second row standing with hat and dark jacket), Mayor Clyde W. Struble (front row dark suit), and Dr. Willits P. Haines (white suit next to Mayor Struble).
Right: “ALL WORLD HAILS PEACE” was the headline on the August 15, 1945 Atlantic City Press.
17, 1945 Ocean City Sentinel-Ledger. Assistant editor Harold Lee wrote: “Normally staid and unemotional, Ocean City’s natives and thousands of summer visitors ‘let their hair down’ Tuesday evening in a spontaneous eruption of joy which overshadowed any previous demonstration recalled in the resort’s 66-year history.
“While Japanese multitudes wept before their Emperor, it seemed that the entire population of Ocean City was taking part in pandemonium here to celebrate the end of World War II and the prospective return home of more than 700 native sons from all corners of the globe.
“News of the Japanese unconditional surrender had barely been flashed by radio from President Truman’s 7 p.m. press conference before the city hall fire sirens swelled to a wail. They were joined in a matter of seconds by a blaring cacophony of first hundreds and ultimately thousands of automobile horns, smaller sirens, and everything else that would create a din.
“The most spectacular part of the celebration occurred on the boardwalk. Seldom, if ever before, has there been such a boardwalk throng as was concentrated in the Moorlyn Terrace section. It was so densely packed that progress through it was almost impossible.
“Teen-age youngsters kept the celebration lively. Groups of 50 to 100 of them formed serpentine dances, which were in progress constantly, from 2nd to 12th streets.”
The celebration continued for two days, August 15 and 16, as President Truman proclaimed a two-day national holiday.
Seventy-five years after the end of World War II, we remember the Ocean City men who died protecting our freedom from 1941 to 1945: Seymour Arnold, Norman Blackman, Robert M. Breckley, Arthur M. Bryan, Edward Clark, John Collins, Edgar Ferguson, Richard H. Fife, Joseph A. Foglio, Harry V. Fraser, Robert L. Fullagar, Paul V. Gallagher, John R. Groves, Bertram Hillman, Jr., Raymond L. Jones, J. Elwood Lawson, Delmar J. Leach, Peter P. Migliaccio, John M. Mintzer, Robert A. Montgomery, Bryon C. Nichols, John O’Brien, Anthony J. Paone, Jr., Robert G. Powel, James A. Ryan, Harry Ross, Charles E. Selby, James M. Stevens, Jr., Harold C. Sumpter, J. Richard Townsend, Stanley C. Townsend, Thomas H. Turner, John Watchko, and Victor Yurik.
