Barre High School - Barretone Yearbook (Barre, MA)

Page 27 text:

AMERICA AT WAR Millions of fighting men the world over wrote new chapters of courage, determination and a will-to-wln during the past year. The deeds and ac- complishments of these men have already won partial victory for the United Nations in their quest for a lasting world peace. As the struggle continues in its last phase in the East, America looks hack to the months of 1944-1945 with pride in the accomplishments of her valiant fighting forces. Early in 1944 the greatest armada of fighting men and material ever as- sembled began the long-awaited Invasion of Europe. From the air they were blanketed by thousands of bombers, gliders, fighters and transports. It was the most gigantic operation ever attempted by any Army in the history of the world. They met the enemy face to face on French soil... the same soil from which they were repulsed at Dunkirk many months before. The invincible German Army began retracing its plunderous steps. Back Inland to Paris, across the many rivers, into Holland and Belgium the Allied armies raced victoriously. The Whermacht cringed under the mighty weight of air and land forces. Berlin was the goall A meeting with the Russian armies in the East was transformed from a dream to a reality. The Russians, too, had made a tremendous drive. From Stalingrad they moved in lightening strokes toward Berlin from the East. Less than a year after the invasion of Europe the Russian and American forces met in Berlin. The unconditional surrender, decided by the ’Big Three’ as the only manner of defeat was consuaunated at Reims, France by the respective military leaders. Screaming headlines and radio commentators announced the victory in Europ But Americans accepted it soberly .. .with restrained enthusiasm. The Victory was not won yet! Only half of the great struggle for world peace had been realized. There was yet another enemy to be reckoned with in the far-east. The Japanese warlords ignored the European capitulation even as the tottering island empire began to feel the weight of total war from land, sea and air. The past year has been far from a pleasant one for the Nips. They have been blasted from island strongholds and from the jungles of China and Burma. General MacArthur’s boast, after the bitter defeats of Bataan and Corregidor, ”1 will return”, became a reality. Inch by inch his men fought their way from New Guinea into the Island chains that led back to Manila. Amphibious forces struck at Leyte in the Philllplnes to begin the liberation of the American island. A few months later every island in the chain was in American hands. It was a costly victory, but the American fighting men never again gave up one inch to the marauding Jap. Far out at sea the fleet air arm and the mighty dreadnaughts of America’s new Navy assembled for a concentrated strike at the Jap home island. Almost within sight of land, carrier-based Hellcat and Helldiver bombers gave the Nips a taste of American air and sea might in several days of concentrated bombings. Meantime, a new Air Force was formed in the far-east employing the B-29 Superbomber which could fly 3000 miles to bomb Japan and return to island bases. As the months passed the tempo of air war increased daily until great fleets of superbombers carrying gigantic bomb loads rained destruction on Nippon. As America reached the half-way mark in 1945 even the pessimists were predicting an early defeat of the last enemy of peace.

Page 26 text:

FRIENDSHIP Friendship is the truest thing It follows where we go It finds us when we go astray Just how we do not know Here ' s a fact, I ' m sure is true Of all my friends so dear There ' s none of them so dear to me As the ones I have right here. And with this Friendship — bond so true Come Friends bo th young and old That bring such joy to me and you Love holds a blessing unforetold. By Julia Washburn CLASS DAY Vie join in the chorus of Auld Lang Syne And sing with loud voices and keep in time, As we march down the steps of Ole Barre Hi V ith sad faces and eyes for our last good-bye. After four years of waiting Class Day is here But not one of the Seniors do you hear cheer For happy days have come and gone Our school days are over, we look beyond. Freshmen and Sophomores, we ' ve made the grade Juniors, then Seniors, we ' re glad wo stayed Deep in our hearts the memories cling As we raise our voices and proudly sing All Hail Barre High, of you we boast As we gather together, to you we toast. Our hearts are heavy, our spirits gray As we come to the end of our own Class Day. By Lucy Tolman

Page 28 text:

HONOR ■ 1945 William Better Prank DlPonzo Ralph DiLihero Norman Drolet George Mirable James Gilliland Nicholas Onorato Donald Lang Joseph Panacclone Nicholas Mallozzi Donald Peck Peter Mallozzl Charles Puliafico Donald Panacclone V alter Rice Rosario Puliafico Keith Roberts Raymond Reed Thomas Seraon Raymond Rival John Sieczkarski Stanley Sokol Prancis Sokol Chester Spinney Paul Stevens Clayton Swan Matthew Trifilio George Thorng Vito Trifilio John Wytrwal Edwin Wade Donald Watson 1942 1944 Edward Bashaw Pred Bechan Harold Blake Keene Burgess Wilbur Blake Edward Cole Robert Case Richard Conner James Chlllerl Prank Cummings Raymond Cor so Thomas Pinan John Cronin Wesley Harrington Guy D’Annolfo Harold Hood Howard Dean Norman Keddy Edmund Decoteau Charles MacDonald Morris DlCicco Walter Madsen Alan Parley Prank Masulaltis Robert Pllnt Richard Milan Eds on Gay Alan Ohlson Ralph Glarusso Oresto Persechino Robert Gillette Norman Potter Robert Hardy Russell Potter Walter Haskins Homer Rock Anthony Illiscavltch Paul Salvadore James Keddy Kenneth Tobin Pa-ul Langeller Karl Witt Leonard Marshall Joseph Mertzlc 1943 Harold Miller Arvo Nurmi Anthony Palano Edmund Andrukonls Edward Power Ward Brown Charles Puliafico Charles Cutting Robert Rice Harold Dorsey Roland Roberts Paul Dufresne Charles Shay ROLL Leroy Spinney Alex Staknls Clarence Stewart Thelbert Thorng Vernon Vaughn Ernest Vi aterman Charles White Alfred Wilbur Ralph Young 1941 Stuart Allen Joseph Bechan Robert Better Alfred Ciocl Domenic Coppollno Robert Crooks William Crowley Roger Dahart Biaglo DeBartolo William Dermody Robert Eds on Wilbtu? Piske Joseph Gallant Carmelo Genovesl George Glancey Wallace Grimes Joseph Higgins Donald Horne Herbert Horne William Hudson Perter Illiscavltch Basil Izzi Prank Jacobs John Jedetskl George Lackey Roland Langeller Ralph Mallozzl Prank McGowan Carl Ohlson Samuel Palano Milo Peck Arthur Pendleton Charles Pratt Wilfred Roberts Stanley Rogowskl Albert Sluckls Edward Sokol Paul Thayer Stanley Trepkus Raymond Triflllo Prank Trio Charles Wyman