davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-12-25
japanese Execute
Fresh Landings
In Sarawak
British Planes Hit One
Merchantmen in Raid on
Ships at Kuehing

BY the Associated Press.
SINGAPORE, Dec. 25.-Japanese
forces executed landings yesterday
at Kuching, Sarawak, on the island
of Borneo, a British communique
reported today.
1t said that direct communication
with Kuching was cut off late yes
terday.
The situation on the Northwestern
Malaga front was reported un-
changed.
British aircraft in attacks yester-
day on japanese shipping anchored
off Kuching were announced to have
scored one direct hit on the stern
of a merchantmen and at least six
near misses against other vessels.
Text of Communique.
The text of the communique fol-
lows:
"On the northwestern front (of
Malaya) the situation remains un-
changed. There has been some dive
bombing activity by enemy planes.
The bombing was very haphazard,
causing little damage and few
casualties.
There is nothing to report from
Western Malaga.
Yesterday our aircraft attacked
Evening star., 1941-12-25
By the Associated Press.

~ bhe hsooSAAseo 1ASoS-
NEW YORK, Dec. 25.-Thirty
years ago Chester w. Nimitz. a
young ensign in the United States
Navy, enlisted a Chinese cook in
the Philippines as steward aboard
the torpedo boat Decatur.
Yesterday, the cook, Lee Ping
Quan, now 81 and author of cook
book, "A Presidents taste" asked
for his old job back-this time to
serve Admiral Chester w. Nimitz,
commander of the Pacific Fleet.
Lee was steward aboard the pres
idential yacht Mayf1ower and served
both Presidents Harding and Cool
idge before he was retired in 1929.
With copy of letter to Admiral
Nimitz, asking permission to cook
for him again and be placed on
active duty, Lee went to the Navy
recruiting station and said:
Il want to get back Into service
The years I spent with the Navy
were the happiest Of my life"
Naval officials indicated they
would make every effort to find a
berth for him.
Evening star., 1941-12-25

photograph of the majors wife and
young son. At the home Of Joseph,
the sad tidings from the Pacific had
put a damper on the Christmas spirit
but the parents, anxious that the
smallest children be not deprived of
harmless joys, was bravely making
the most of a difficult situation
Some of the children were too young
to realize what the lack of definite
news from their uncle meant.
Another sister, Miss Agnes Deve-
reux, who lives with her mother,
has been in Baltimore for some
time. Still another, Mrs. Anne
Chase, wife Of 1t. Comdr. Harry
Chase, is absent from the city. Her
husband Is on ship duty somewhere
in the Atlantic" He is the son of
Admiral j. v. Chase.
Mrs. Margaret Jeschke, another
sister, Is the wife of 1t. Col. r. H.
Jeschke of the Marine Corps. They
left Paris Island, S. c., last Sep
tember for new post at San Die
90. Calf, where Col. Jeschke is
chief of staff.
Edward Devereux, one of the 9TH
er brothers, makes his home be-.
tween Saranac, N. Y, and WASH
ington.
Distins uished Career.
Maj. Devereux has had a dis
tinguiShed career as an officer in Lne
Marine Corps, having seen action
previously in China and Nicaragua
for which ne was awarded Official
recognition by Navy medals
He rose through the Marine Cops
the hard way, enlisting as a private
and working his way upward through
the ranks. He became an officer
about 18 months after enliSting.
Maj. Devereux travelled widely as
a youngster, attended school in DeI.-
yer, Tome School at Port Deposit,
Md: Woodbury. Forest School III
Virginia. Switzerland and Dewitt
Preparatory School here.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps
here and attended the officers SCHOOL
at Paris Island His posts of service
have included, among others, Quanti-
co, San Diego, Honolulu, Peiping.
and now, Wake Island.
Evening star., 1941-12-25

raided and successfully bombed mill
itary targets and harbor facilities
on Malta" the communique aiso
said. "Escorting fighters shot dow
two Hurricanes"
The high command said that "in
the Central Mediterranean British
sailors from the cruiser Neptune,
mentioned December 10, were res
cued. They were found near our
shores, brought in by the tide"
Italians claimed December 10 that
five British cruisers had been tor
pedoed by Axis planes in the
Mediterranean. The official broad
cast from Rome that day did not
name the cruisers.
The German high command
claimed that British destroyer
had been sunk off the Libyan coast.
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Carol Singers Serenade
MARYLAND Governor
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Dec. 25.- Fifty
singers from local churches, accom-
panied by the Naval Academy Band.
sang Christmas carols last night in
front of the Government House.
Gov. and Mrs. O'Conor listened
to the choir, assembled on the Gov
ernment House lawn, from the steps
OF the mansion. Annapolis residents
lined nearby streets to hear the
program.
Charles Sherman, director OF st.
Anne's choir, led the singing, The
academy band was under the di-
rection of 1t William Sima.
Later Gov. and Mrs. O'Conor en-
tertained the singers and bandsmen
mthe Government House, which was
brilliantly lighted with electric
candles.
Today the Governor and his family
are expected to have Christmas din
ner with the chief executives
mother in Baltimore.
Evening star., 1941-12-25

BY the Associated Press.
Wars bloody hand lay heavy this
Christmas Day on tortured world.
Only memory were such Christ
masses as the first of this war, wheN
Adolf Hitler could fraternize with
his troops in the Notifications he
had built on the western front.
Or the second of this war, when
the deadly rain of bombs on Great
Britain and Germany was halted
under a Christmas truce.
This is the story of the third
Christmas of this war:
Bethlehem-Today was predom-
inantly a soldiers Christmas.
Christian worshipers drawn to the
shrine of Christ's birth mostly were
uniformed men-and women.
Bethlehem's bells pealed as Of
yore-but sign of the war was the
guard kept over the Church of the
Nativity by sentries of Britain's ia
nous household cavalry.
MoscoW-The Soviet Information
Bureau distributed Christmas cards
bearing the title "Tannenbaum,
Tannenbaum," and showing a dead
German soldier under a lighted,
snoW-laden Christmas tree.
The Red Army organ, Red Star,
published its own Christmas card.
1t portrayed Santa Claus giving Hit
1or - ,o1o,,dor 1poooJ Of tho Jafo
December %. 1t said:
Congratulations, Herr Fuehrer!
Today is just six months since the
start of your six-week march on
Moscow"
CAIRO.-In Unusually cold desert
weather, British imperials continued
their pursuit of broken remnants of
Axis forces in Libya.
Beer and other luxuries were
flown to some units for Christmas
celebration Behind-the-lines for
nations had full Christmas din
ners-including plum puddings-in
some cases cleaned from captured
war booty.
COLLANDER, Ontario.-It's a
French Yuletide for the 7-year-old
Dionne quintuplets-which means
that most of Pere Noel's big surprises
will come New Year morning. For to-
days big Christmas dinner with the
family, Cecile expressed one wish, to
pick a bone.
1T isn't proper" she said, "but it
tastes better that way"
MANILA.-The wartime blackout
snuffed gay Christmas lights. Be-
cause of the war, gift packages for
Americans failed to arrive from
home. The shipping shortage also
prevented the transportation of
Christmas trees and fighting to the
north halted the shipment of pines
from the Baguio district.
LONDON.-King George vi, prior
to his usual Christmas broadcast, set
the pattern for following the ira
dition Of Christmas-at-home by
spending the holiday in the country
with Queen Elizabeth and theil
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Navy Comedies Wake Capture
In Siege OutIosting Alamo
Jops Pay Heavy Price in overpowerng
400 Marines Led by Chevy Chase Officer

assaults within 48 hours starting
December 9 and said landing at
tempt was expected. The unex-
pected fury Of the resistance ap-
parently caused the japanese to
withdraw until they had amassed
overwhelmingly superior strength.
Men Had No Cover.
The two-week struggle by Sleep
less band of marines, fighting on
an exposed coral atoll without even
the cover of a tree, gave luster to
the name of the commander, Ma1.
P. S. Devereux of Chevy Chase,
Md, and his men.
Besides the 13 officers and 365
Devil Dogs, there were one medical
officer, six medical enlisted men,
and an unstated number of con-
struction workers on the Clipper
plane stop.
The 15-day siege was two days
longer than that of the Alamo, which
is believed to have begun on Feb
ruary % of the leap year 1886 and
ended on March 6, when 1000 Mex
leans under Gen. Santa Ana as
saulted the fortress and killed every
one of the 1873 defenders.
And the Nations Capital, sad
dened by the loss of the tiny bit
of American soil 1000 miles west
of Honolulu, today set down the
names of Wake Islands fighting
men in the same bracket of heroism
with Davy Crockett and his COM
rades of the Alamo
| AS the Navy told the story, Wakes
defenders were in serious trouble
| by December 81.
Heavy Attacks Described.
Seventeen heavy Japanese bomb
ers attacked the island and were
beaten off after heavy damage" the
Navy said. The 3-inch batteries
were struck, the power pant was
damaged and the Diesel Oil Build
ing and its equipment was destroyed.
Only one 3-inch battery of four guns
was now effective.
The following day December 22)
the Wake defenders reported that
they had sustained still another
| heavy attack by air, but that sew
eral enemy ships and a transport
were moving in. This landing at
tempt was in great force, but two
enemy destroyers were put out of
action by the marines before the
invaders could effect landing.
For many hours the issue was in
doubt. On December %, Toxic
claimed that Wake Island was COM
pletely occupied by japanese forces
and the Navy Department was
forced to admit that all communi-
cations with Wake had ceased"
Located approximately 1000 miles
west of Honolulu, Wake Island was
one of chain of small naval air
bases designed for the use of the
Navy's long-range patrol planes. 1t
also was used as stopping point for
trans-Paciflc clipper planes.
Evening star., 1941-12-25

number of enemy aircraft. which had
been destroyed on the ground by our
air forces, were found"
An earlier communique issued BY
the Italian high command in Roh.e
said British forces, led by strong
armored car and tank formations.
were repulsed in an attempt to
"overrun the region of Bengasi."
Local counterattacks of the Get
man air force scored visible sue
cesses," the Italian communique
said, resulting in the destruction
of armored cars and guns Of the
enemy. Numerous prisoners wee
taken"i
Repeated attacks against the
Libyan-Egyptian frontier posts of
Salum and Bardia were declared tc
have been repulsed with heavy losses
to the British.
German air formations have
Evening star., 1941-12-25

out in the little Pacific fortress
against daily assaults by the Jap
anese. Since then her family has
told her nothing more.
Today she lies i'll in her home at
3 West Bradley lane. unaware of the
fate of her son and the islands other
heroic defenders. But she knows
in her heart that Maj. Devereux
would never give up where there was
a single chance left to fight.
Next door, at West Bradley lane,
a reporter for The Star last night
brought Joseph S. Devereux, brother
of Maj. Devereux, their first detailed
information of the Navy Depart
ment's admission that the island
probably has been lost to the enemy.
Refuse to Give Up Hope.
A Christmas tree was being deco
rated for three of the grandchildren
of the mother of Maj. Retereux.
visiting over the holidays, and little
feet battered up and down the stairs.
of her sons and daughter listened
anXiously for further radio news of
the overwhelmed defenders, cou-
rageously refusing even now to give
up all hope.
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Devereux
and their nine children, the young
est 7, are prepared for the worst.
They had been informed Tuesday
that hope apparently had been
abandoned for the marines on Wake
Island. Yesterday afternoon, they
heard over the radio that commune
cation had been cut off and that
the Navy Department had reported
a final sWarming of japanese in
vaders. Still, they refused to give
up hope.
At the home of the mother, who
lives with her son John, bachelor,
Mrs. Mary Crist, her husband, Capt.
Raymond F. Crist, jr, and their
three children had arrived for the
holidays from Philadelphia. They.
too. listened eagerly for news.
Il know there is hardly any rea-
Evening star., 1941-12-25

son to think that James has es-
capped, or is even alive, maybe" Mrs
Joseph Devereux told the reporter
But we are still hoping there's a
chance. Well keep on hoping until
the last"
Family Is Large One.
The Devereux family is a large
one. There are six brothers and
four sisters, Joseph Devereux being
the eldest. Maj. Devereux, who was
38 in February, is the fourth in age
The wife of Maj. Devereaux, the
former Mary WEIGH, Is the daughter
of Col. John P. Welch, quarter
master at Governors Island, N. Y.
where she and their 8-year-old son
known at Patty" have been resid-
ing for several months.
Mai. Devereux had been sent to
Hawaii from San Diego, Calf, last
January and Mrs. Devereux had
accompanied him. Several months
ago, due to illness, she had returned
home.
The family has known that Maj.
Devereux had been stationed in
Wake Island for long while. 1t
was one of his regular assignments
and meant occasional trips back
and forth to Honolulu.
So when the first report of the
Japanese attack on Wake Island, l8
days ago was reported, they knew
he was there with his command.
Met in Philippines.
Mai. Devereux and his wife met
about a dozen years ago when he
was stationed at the Cavite naval
base in the Philippines. They were
married in Peiping, China, the
family said. She was bride of II
years.
There was nothing for them to
do but to fight on Joseph repeated
several times last night. His eyes
frightened then. Il don't know
whether James is dead, wounded or
a prisoner but have my idea about
it," he added with conviction.
He spoke feelngly about his Mar
inc brother. James had a keen wit
and a fine sense of humor," he ex-
planned" He loved the Marine
Corps and had served overseas q
lot. He came home last February
on a short leave before going to
Hawaii He hadn't been here more
than IL hours when he got orders
to report back Immediately. He
managed to stay on for "a hours
in all and that is the last we saw OF
him"
Different members of the family
had sent Christmas packages to him
several weeks ago to be forwarded
His brother spoke of Maj. De-
vereux's love of horse racing, pole
and hunting. He had raced China
ponies at officers meets in Peipine
and when he was in San Diego he
kept several horses. He was a reaI
Horse Marine" as those in service
refer to their fellows who are
privileged to ride mount.
Father Formed Ambulance Service
Maj. Devereux was born in the
military service. His father, the
late DR.. John Ryan Devereux, was
serving in Cuba under Maj. Gen
Leonard Wood when James was born
there on February %, 1903. The
military ties are close in the family.
Dr. Devereux, a physician here for
many years. organized an ambulance
service for the French Army at the
outbreak of the first World War
and his son Joseph served overseas
with it.
Another brother. Tristram, is now
in the Army Air Corps in Florida.
One of the Christmas presents
received by the family was large
Evening star., 1941-12-25

The Navy wrote a reluctant "finis"
to the gallant and almost unbeliev-
able defense of Wake Island today.
and a bright new page was entered
in the annals Of the United States
Marines-the story of a siege that
outlasted the Alamo.
Hours after conceding yesterday
that capture Of the sun-drenched
Pacific atoll was probable" the
Navy told exactly how few were
Wakes defenders and how in
adequately they were armed--and
not until then did full appreciation
of the gallant defense dawn upon
the Nation.
The dramatic story told how fewer
than 400 fighting "leathernecks" held
out against overwhelming odds for
IA days and destroyed four Japanese
warships before surrendering the
tiny mid Pacific outpost.
Further, it was learned that the
378 officers and men had repulsed
not one but three previous landing
attempts in the two-week siege be-
fore they were overwhelmed by
vastly superior japanese naval
strength on a fourth landing effort
December %.
Had Few Defense Weapons.
Twelve fighter planes, six 5-inch
guns, II three-inch guns and some
smaller weapons were the backbone
of the defense-these and the in
domitable courage which has made
the name of the United States Mar
ines one to frighten any foe since
the days of John Paul Jones.
On the final day of siege, after
almost daily bomber assaults and
heavy casualties, most of the
marines planes were gone and all
the 5-inchers were out of action,
along with every other piece of ord
nance save one battery of the 3-inch
weapons.
The Japanese came "in great
force" the Navy said, 'but two
enemy destroyers were put out OF
action by the marines" Then wore
was flashed that the Japanese were
ashore; for many hours" the out
come was In doubt-f1nally COM
munication ceased.
The skinned men paid
dearly for Wake Island. They had
lost a total of three destroyers, one
light cruiser, several" warplanes
and an unknown number of lives
The naval units bombed to the bot
tom aggregated probably 1000 tons
at least, as japanese warships are
rated, and had crews totaling
around TOO men. There was no
word of losses from Toxic, however
The information that three previ-
Gus landing attempts had been made
was not given in the Navy's COM
muniques, but came from an in
formed source. The first apparently
was at the outset of the siege. A
Navy communique told of four aerial
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Chinese Cook Seeks to Enlist
Aquin at 81 Under Nimitz

Among others who sought to en-
list was a veteran seaman who re-
membered the Maine-he was on
the battleship when it exploded in
Havana Harbor-and wanted to help
make certain that the Japanese
never forgot what they started at
Pearl Harbor.
Karl Christensen, 70, applied for
active service at the Navy recruiting
Office yesterday. He was engineer
of one of the steam launches of the
U. S. S. Maine the night of Feb
ruary Is, 1898, when the ship was
blown up.
After months in a Havana hos
pital he recovered and went on to
win many decorations in the Philip
pine Insurrection, the Boxer Rebel
lion and the World War.
Evening star., 1941-12-25

daughters, Princess Elizabeth and
Princess Margaret Rose.
JERUSALEM c. Bullitt,
President Roosevelt's special repre-
sentative in the Near East, marked
down Christmas in the Holy Land
as a memorable experience.
Reminiscing. he recalled another
unusual Christmas spent years ago
in a desert with his daughter. Our
Christmas tree was small shrub"
he said, land the only trimmings
were three dead lizards
SINGAPORE. - Churches echoed
to the ring of tramping feet today as
soldiers trooped in for special Christ
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Family CIings to Hope for Maj Devereux, Wake Hero

A foreign flag rippled over Wake
Island today, but in home in
Chevy Chase, Md, this Christmas
day. the widowed mother of the man
who commanded the gallant "leath-
ernecks" in their epic defense of
that tiny Pacific outpost still sees
her son at his post, unconquered.
The mother, Mrs. John Ryan
Devereux, was told a few days ago
that her son, Maj. James Patrick
Sinnott Devereux, and his small
force of marine were still holding
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Libyu
Continued From First Page.)

TlOill T II St Z dSC.p
titles of enemy transport and mate
rial.
Small bodies of enemy troops,
believed almost entirely Italian.
still remain in the area northeast of
Bengasi and are being dealt with.
I'm the frontier area we elimi-
mated yet another of isolated enemy
posts near Bardia.
Our air forces yesterday main
tanned their very effective attack
against enemy columns of troops
and motor vehicles, destroying a
large number Of vehicles including
petrol tankers and troop carriers.
when our ground forces occupied
Benina Airdrome yesterday a large
Evening star., 1941-12-25
Christmas Memory in Many World Capitals,
But Moscow Enjoys 1t at Nozis Expense

mas services. placing their tin hats
on the floor. Chinese. Indians,
Malays and others of the polyglot
peoples of the Malayas Joined in
holiday celebrations.
But a principal attraction at
Asiatic ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
been banned for the duration OF the
war.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland-The folks
back home didn't forget the United
States forces in Iceland. 1t took
more than a week to unload and
distribute the Christmas mail.
Soldiers decorated their huts with
bright paper and sprigs Of imitation
holly.
Evening star., 1941-12-25
FOUND.

BRING OR REPORT ABANDONED. STRAY
ANIMALS to Animal Protective Association.
1900 Wheeler I'd Sc. AT. 7l42. Present
facilities limited TO that class only.
Evening star., 1941-12-25
LOST

BIFOCAL GLASSES, in tortoise shell rims.
Sunday night, vic. Foundry Methodist
Church. Call Dupont SSS4.
CAT. large tiger, male; vicinity $500 blk,
Of Garfield ST. and Wis. ave, Reward.
Woodley 3002.
DALMATIAN, white with liver spots,
named Duke" CHI. 0666
POCKETBOOK, womans brown, lost down.
town, Tuesday, Dec. 23 Call DI. 4747
or RE. 1122. Reward.
RING. mans, ruby, white-gold setting.
Reward. Call Woodley 1850.
SEALING TOOL. between 18th and Eve
and Conn. ave. and NJ SITS. NV; lost Sat-
urday. Dec. 30. Reward. AT. 1888.
SHOPPING BAG. in front Lansburgh's
store. containing dress. scarf. etc. Reward.
$40 9th st. ne TR. 2675.
WALLET, brown, with money and personal
call National 4460, Extension 373. 25'
YOUNG COLLIE DOG, named Don" Re.
ward Call Wisconsin 3542.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-05-01
Red Cross Material Being
Received by Refugees

Letters are being received by Red
Cross officials to the effect that
sweaters and other articles which
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-05-01
Will Conduct Music
School at Mt. Lake

Helen Keil, nationally recognized
teacher of singing, is being presented
through the Maryland Chautauqua
Association in connection with its
summer program at Mt. Lake Park
this year. She has studied in New
York and abroad, not only voice but
piano, organ and violin.
She has had studios in Los
Angeles, Chicago and New York,
where she also directed a cappella
choirs and at present she teaches in
Pittsburgh and has served on the
music faculty of The Pennsylvania
College for Women.
Two consecutive seasons her group,
the Helen Keil Singers, won first
prize in connection with the Post
Gazette Festival, and the following
year with the Sun Telegraph Festival
In 1889 she directed the Civic Choral
Society of Connellsville, Pa, which
won first place at the Mountain
Choir Festival.
The school in singing will offer
courses to beginners and advanced
students, with lessons available by
the week, month or term. The school
will open June 16 and continue until
September IL. Further information
may be obtained at 237 Fifth Avenue,
Pittsburgh.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-05-01
School Leaders Observe Glasses
In Social Studies

County Superintendent of Schools
and supervising teachers of seven
counties of Maryland, made hurried
survey of three Garrett county ele-
mentary schools and observed the
manner Of teaching the social studies
by visiting Kitzmiller, Red House and
Grantsville on Monday.
The group of twenty-five or more
educators arrived in Oakland Sunday
evening when get-together dinner
was served at the William-James
Hotel.
Franklin E. Rathbun, Garrett Coun-
ty Superintendent of Schools, presided
The party left Oakland for Kitzmil-
Ter at $3.50 o'clock Monday morning,
visiting the various classes there for
about an hour. Forty-five minutes was
taken at Red House, after which the
party returned to Oakland for a picnic
lunch before proceeding to Grants
vile for an hours observance of
class-work instruction there.
The group was accompanied into AL
legany county by Mr.. Rathbun and the
two local supervising teachers, Mrs
Caroline Wilson and Miss Kate Ban
natyne.