Imperial Valley press., 1942-02-08
Schools
Churches
Anne Davis
Notebook

One of the most interesting lei
ters to come TO the valley in re
gard to experiences at Pearl Har-
Dor, is that written 70 Mrs W a
Edgar of Imperial by Mrs, T II
Seymour Of Balboa
Mrs. Seymour and her sister,
Dr. Edith Hook Sargent of Ell Cen
tro were in Honolulu at that time
and DR. Hook is still there carry
ing on her practice. Mrs Seymour
writes of her experiences and those
on her return trip as follows
I'm sense Edith and we're in
i but not of it-that is we hearo
everything but were well outside
the bombing area. Our apartment
was up high back of the city prop
er, near the University where they
afterwards brought so many eva
cuees from Hickman field ano
Pearl Harbor
"On the morning of Dec 18th,
about 8, Edith and I were ali
dressed, had lunch put up ano
were just about to start out oh
an all day picnic when suddenly
this terrific bang banging rent
the air II was deafcning re
marked that if that was target
practice they were certainly going
at it heavily. Then | saw some
thing streak through The sky abosc
the trees and ram cut on thr
porch. Others IN tar house had
come out also and by that time,
very frightened and excited an
nouncer began repeating over the
radio: The japanese are bombing
Pearl Harbor The rising sun has
been seen on their planes ! can |
say very much, others 'you know
Whol, may be listening
After a few minutes the radio
was taken charge OF by the army
OF the police and all civilians were
ordered to remain inside Their
homes, get all automobiles off the
streets. not to use the phone. etc
Needless to say we stayed glued
to the radio all day and beginning
with that night, blackouts were en-
forced We could only learn the
extent of the damage gradually
and much was not told until lat
er They dropped bombs IN only TWO
places in Honolulu proper, one OF
them about Il mile from where We
we're They were evidently alter
the electric plant and the cover
uor's place but missed both oo-
iectives, destroying only japanese
stores and killing japanese people.
The next day all was apparent
! ly calm again in the city .Edlth
went to work as usual and III "
few days Christmas shopping Wa
going on as usual and streets were
crowded. But with a big difference
too Under martial law, guaroS
were everywhere, freedom was
greatly curtailed, all places OF buSl-
ness closed at 4:30 p m. so th2l
people could get home before dark
had been in the habit OF walk
ing a good deal but gave 1t up al
ter being confronted four dli1efeht
times by fixed bayonetS
The letter goes on to explain tl2l
they had their tickets to return III
! February but were informed lha'
the government had taken over lht
MatSon line. and their passage sNaS
cancelled. They were then told to
register and on Dec 90 Mrs SeH-
mour got word that she could san
| Christmas day, OF an unnamed
transport
Mrs. Seymour took her last trip
in the Islands. Il saw more beau-
tiful vai.eys and sea coast, the
smaller towns of the island ano
besides that we saw the army hard
at work along many beaches on
barbed wire entanglementS and
other projects. We could not 90
into Pearl Harbor but saw all at a
distance; ships n the harbor,
some of them damaged also ma
chine gun nests along the way All
the vast sugar cane and pineapple
fields they tell us are going to
waste because their products eal.
not be picked.
christmas day they drove me t(
the pier-not the lovely pier il
Honolulu with the Hawaiian ban:
and the singers, but 4 din2y Irelsh'
pier down near Pearl Harbor.
Edith and a car OF other lrlcn"
had come to see me of. but non
but the driver was allowed to 2r'
within One-fourth mile OF the plel
1t was rather deSolate 10 DE dumprl
Off with my baggage to SHIFT Tor
myself and no service in sight. /
had a bag and two suitcascs, oHc
too heavy for me to lift. went on
board with my bag, found my roo"
put one bag on the ONLY remainiu9
bunk and went in search of por-
| ter for the SuitcaseS. This little
task occupied the CeXt two hours.
PorterS were scarce and terribly
overworked. I grabbed one, gave him
elaborate directions and when
finally saw him again the report
was "he no find. 1 then followed
him to the gangplank and after
much more pointing and spelling
finally got all my possessions il
one spot by my bunk, I was niue
] 10 nj