Civilian Defense & Blackouts

Story City Herald November 13, 1941

On May 20, 1941, President Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing the Office of Civilian Defense. The OCD was created to assist state and local governments in the establishment of local defense councils, plan to assure protection of life and property; recruit and train auxiliaries all to provide adequate measures in the event of emergency. President Roosevelt proclaimed November 11-16, 1941 as Civilian Defense Week. The purpose was to stimulate the American people to an awareness of a need for civilian defense; to inform them as to how local defense groups are being organized and how civilians can enroll and serve; to stimulate the establishment of volunteer offices so that active civilian protection and community service programs can succeed promptly.

After the United States entered the war civilian defense efforts ramped up. In Story City the superintendent of schools, G.E. Holmes, was the commander of the local civilian defense organization. There was an article in the January 8, 1942 edition of the Story City Herald by G.E. Holmes describing what the schools will be doing to get ready in the event of an air raid. He also had instructions for parents if an air raid should come while children were at school. Parents needed to stay home and see to their own safety, and they were not to telephone the school in order to keep the wires clear for the wardens, police, and fire department. Members of the local post of the American Legion also helped with many aspects of civilian defense. In July 1942 when T.M. Holm became the new commander of Post #59, he "called for renewed energy on the part of every member providing a 100% cooperation with Civilian Defense and Governmental agencies in the many requests directed to the Legion at this time."

By Unknown author or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16927566

While the national OCD agency only had a paid staff of 75, it supervised and coordinated the efforts of civilian volunteers estimated to have topped 11 million. In the October 1, 1942 edition of the Herald the local civilian defense council was calling for volunteers from men, women, and youth to attend their first meeting. Classes in civilian defense topics such as fire fighting, gas defense, medical emergency, demolition and clearance, air raid warnings system, and blackouts would begin the following week. Commander Holmes explained that they would be meeting twice a week for classes, one meeting would be on civilian defense and the other on first aid. They used both local talent and outside talent to teach the courses. Dr. Sweeney of Iowa State College was the first speaker and his topic was poisonous gas. It was reported that 75 people attended the first meeting and of that amount 60 people signed cards expressing their intention of helping with defense work.

January 7, 1943

Story City Herald Articles on Civilian Defense

October 1, 1942 continued

October 8, 1942

November 5, 1942

Blackout Drills

Blackout drills were an occasional occurrence during the first few years after the United States entered the war. Though it wasn't really feasible for Japan or Germany to attack the Midwest, holding blackout drills allowed people on the home front to feel not only safer, but also more involved in a war that they themselves were not actually fighting.

The first planned blackout drill was held on December 14, 1942 in several Midwestern states. It was first announced in the Story City Herald on November 26. There were several articles and reminders printed in the Herald leading up to the blackout. The actual blackout time was from 10:00-10:20 pm on that Monday night. It was reported in the Herald later that week that Story City achieved a 99.6% blackout.

Story City Herald December 10, 1942

During this first blackout drill, almost 100 civil defense volunteers assisted with the fake disaster. The ambulance unit and the fire fighting groups practiced driving under the blackout conditions. The fire group went to an imaginary fire and the ambulance group went out to pick up a victim and returned him to the disaster aid station for medical treatment. The messengers had plenty to do but were able to get all of their important messages through within the 20-minute period. All air raid wardens had to call the control center to report on their sectors. The public cooperated with the blackout drill splendidly. There were other blackout drills the following year but they were surprise drills and the public was not given advance waring.

Blackout Drill Fun

Holm Hardware advertised a "Blackout Kit" during the Christmas shopping season of 1942. It was manufactured by The Vernon Company, Newton, Ohio. The kit was for fun and for utility, with a "new wonder material that glows in the dark." Contents included rolls of blackout material (luminous paper), official blackout test tube, "Voodoo Man" mask sheet, and an instruction/ideas booklet. This would have been fun for children but also useful in the event of a blackout.