Memories for May 10, 2017

100 years ago

1917

Robert Clarkson, Phillips County's first extension agent, arrived to take over his new work. The Enterprise put it that Bob had "been on the job in Sheridan County on flax and gopher extermination."

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The local war effort was getting underway. Local volunteers were getting ready to form a chapter of the American Red Cross. Mrs. H.M. Kirton was appointed as temporary chairman.

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After considerable delay in securing fixtures and supplies, L. E. Flint got his new confectionary store open at a location on Fifth Avenue.

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The utilities, as usual, were catching it strong. Editor Johnson remarked tartly that "patrons who thought R. J. Moore gave them poor telephone service when he was in charge of the company had completely changed their minds since the new company took over. It is nothing uncommon to wait five minutes for Central to answer and on long distance calls you are lucky to get the party called on the same day."

75 years ago

May 7, 1942

Norman Deo is killed on Corregidor

Is first Malta man officially reported dead in war

News of Malta's first fatality in World War II reached here Tuesday when a telegram from the war department announced the death of Private Norman E. Deo, a member of a coast artillery anti-aircraft battery at Fort Mills on Corregidor Island at the entrance to Manila Bay. As a member of an anti-aircraft battery it is presumed that Deo was killed during one of the numerous air attacks which have been aimed at reducing the island fortress since the fall of the neighboring Bataan Peninsula, although no details have yet been received here. He was killed last Thursday, April 30.

The telegram to Deo's mother, recently deceased, merely said: "The secretary of war desires me to express his deepest regret that your son Norman E. Deo was killed in action in defense of his country in the Philippine Islands on April 30." The signature was that of the Adjutant General of the Army.

It is known that he was killed in defense of Corregidor because he has been stationed at Fort Mills, the island's fortress, for more than a year. The last letter received from Deo was dated February 5, this year, and was received in Malta April 1. He said he was "still okay and doing fine . . . in the same battery, the world's best . . . there isn't a thing to worry about for there are not enough Japs in the world to get me or any of my friends . . . drop a line to my girl and tell here I am okay . . . "

Deo enlisted at Missoula in January, 1941. He was transferred to a California post the following month and left San Francisco April 1, 1941, for foreign duty. He was at Honolulu, Hawaii, early in April and landed on Corregidor April 22, and was there continuously until his death slightly more than a year later. His combat duty was firing an anti-aircraft gun. He was probably a member of one of the batteries of anti-aircraft artillery which have been causing so much havoc among raiding Japanese planes. The island fortress in the Manila Bay area have accounted for numerous enemy aircraft since the war started and have been cited several times by army authorities for the accuracy of their fire. At the moment, Japanese assault troops have landed on Corregidor Island and army authorities have admitted that because of food and manpower shortages, plus the ravages of diseases, the end of U.S. resistance in that area is in sight now.

Private Deo would have been 21 years old in June. He was born in Malta and is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Martin Heptner of Malta and Mrs. David Anderson of Anaconda; and two brothers, John Deo of Townsend and Guy Deo of Malta. His mother died here April 12.

City water still not approved for drinking

Although state health department analyses of two samples of Malta City water fail to show the presence of harmful bacteria there has as yet been no approval given to use of water for drinking purposes, according to Dr. G. W. Setzer, city health officer.

50 years ago

May 11, 1967

Whitewater Class Leaders

Dixie Lee Cowan is the valedictorian for Whitewater High School for 1967. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Cowan of Whitewater.

Dixie's extra-curricular activities at WHS have included cheerleading, paper staff, annual staff, Girls State Delegate, plus being active in Student Council, over which she has presided over this past year as president.

Dixie plans to enroll at Eastern Montana College in Billings this fall.

25 years ago

May 13, 1992

It was an expensive trip home

"A cab in Saco caught people's attention," said Sheriff Gene Peigneux after deputies picked up four juveniles - one of them reported a runaway - when they showed up in Saco May 5 about 12:16 p.m. in a green-colored cab driven by a Boise, Idaho, cab driver.

Sheriff Peigneux said the mother of the youth reported as a runaway lived in Boise and he left from there. His father lives in Saco. The runaway charge was dropped.

The sheriff said he doesn't know how much the cab bill will was but the father paid $100 to the cab driver and made arrangements to pay the remainder.

10 years ago

May 16, 2007

Officially Dedicated

The new marquee at Malta High School was officially dedicated Monday evening in a brief ceremony with Angel Hould, newly elected student body president, serving as master of ceremonies.

The marquee includes two plaques in memory of former school district head custodian John Low, who died in an accident in 2005, and former school board member Steve Taylor, who served on the board until he died in 2004. Members of both families were on hand for the ceremony.

Funds for the marquee were raised by past student council members of the Malta FFA Chapter. The Marquee is signed by student Michael French. Principal John Roberts memorialized Mr. Low by reading a dedication from the 2005 yearbook. Supt. Kris Keuhn and board member Fritz Prellwitz and Tana Oyler memorialized Mr. Taylor.