December 21: ON THIS DAY in 1944, Germans race on through army lines

December 21, 2018 Shlomo Sprung

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “Paris, Dec, 21 (UP) – Reinforced American troops rallied to stem a potentially disastrous German breakthrough on the northern flank of the Belgian salient today, but the Nazis’ main armored forces to the south were reported rolling forward through the Ardennes at a pace that may already have carried halfway across Luxembourg. A swelling tide of American troops, tanks and guns moved steadily forward to the threatened front and it was indicated that the threat of catastrophe overhanging the United States 1st Army for five days had at least momentarily been averted. An official headquarters statement, suggesting strongly that no major breakthrough had yet been achieved by the Nazis, said any favorable or unfavorable news of ‘sensational’ import would be released immediately. There was no ‘sensational’ announcement this morning and headquarters clung to its policy of revealing less spectacular developments 48 hours old. It was acknowledged at headquarters, however, that American arms had suffered their worst defeat since the fall of the Philippines in 1942 and that the battle, already one of the bloodiest in the United States’ military history, had still not reached its peak.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1842, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Professor [Samuel] Morse has his electro-magnetic telegraph established between two of the committee rooms in the Capitol at Washington, and it is there attracting much attention. The inventor is desirous of obtaining assistance from Congress to bring his invention into practical operation.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1853, the Eagle reported, “CORRECTION. – We stated in Monday’s paper, that the residents of Yellow Hook, in the town of New Utrecht, at a public meeting, had resolved to change the name of the place to ‘Bay Bridge,’ and that ‘Thomas G. Bergen’ presided at the meeting; it should have read ‘Bay Ridge,’ and ‘Tunis G. Bergen’ presided.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1923, the Eagle reported, “Today, the shortest day of the year, is the warmest Dec. 21 in the history of the Weather Bureau. The nearest approach to the temperature of 58 degrees at noon today was the 57 degree mark registered for the same day in 1895. Autumn all ready for its exit, on its last day borrowed the habiliments of spring and hurled a fervid record in the face of Winter, who is due to come on the stage at 4:45 p.m. tomorrow … Why is it warm? The weather experts say it is the presence of southerly winds, but Professor Hunn finds his solution in the heavens. Uranus, the cold planet, has wandered so far from its path that its cooling zephyrs are neutralized in the warm winds of Venus and Mars, he says.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “In these slangy but eloquent words of an 18-year-old seaman from Brooklyn, the dauntless spirit and casual bravery of Uncle Sam’s fighting sons in the watery front line trenches of Pearl Harbor found their voice. It was also the voice of appropriately-named Royal C. Lewis, 18, of 1645 85th St., second-class fireman, who enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve less than two weeks after graduating from New Utrecht High School last January. Called to active duty shortly afterward, he is now with the Pacific Fleet in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor. The keep calm admonition was contained in a letter written Dec. 10, three days after the bombing of the sea base, and air-mailed to his mother, Mrs. Clarence Lewis. The letter, censored by the Navy Department, stated that Royal was aboard a warship at Pearl Harbor but the name of the vessel was deleted. After mentioning Christmas gifts he was forwarding, the youth concluded by saying: ‘Tell Pop and the rest of the family not to worry. I’m not a bit scared or nervous because we have good officers who are taking good care of us. Let me know how you all are. There are lots of things I would like to say but I can’t. Please forgive me for this letter being so short. Keep a stiff upper lip, Mom.’”