The above terms may sound obsolete to our young people, but 50 years ago the young people of Conneautville knew what was going on.
World War II was over, our servicemen had returned to their homes, but there was still unrest, especially in the far East.
Russia had occupied Northern Korea while American Troops occupied Southern Korea. The year was 1947. The United Nations sent a commission to set up a national election for the establishment of a provisional government for the whole country. Russia refused to permit the commission to enter the Russian zone and in 1948 a People's Republic was established in northern Korea. The Democratic Republic of Korea was established in the American Zone. Although the National Assembly requested that the American troops stay, our forces were withdrawn in 1949 leaving behind an advisory committee. The border between Northern and Southern Korea was a constant source of friction and became open warfare on June 25, 1950 when northern Communist forces invaded South Korea. We were again involved in a War.
The United States Air Force established a program of Ground Observers in 1949 to supplement the Radar system which could not detect air traffic under 5,000 ft. The late Floyd Kramer of Conneautville was named Chief Observer. It was his responsibility to obtain a central location as well as volunteer observers.
Our Ground Observer Corp was located at Hotel Power and consisted of volunteers with good eyesight, hearing, and the ability to speak English, clearly and distinctly. In general a "Watch" of 2 or 3 hour periods was considered reasonable between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM. During the day a 4 or 6 hour watch would suffice. The aim of the Ground Observer Corp was to tell the American fighter pilot where he could find and destroy the invading aircraft.
Local volunteers were: Kenneth Abbott; C. L. Adkins; Dale Allen; Mrs. Lee Allen; Robert Allen; Edith Austin; Fred Barr; John Beres; Eugene Bocan; Eugene Braden; Audrey Burkholder; Jerry Careless; Annette Carter; Nina Carter; Rose Carter; William Carter; James Connick ; LeRoy Connick; Melvin Connick; Viola Decker; Jane Durkoske; Elton Ellis; David Ettinger; Arthur Fish; Morea Flagg; William Gibson; H. A. Glessman; William Graham, Rev. N. C. Gray; Jack Headley; Paul Heaster; Madeline Hecker; Nina Ingols; Russell Ingols; Tom Johns; Michael Kopznski; Frank Lash; Park Lawrence; George Liebenauer; Ora Liebenauer; C. B. Lingo; Mabel Lingo; Elmer Lloyd; Clinton Logan; Keith Loutzenhiser; Joe Mattera; W. E. McBride; John Minnick; Nina Morris; Laura Norris; R. N. Norris; George Nowak; John Nowak; Marjorie Ohl; Henritta Parker; Charles Prince; Richard Proctor; John Samuels; Fred Seward; Mary Shelby; Frank Sobieski; Esther Spaulding; Jennie Stake; William Stake; William Stevenson; Everald Townsend; Hilda Uher; Chester Wachowiak; Gerald Walton; Gary Welker; Mildred Welker; Melvin Wescott; William White; Tom Woodard; Zelah Woodward.
This program was phased out in 1959.