Thumbing the Files for June 7

75 years ago, 1943

The regular meeting of Milford’s Granite Grange was interrupted by a surprise air raid alert, but members sat in the dark and sang songs during the test.

Telephone users could expect to hear an operator say, “Please limit your call to five minutes. Others are waiting.” It meant that the caller was trying to call a city that was overloaded with calls.

Sgt. V.V. Salo of Milford was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and cited for gallantry after he was wounded in action as part of the crew of a bomber in the Southwest Pacific. He took part in more than 200 long-range bombing missions over territory patrolled by enemy fighters.

Speaking to the U.S. Congress, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill pledged war to the death upon Japan but defeat of Hitler must come first.

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55 years ago, 1963

Stanley Abbot was the valedictorian of the Wilton High School class of 1963.

Congressman James C. Cleveland was the featured speaker at Milford’s Memorial Day celebration.

Milford’s Congregational Church was preparing to celebrate its 175th anniversary.

The Milford Drive-In Theatre was showing “Barabbas” with Anthony Quinn and “Pirates of Blood River” with Kerwin Mathews and Maria Lande. The Town Hall Theatre in Wilton was showing “Angel Wore Red” with Ava Gardner and Joseph Cotton.

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30 years ago, 1988

The Milford Area Senior High School girls’ tennis team captured its second state title in three years, with a 7-2 victory over Dover. Team members were Tracy Whitehouse, Sheryl Mason, Tina Buffum, Andrea Bowman, Staci Heyden, Debbie Andrews, Alexis Albano, Tracy Poirier, Christine Vore, and Jeannie Brinkema. The coach was Ulla Johnson.

Three Amherst Middle School students read their essays during the town’s Memorial Day celebration. The three were sixth grader Jesse Roy, seventh grader Lesley Baker, and eighth grader Emily Liberty.

Residents of Amhrst’s Atherton Common condominiums sued the town, contending that their properties had been overassessed.

Three Wilton firefighters were injured when “flammable liquids” exploded at a house being used for a training exercise.

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10 years ago, 2008

The Milford Planning Board approved a proposal for a Ninty Nine Restaurant & Pub next to the Walgreens on Nashua Street.

The Wilton Lions Club was to dedicate a granite bench at the athletic fields at Carnival Hill in honor of Chet and Evelyn Harwood, who died in 2004 and 2003 respectively.

Lyndeborough’s Babes in School Land kindergarten, a private school founded by parents in 1974, held its last graduation.

On his third and final attempt at a 17-foot high jump, Milford’s Dwight Barbiasz cleared the bar, becoming the first New Hampshire high school student to clear that height.