Just a Soldier with a Story
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PINE COUNTY THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2021 COURIERTHE VOICE OF PINE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 124 NO. 31 www.PineCountyCourier.com $1.00 HORSE SHOW: Riders from all over the area attend Hinckley horse show. P6 EC Coach Fawcett and NFL offensive coordinator hold camp MARY ELLEN DEWEY [email protected] East Central’s new head football coach, Terry Fawcett, was recently hired after the resignation of former Coach Darrin Kvam. Fawcett has worked for Pine County since 2015 and is entering his 30th sea- son coaching football. He is married with three adult children. On Wednesday, June 23rd, East Central Eagles’ football held a Todd Downing Football Camp. Downing is from Eden Prairie, Minn. and is in his 21st season coaching in the NFL. He has coached for the Vikings twice, the St. Louis Rams, Lions, Bills, Raiders and now is the Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator. Downing was named the Pro Football Focus Quarter- backs Coach of the Year in 2015. Fawcett and Down- ing met 21 years ago at a football camp when he was starting out with the Vikings. Fawcett said, “He even coached a game with me when I was coaching semi- pro, He wore his Vikings polo.” It was neat experience for Fawcett. For the camp, Fawcett invited many of his coaching colleagues, including former players of his. Thirty coaches from Moose Lake, Proctor, East Central, Ladysmith, Deer River, Highland Community College, Duluth Denfeld, Esko, Lake Linden, Michigan, Superi- or, University of Minnesota Duluth, Northshore Griz- zlies, and Duluth East were there for the Kindergarten through 12th grade camp to teach the fundamentals of football. The camp was broken down into four age groups, teaching both offensive and defensive drills, focusing on footwork, accuracy, routes, and form. Coach Fawcett has high expectations for his players year-round, including camps, weight room and class- MIKE DRAHOSH | PINE COUNTY COURIER room. Fawcett shared, “Players cannot play for me Retired Duluth East coach, Kevin Fawcett, helped out at the East Central football camp held last Wednesday. SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE 7 East Central School district Just a soldier with a story budget waiting for final JENNIFER YOCUM-STANS word from state [email protected] The 1945 surrender of Japan not only signified the end of BY JAMIE LUND World War II, it was also Michas [email protected] Ohnstad’s 19th birthday. Ohnstad and his classmates East Central School District is looking toward the graduated on May 23, 1944. future with the fiscal year 2022 budget, which begins His friend, Henry Adams, was July 21, 2021. drafted first. Adams was sent “The revenue budget is based on conservative pro- to the Philippines and was jections and the expenditures are estimated with what killed in action. Ohnstad was we know at this time,” said Jenny Nelson, business drafted into the Army just a manager. She said the budget is a roadmap to begin the few months later. On a brutally next school year. cold January day in 1945, at 3 The estimated revenue for the upcoming budget is a.m. he boarded the steam train $12.5 million, while the estimated expenditure budget at the Hinckley station and is $13 million, leaving a deficit of $500,000. headed to Fort Snelling. From Nelson cautioned that the legislation is still working Fort Snelling he made his way on their budget, so the school may receive funding that to the Philippines where he was TERRY BULLOCK | HINCKLEY NEWS could offset the shortage. set to go to Japan as part of the World War II Atomic Veteran, Michas Ohnstad visits with editor Jennifer The district typically expects about 750 students each invasion forces. He was part of Yocum-Stans. year, but ended the 2021 school year with 720, leaving the 43rd Infantry Division. the district 30 students short. On the 6th and 9th of August, say, my life was saved by the Because the draft board sent Nelson said there are a variety of reasons for the 1945 the two atomic bombs were atomic bombs. On the 14 of Au- notices to soldiers dropped on Hiroshima and Na- gust, my 19th birthday, Japan SEE BUDGET, PAGE 2 gaski. “So in a sense, one might surrendered,” said Ohnstad. SEE SOLDIER, PAGE 2 PUBLIC NOTICES & NEWS ADVERTISING CLASSIFIEDS SUBSCRIPTIONS 320-245-2368 218-384-1855 608-733-8105 320-245-2368 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 PINE COUNTY COURIER FROM PAGE ONE JULY 1, 2021 BUDGET: Waiting SOLDIER: WWII Atomic vet shares his story on state funding FROM PAGE 1 cooks even. Two of them were Japanese that made me helpful to the doctors, so soldiers...they had been in combat but Hinckley had a part of Hiroshima,” he FROM PAGE 1 who were chosen alphabetically. “By came back when the war was over. One said. “Out of the little old Hinckley class luck of the alphabet, I lost a friend and of them had lost his wife and young of 1944, an Atomic Veteran developed drop, including a switch to ho- classmate in Henry Adams.” daughter in the atomic bomb attack.” shorthand and was able to transcribe meschooling during the pandem- After the surrender of Japan, Ohn- It was a highly classified intellectual doctors notes and so on. So Hinckley ic. The school receives roughly stad became part of the Occupation investigation of the causes, consequenc- prepared me for this assignment.” $9-10,000 per student. Forces. He was first sent to Yokohama es and circumstances of the bomb for “Society thinks of winning and losing Nelson said the school has the Japan. “I was there for six days with the the medical profession to learn from. when it comes to war. There are no win- money in a savings account to 1st Cavalry division. I then got orders How do we treat them, what works and ners in war...both sides lost lives,” said cover the deficit if they do not from General MacArthur to go to what doesn’t work. Even the clothing Ohnstad. “There have been people who receive more funding. Hiroshima and Nagasaki as part of the they wore, some colors tolerated the ra- want me to criticize President Truman Another possible reduction Atomic Bomb Commission. I was sent diation better than others. The doctors for using the Atomic Bomb. The object of revenue is the loss of a state to both places, but because we were so performed autopsies. “That was even of war is victory… it took two atomic funded pre-kindergarten class busy, I only made it to Hiroshima,” he part of my job...to an extent. I didn’t do bombs for Japan to surrender. But in with 38 students. The state agreed explained. the autopsies themselves, but I carried every war, there are two losers...the to fund the class for two years, Ohnstad served at Hiroshima from body parts and so on.” victor and the vanquished.” ending with the 2021 school year. September 30, 1945 through the Christ- When that assignment was finished Ohnstad went on to say “I’ve seen However, the state could agree to mas season. He worked with doctors he was sent to Tokyo where he was part the atomic bomb first hand, and it’s not fund the program again. who were dealing with the victims of of the USA Typhus commission. This pretty. But as terrible as it was, there is “We’re waiting,” said Nelson. the bomb. Working with both Japanese involved spraying the Japanese people a sense in which it saved lives, includ- “Things look promising for addi- and American Doctors, who worked with DDT powder. The Japanese people ing mine. It was devastating of course, tional funding.” hand in hand investigating what really wore two or three layers of clothing, it but it could have been worse. War is an The legislature is slated to have happened to people after the bomb was all the clothes they had. They wore ugly scourge of mankind. Imagine if their budget finalized by Wednes- exploded. them all because they had nowhere to we had invaded Japan...the number of day, June 30. When Ohnstad was with the Atomic stay and keep their clothes. These lay- deaths would have been horrendous on Bomb Commission they were isolated, ers of clothes were a breeding ground both sides. off limits to any other troops, allied or for lice and Typhus fever. So to protect With tears in his eyes, Ohnstad spoke otherwise, due to the secrecy of what both the Japanese people and the Amer- of the bloodless scars he suffers. “For 75 Need a new direction? they were doing. It was an investiga- ican troops, they sprayed them with the years I have lived Hiroshima on a daily tion, they didn’t want to be interrupted. DDT powder. basis. I can’t escape it, it’s there. Never a “The Japanese and American doctors When that assignment was filled day goes by, I wake up to it. The sights, were working together to understand he was sent to General MacArthur’s the sounds, the smells...it shows up in all the implications of what happened headquarters, working with the records various ways. It’s one of the wounds of and how to treat people. They were and so on. He continued there until he war.” dealing with the deaths, diseases and earned enough points to be sent home. “I’m absolutely not a hero! I’m not! hardships that the Japanese people Ohnstad believes one of the reasons I’m not! I know heroes when I see them.