Kodiak Mirror

Kodiak Celebrates 4th In Grand Manner

Kodiak No. 1, the first train ever to operate in Kodiak, chugged along Alaska Way past the judges in the reviewing stand and came to a stop in the school yard Wednesday, the winner of the float contest in the annual Fourth of July Parade.

The four car "freight train" was made by the Kodiak Baptist Mission and engineer of "Kodiak No. 1." was Dewitt Fields. Brakemen and crew were composed of the Mission children.

The 1,200 purple bubble balloon float of B. P. O. E. 1772 took second place in the contest. Third was the Freedom Forever float of Thompson Transfer and fourth the Lincoln float of Smith's Transfer.

Frank Price, USN, athlete from Kodiak Naval Station, won the grueling base-town marathon and finished 10 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor. Price made the run in 49 minutes. David Cobaugh finished second and Leonard Boyles placed third.

Fourth place went to Morris Cloud and Allen Elkins finished fifth. Lawrence Anderson dropped out of the race and was taken to the hospital for treatment. He was later released.

Buddy Squartsoff of the Kodiak Baptist Mission won the junior marathon, for 16 years and under, and was closely followed by Ray Martin, Jr.

Jerry Johnson came in third followed by Charley Jett. Walter "Porky" Sargent finished fifth. All contestants received prizes. Squartsoff won the junior marathon for the second consecutive year.

The horse races on Marine Way were one of the major attractions of the day. John Gibbons won the "challenge race" from Jake Foley. Bob Hightower was the jockey for Foley. Gibbons did his own riding. Gibbons later won over Tom Nelson after Nelson challenged him to race.

Grayce Hightower came in first in the women's horse race closely followed by Shirley Wallace. Frances Barton was third. There were three entries in the race.

The final race was won by Nelson in which there were four entries.

Bob Loundree won the motor boat race this year with Bob Acheson coming in second. There were four entries in the annual classic but only two completed the course.

According to the judges in the reviewing stand the following selections were winners: Best decorated bicycle for boys, Jerry LaFollette and Jacky Mann. Girls' bicycles, Dona VanBuren and Beoma Blinn. Best dressed boy, Mike Gelinas; second, Johnny Hale. Best dressed girl, Margaret Wagner; second, Jill Acheson.

Most patriotic boy, Frankie Heglin; second, Paul Mueller. Most patriotic girl, Alberta Mueller: second, Mary Jo Hale. Most original boy, Teddy Cummings. Original girl, Nordene Schoenberger; second, Beth Acheson.

Cpl. Durward McAlexander portrayed Lincoln for the Smith Transfer float. Carl Coon was a soldier on the Thompson Transfer float and "Butch" Mitchell was a camouflage soldier. Peggy Heglin was a WAVE.

Traditionally fine Kodiak weather prevailed through the day and a large crowd was evident at all the events.

The Navy band and two platoons of Navy men plus a Marine color guard and a platoon of Marines led the parade. Military jeeps from the Marine detachment at KNS kept the base-town road clear during the running of the marathon.