Ancient Hixtory

Word Reaches Hicksville, Bit by Bit
December
In mid-month, Cleveland Dodge's parents received official notice that he had been killed in action.His was the first reported war death of a man from Hicksville .The high school began preparations for a memorial service.Both his brothers, who worked at Grumman, were motivated by their family's loss, and they enlisted - one in the Navy, the other in the Army Air Corps.

Nassau Daily Review-Star, December 31, 1941

Several days later, just before Christmas, the Haughey family was notified that John Haughey was missing.Now two Hicksville families had reason to be glum during the holidays.  

*

A New Year Begins
Incredibly, on January 1^st, the Navy Department informed Cleveland Dodge's family that he was NOT dead.Having passed a dour New Year's Eve, they suddenly had joy to spare on New Year's Day.Later, they would learn that their experience had not been unique - around the same time, a Syosset family also was informed that the earlier report of a son's death had been erroneous.

Not only was young Dodge alive, but he was unharmed.During the attack, he had been at his battle station, closed into one of the ship's magazines.As the California slowly sank, its magazines flooded, and water blocked their exits.Crewmen clambered up the ammunition hoists to the main deck.Until the ammunition on the main deck ran out, Dodge helped man the ship's guns.Over the weeks since the attack, he had been helping to remove guns from sunken ships and helping install them in the new batteries being built around Honolulu .

To absolutely no one's regret, his memorial ceremony at the high school was canceled.

*
In mid-January, America 's headlines announced the death of actress Carole Lombard - a fan favorite, and wife of Clark Gable.She had died in an airliner crash, while flying home from a rally at which she had urged people to buy Defense Bonds.Those who picked up the Review-Star to read the story spotted another item of interest on the front page:

  More news about John Haughey would follow.Two days later, word came that he had been posthumously awarded a Purple Heart.Many weeks thereafter, near the end of March, the government finally issued a public announcement of his death.John, one of eight men from the 50^th Reconnaissance Squadron who died in the attack, had been found in the disarray of Hickam Field's barracks / mess hall complex.

***