Pages past — April 8

On this date ...link

1965: The Clovis News-Journal interviewed area men involved in the Bataan Death March, which began on April 9, 1942, and involved almost 1,800 New Mexico National Guardsmen.

Orville Drummond, who lived at 621 W. 18th in Clovis, said he weighed 200 pounds when he was taken prisoner by the Japanese, but weighed 140 as a prisoner of war.

Lee Roach, who lived southwest of Clovis, said he was held captive for 3 1/2 years.

Others the newspaper identified as being associated with the march were W. A. Noffsker, of 1713 E. 21st in Clovis, Otis Yates of Forrest, Buren Johnson of Vaughn and J. C. McCormick of Portales.

1945: Someone threw a tear gas bomb through the front window of Portales Fire Chief J. T. Crain’s apartment at the fire station. No one was injured but 11 people sleeping in the apartment and an adjoining apartment had to be evacuated. After helping everyone outside, Crain returned with a smoke mask to remove the device.

Transitions ...

1972: Kate Smith, 75, who homesteaded with her parents in Floyd in 1902, died in a Denver hospital. Smith had moved to Denver to live with her daughter nine years earlier, but still owned the Roosevelt County property where her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.T. Gregory, had homesteaded.

1960: Henry Grady Morrison, a longtime Floyd farmer active in community activities, died in Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales after suffering a heart attack 12 days earlier. He was 57.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. Contact him at:

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