1943

1943 in Clemson history

Events that occurred in 1943:

• The long-gone kitchen building at Fort Hill is rebuilt on its original site using old timbers. (Cook, Harriet Heffner, "John C. Calhoun - the Man", The R.L. Bryan Co., Columbia, S.C., 1965, Library of Congress Card No. 65-19779, page 55.) However, the Fort Hill booklet originally written in 1959 by Harriet Heffner Cook, retired Hostess-Curator of Fort Hill, revised 1970, 1984, by Revelie W. Brannon, Hostess-Curator, 1962-1984, states that the replica kitchen was constructed in 1944 (page 8).
• January 23-January 30: Final exams for the first semester are held. (The Tiger, "Examinations To Begin Saturday", Thursday 21 January 1943, Volume XXXVIII, Number 16, page 1.)
• February 3: Bessie Brandon Craig Brackett passes away at 5 a.m., this date. (Fort Hill Presbyterian Church bulletin, February 7, 1943, page 3.) She was survived by her daughter, Mrs. F. T. Waddill, of Cheraw, South Carolina, and by one son, Newton C. Brackett, M. D. of Pickens, South Carolina; also by one sister, Mrs. Maud Craig Mathews, of Atlanta; and two sisters-in-law, Mrs Newton Craig, of Atlanta, and Mrs. Albert Fitzgerald, of Baltimore. (Obituary, Christian Observer, undated.)
• February 5-February 6: Central Dance Association holds the Mid-Winter dance series with Jerry Wald and his Los Angeles-based band of musicians providing the entertainment for the concert on Friday afternoon, formal dance on Friday night, Saturday afternoon tea dance, and the Saturday night semi-formal dance. This was expected to be the last big war-time dance series. CDA President Tom Stanley stated that he is not worried about the no-driving ban, with almost 200 girls' names already posted promising at least a normal crowd. Flowers for the dance will be handled by Jack Payne and Shine Allan, "prominent members of the CDA." Decorater Buck Miller of the CDA said last week that there would be no decorations this year. Stanley announced the block ticket price as six dollars. (The Tiger, "Dance Roster Fills In Spite Of Driving Ban", Thursday 21 January 1943, Volume XXXVIII, Number 16, page 1.)
• February 7: Due to war time priorities, shoe rationing goes into effect on this date, limiting civilians to three pairs of leather shoes per year. The restriction will be lifted on October 30, 1945.
• February 11-February 12: "George Washington Slept Here", starring Ann Sheridan and Jack Benny, is shown in the YMCA theatre. (The Tiger, Thursday 11 February 1943, page 4.)
• February 12: "The Glass Key" is shown in the YMCA theatre. (The Tiger, Thursday 11 February 1943, page 4.)
• February 13: "Flight Lieutenant", "Priorities On Parade", shown in the YMCA theatre. (The Tiger, Thursday 11 February 1943, page 4.)
• February 15-February 16: "My Heart Belongs To Daddy", starring Richard Carlson and Martha O'Driscol, and "We Are The Marines", shown in the YMCA theatre. (The Tiger, Thursday 11 February 1943, page 4.)
• February 22: Clemson alumnus and international journalist Ben Robertson is killed while en route to his new job, chief of the New York Herald-Tribune's London bureau. His aircraft, a Boeing 314, Pan American "Yankee Clipper", NC18603, c/n 1990, (U.S. Navy BuNo 48224), crashes into the Tagus River near Lisbon, while on approach to Portugal by way of the Azores. Caught in a storm, the flying boat crashed while attempting an emergency landing when it hooked a wingtip in a turn. 25 of 39 on board die. Also killed is actress Tamara Drasin. Actress Jane Froman is seriously injured. Her story of survival will be made into the 1952 film "With a Song in My Heart" starring Susan Hayward.
• Second week of March: Baseball practice begins under Coach Frank Howard, who replaces Coach Rogers from last year. (The Tiger, "Baseball Practice Begins In March", Thursday 18 February 1943, page 3.)
• April 4: A North American B-25C Mitchell bomber on a low-level training mission over Lake Murray, South Carolina, similar to those conducted on the Lake Issaqueena Bombing Range, is forced to ditch after the starboard engine fails at low altitude, five crew escaping before the plane sinks in 150 feet of water two miles west of the Lake Murray dam.
• May 8: The YMCA sponsors a talent show in the Amphitheatre. ("Y Talent Show Be Held [sic] May 8", The Tiger, Thursday 29 April 1943, Volume XXVII, Number 28, page 4.)
• Spring: With the distribution of the 1943 edition of TAPS, the yearbook will go moribund for three years due to wartime conditions affecting the college. It will resume with the 1946-1947 school year.
• Fall semester - The enrollment at Clemson drops to only 700, most being 17 years old or younger, or have been classified 4-F by the draft boards, or have already been discharged from military service.
• September 25: Clemson loses home opener to Presbyterian, 12-13.
• October 2: Clemson defeats North Carolina State, 19-7, in a game played in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• October 9: Clemson loses to Virginia Military Institute, 7-12, in a match played in Roanoke, Virginia.
• October 21: The Tigers are defeated by the Gamecocks in Columbia, 6-33. Clemson sets new record for least yardage gained in a game: eight yards rushing, and none passing. (Martin, Johnny, "Death Valley: 72 Years of Exciting Football at Clemson University", Independent Publishing Co., Anderson, S.C., 1968, Library of Congress card number 68-58849, page 91.)
• October 29: The Liberty ship SS A. Frank Lever, named for United States Senator and Clemson Life Trustee Asbury Francis Lever, is laid down at 12 a.m. at Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, Georgia, one of 88 Libertys the yard built.
• October 30: The Tigers lose at home to Wake Forest, 12-41.
• November 6: Clemson defeats Davidson, 26-6, in a road trip.
• November 13: Clemson loses to wartime team, Georgia Preflight, 6-32, in a game played at Greenville, South Carolina.
• November 18: The SS Ben Robertson is laid down at the Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation in Savannah, Georgia.
• November 20: The Tigers conclude the 1943 season with a 6-41 loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Tigers endure a 2-6 season, 2-3 in conference, for a 7th place tie in the Southern Conference. Coach Frank Howard had only freshmen to play as War Department regulations prohibited Army trainees from playing intercollegiate sports. "The best thing that can be said of them is that they kept playing football," said Howard. (Biondo, Steve, "A Terrible Resolve: Clemson men in war", Clemson World, Fall 1991, Volume 44, Number 3, page 26.) December 1943, page 1.)
• December 7: A memorial service is held in the fieldhouse at noon for the 63 Clemson war dead. (The Tiger, "Clemson To Honor 63 War Dead December 7", Wednesday 1 December 1943.) The Liberty ship SS A. Frank Lever, named for United States Senator and Clemson Life Trustee Asbury Francis Lever, is launched at 3:35 p.m. at Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, Georgia, one of 88 Libertys the yard built. Mrs. A. Frank Lever serves as the sponsor.
• December 16: "A fire which started in the early morning hours of Dec. 16 threatened Clemson's entire downtown business district and did an estimated damage of $10,000. The Clemson Cadet Corps Fire Company was called out at 2:00 a.m. and exhibited their ability to handle an emergency. The fire, which raged for over an hour in icy weather, started in the Cash Grocery Store, operated by Mr. Edwards, and quickly spread to the kitchen of the Clemson Grill. Clinkscale's barn, housing two cars and two trucks, was next to catch. It burned to the ground. The fire then spread to Bob Smith's filling station where it was extinguished after destroying his garage and wrecker. Fire fighting equipment from Seneca and Anderson was on hand to stop the fire before it could spread to Hoke Sloan's store on one side or Anderson's filling station on the other. The main telephone and power cables were temporarily isolated during one of Clemson's first cold spells. Repair and construction began the following morning and all will soon be in good condition." (The Tiger, "Fire Consumes Part Of Clemson Business Section", Thursday 20 January 1944, Volume XXXIX, Number 6, page 4.)
• December 21: The Liberty ship SS A. Frank Lever, named for United States Senator and Clemson Life Trustee Asbury Francis Lever, is delivered at 3:00 p.m. by Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation, Savannah, Georgia, one of 88 Libertys the yard built.

1942

The 1940's

1944