Tag Archives: Helena

March 1944 in Montana

March 1 – A huge snowfall blocked many rural roads. The Red Cross began a fund-raising drive.

March 3 – One man was killed and two were injured in an explosion during construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad tunnel east of Bozeman.

March 4 – Doolittle Raider David Thatcher was interviewed on a radio program on the Blue Radio network.

March 6 – Two civilians flying an Aeronca trainer were injured after they struck a power line and crashed near Apgar. Minus 16 degrees recorded in Glasgow.

March 14 – A five-year-old Billings boy lost a leg after being run over by a train.

March 19 – A 7th Ferrying Group pilot was killed in the crash of his light bomber at Stockett.

March 24 – A gasoline explosion at a Baker garage destroyed eight cars and caused $40,000 damage.

March 30 – The Montana Hotel in Helena was damaged by fire. All 19 guests were evacuated safely.

March 31 – The old grandstand at Anaconda was destroyed by fire.

Montana History Calendar 1942

Montana History Calendar 1941

Montana History Calendar 1930s

February 1944 in Montana

April 1944 in Montana

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January 1944 in Montana

January 1944

• January 1 – Civil War veteran Gordon Tupper, aged 96, died in Missoula.

• January 6 – University and Army trainees in Missoula put on a musical entitled “Memories on Parade.”

• January 8 – The Montana Aviation Committee met in Missoula.

• January 9 – A fire in Helena destroyed the historic five-story Montana National Bank, built by C.A. Broadwater. Two elderly women who lived on the fourth floor were killed and 8 injured. A 10-year-old boy who tried to rescue the two women was critically burned but survived. He was hospitalized until April.

• January 18 – The Fourth War Loan drive began.

• January 19 – High winds spread 300 prairie fires across Blaine, Hill, and Cascade counties.

• January 21 – Four students at Missoula High were injured, two seriously, when their chemistry experiment exploded.

• January 22 – British and American troops landed at Anzio.

• January 24 – Three died in a house fire six miles from Glasgow. Two miners were killed by a dynamite blast at the Brittania Mine in Butte.

• January 27 – The Soviet Red Army broke the 900-day siege of Leningrad. Robert Alexan Der Thornburg of Hamilton celebrated his 96th birthday. He fought with General Lee at Gettysburg and was believed to be the last Civil War veteran in Montana. Cold Wind (age 100) a Crow Scout who had ridden with General Nelson Miles at the Canyon Creek Battle against the Nez Perce, was buried at the Custer Battlefield.

Montana History Calendar 1942

Montana History Calendar 1941

Montana History Calendar 1930s

December 1943 in Montana

February 1944 in Montana

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Last two members of the “Devil’s Brigade” in Montana passed away last week

This week I learned of the death of Joe Glass and Mark Radcliffe, the last two members of the First Special Service Force living in Montana. Glass, originally from Canada, was 92, while Radcliffe was 94. Both men had lived in Helena for many years. Both men were heroes who saw too many of their friends and comrades killed in Italy and France. I mentioned Radcliffe in both editions of Montana’s Home Front During World War II. Radcliffe was also mentioned several times in “The Devil’s Brigade” by Robert H. Adleman and Col. George Walton. If you would like more information on the First Special Service Force, see my previous post, Suicide Mission: The First Special Service Force. The full story on the death of Glass and Radcliffe can found at the Helena Independent-Record.

FSSF
Joe Glass (l.) and Mark Radcliffe of the First Special Service Force

Senator Max Baucus introduced a Senate Resolution to honor the First Special Service Force in September, 2012.

My article on the history of the First Special Service Force can be seen here.

For more information, check out Montana’s Home Front During World War II.

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