The night that the lights went out in Lucas County

Collective memories fade as the number of Lucas Countyans who experienced the World War II years declines. As a result, many of the war-related efforts (and fears) of the civilian population have been mostly forgotten.

One of those fears early in the war was that cities in the United States might come under aerial attack, a possibility that seems unlikely in retrospect but, at the time, resulted in a massive nationwide effort to prepare the population for blackouts should they be needed --- even in villages like Russell, Derby, Lucas and Williamson.

Efforts like this were useful team-building tools, too, at a time when a united population was vital to the war effort.

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Iowa's first blackout --- well publicized in advanced as to timing, duration and protocol --- was staged during December of 1942 and, in Chariton, deemed a success. Citizens were warned that the next blackout drill would be a surprise.

As spring advanced toward summer, 1943, town and village neighborhoods across the county were divided into segments and wardens, messengers and runners assigned. Protocols were advertised widely. The "Memorize the Blackout Signals" box here was published in The Chariton Herald Patriot of May 20, 1943.

And then on Wednesday, May 26, orders came from Des Moines and the blackout sirens sounded across the county. Here's a report of the event as published in The Herald-Patriot the next day, Thursday, May 27, under the headline, "Report Blackout Success Wednesday Night."

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Chariton residents and business firms in general responded willingly and quickly to the unannounced blackout staged here Wednesday night, it was reported by G.W. McCurdy, civilian defense head, here today.

Jim Holmes, county controller, received the alert from Des Moines at 8:40 p.m.; the caution signal at 9:32; the action signal (or actual blackout signal) at 9:50; and the all-clear at 10:20. He immediately relayed the messages as they came in to the other towns in the county and to the civilian defense headquarters located in the basement of the Legion Home.

The Marshall Chevrolet Co. and the Eikenberry Lumber Co. were the only two businesses that did not blackout. It was reported that a few lights came on over town when the second signal was sounded, but were quickly turned off. The cause of this was believed to be a misunderstanding of the signals. It was also reported that only one family refused to extinguish their lights during the test blackout.

There was some confusion in blacking out the town of Williamson, but Russell, Derby and Lucas reported 100 percent results. All messengers, wardens, auxiliary police, etc., made their reports to the Office of Civil Defense headquarters in the Legion basement.

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As it turns out neither Marshall Chevrolet Co. nor Eikenberry Lumber Co. had gone over to the dark side. Signs at both businesses ordinarily were lighted all night and employees designated to go uptown and turn the lights off if and when the blackout "caution" siren sounded neglected to do so.