By: Paige Cline

Some folks expressed interest in the events of the early war years as they pertained to the way the people of the county lived with the ominous clouds of a terrible war hovering over almost every aspect of their lives. 
A headline in this paper in April of 1942 proclaimed ” Wyoming County Again Goes to War.” About 600 citizens gathered to wave goodbye to 70 boys called to the armed forces. Among the recruits were Jim Warner of Wyoming, James Hubbard of Glen Rogers and Francis King of Wyco. 
Jacqueline Kirk, daughter of The Rev. and Mamie Kirk was valedictorian of Pineville High. 
Luther Avant announced the re-opening of Riverside Lunch in Baileysville. 
Frank Crowley died and 100 more men were called to the service, including U.J.Shannon of Pineville and Jack Goode of Mullens. 
Sugar was rationed and Oceana High senior class presented a play called ” Silas Smidge from Turnip Ridge.” It starred Virginia Stewart, Garnet Lambert, James Brooks, Geneva Short, Virginia Canterbury, Ronald Cook, Isabell Jordan, Verna Jackson, Baxter Francis, Arlie Adams, Billy Davidson and Freda Jones. 
Preston Wilson, brother of the popular Wilson girls Elizabeth and Klara Mae, left for the service as did Oran McKinney of Basin, Ivan Mullins of of Pineville, Mason Kenneda of Simon, Roosevelt and Nathan Paynter of Cyclone, Buster Daniels of Clear Fork, Bob Hawkins of Kopperston and Oscar Morgan of North Spring. 
A headline in May, 1942 read “Cabot to Drill Gas Wells in County.” 
The Independent Herald was sent free to men and women in uniform all over the world. Letters were received from Stacey Price, Gordon Tilley, Dennis Shumate and Robert Worrell. 
Lilly Land Co. was offering lots for $250 in a new subdivision to be called Lynco–$10 down, $5 a month. 
Babe Morgan of Oceana defeated Paul Goode in a chicken eating contest at he home of Chess Stewart. Morgan easily defeated Goode and A.G.Lugar, Sr. came in a poor third. Goode contended that if he hadn’t eaten dinner at home and eaten a can of sardines and a box of crackers and a watermelon on his way to the contest, he would have done better. 
Young men who had a few weeks earlier been working, hunting and swimming in Wyoming County were writing letters to The Independent Herald from such places as Mississippi, Utah, Washington, Oklahoma, “somewhere” in the South Pacific and “somewhere” in North Africa. Places that were only a spot on the map not too long ago. 
e” in the South Pacifin Herald from such places as Mississwimming in Wyoming County 
Coffee was rationed in November, 1942–folks on the home front made their sacrifices to do what they could to help their friends and family fighting the war, far, far from home.