The following is an excerpt from the Leelanau Enterprise which appeared in the weeks following Pearl Harbor.
Governor Murray Van Wagoner, as head of all defense activities in Michigan has appointed the following persons to the defense council in Leelanau County: Robert E. Mervau, Chairman, Northport. Geneva Smith, Secretary, Suttons Bay.
George Johnson, Empire. Frederick Hahnenberg, Lake Leelanau.
Adolph Rufli, Buttons Bay. At a meeting of this council last Thursday, Dec. 18, the following department heads were appointed: Police Chief, Robert White, Cedar.
Fire Chief, Orville Kellogg, Northport.
Registration, Rudolph Lautner, Cedar, R. 2.
Transportation and Roads, Edwin Belanger, Buttons Bay.
Public Information, Gerald Selby, Suttons Bay.
Medical, Hospital, and Red Cross, Eva Robitaille, Buttons Bay.
Agriculture or Farm Service, Howard Buifiend, Glen Arbor.
Village President, Martin Martinson, Suttons Bay.
Defense Material, Salvage and Collection, Germaine Bussey, Northport.
Public Schools, Harry R. Dumbrille, Glen Arbor.
Communications, Clarence Cook, Northport.
Aviation, Harry Hall, Northport.
Women’s Organizations, Mrs. Herrick Waterman, Suttons Bay, R. 1.
There was a meeting of the council and department heads in Leland Saturday at which time plans were made for registering all persons in the county for civilian defense and the carrying out of defense activities.
It was decided to set aside one day in the near future for registration in the county. The date will be announced as soon as the organization for this county wide registration is set up.
Chairman Robert Mervau pointed out that our county has a comparatively small population, no defense factories or industrial plants, and has no overcrowded or congested population centers which would require special study. Therefore the county council has a somewhat shorter program than those in larger counties and have named fewer department heads.
Everyone is urged to watch for further announcements and be prepared to register for civilian defense.
