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Wednesday, August 01, 2012

The way we were - On the lookout for Nazi saboteurs in1942

Seventy years ago today, the U.S. Border Patrol along with local police and the military were paying especially close attention to anyone entering Miami from the MacArthur, Venetian and 79th Street causeways.

Authorities were on high alert following the June, 1942 landings of Nazi saboteurs at Long Island N.Y. and Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville.

From the Miami Daily News, Aug. 2, 1942:
All cars were halted, some having their trunks inspected, and all persons were closely interrogated throughout Saturday and Saturday night.
Readers were also warned that area beaches would be off-limits after 9pm.  The story said if guards encountered anyone on the beach at night,  they might "shoot first and ask questions afterwards."

Also from the story:
Reports that negroes were not being stopped or questioned were discounted by eye-witnesses who saw members of the race stopped by border patrol officers on the 79th st causeway.

Click to enlarge.





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2 comments:

  1. Whack-a-moleAugust 01, 2012 11:37 PM

    Wait -- didn't the Miami Beach cops use this same plan for Memorial Day's Urban Weekend this year? Doesn't "Where were you born? and "Where do you work?" and "What do you do?" translate to today's "Lemme see your driver's license, credit card, car registration, and hotel reservation?"

    Oh, no -- it's okay. In 1942, "negroes were not stopped or questioned."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BillAugust 01, 2012 11:44 PM

      @ whack-a-mole: I was thinking the part about shooting first and asking questions afterwards was just like Urban Beach Weekend!

      Delete

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