As the flurry of World War II activity swept the nation, California served as the hub for many movements, industries, and institutions associated with the war effort. The city of Chino, located in San Bernardino county, California, proved to be no exception to the widespread trend. Residing in the Inland Empire, the predominantly agricultural establishment became a valuable contributor to the Allied efforts.

City Life, Regulation, & Protocol (1941-1942):

WWII had a significant impact on the city of Chino, a small farm town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. People feared another Japanese air-attack, so regulations were implemented. These surfaced through the institution of city-wide “blackouts.” Therefore, an ordinance was passed by city officials, regulating blackouts.[1] Rations were also implemented by the Mayor, by means of a “tire ration” in order to conserve rubber in an effort the war.[2] At council meetings, the chiefs of the Fire and Police Department, Art Wagner and Fred Tebo, introduced “alert steps” that were implemented in case of an attack or threat.[3] If people did not follow the rules, they were charged with a misdemeanor, fined $300 and imprisoned for up to three months or more.[4] Also, an area of concern was the safety of schools. All schools remained in session, only because of the development of an emergency procedure plan by Superintendent L.F. Collins.[5] Therefore, the city of Chino brought in State Guards to monitor various aspects of the city 24 hours day. Chino worked with Southern California Edison by patrolling the city’s water and sewage plants.[6] All residents that were not connected with the “Defense Program” were asked to remain calm, stay off the streets, and to avoid chaos if a plane were to fly over the area.[7] Residents were also addressed not to believe rumors about an attack and not to react until the alarm signal goes off.[8] Citizens were also instructed to understand the different air signals and know which ones were all-clear signals.[9] In conclusion despite the threat of attack, Chino citizens were able to proceed with their normal daily life but were ultimately prepared an action or threat of an attack.

Japanese-Americans (1941-1945):

During World War II, Chino conveyed certain anti-Japanese sentiments, like most of California citizens at the time. Days after the events of Pearl Harbor, it was reported that four Japanese men were arrested in Carbon Canyon, between present day Chino Hills and Yorba Linda, on suspicion of espionage.[10] Authorities believed that the group was trying to spy on the Cal-Aero academy, an institution which was visible from their location of arrest; the men were then transported to another jail, pending an interview by the FBI.[11] The people of Chino were on ‘high alert,’ as with the rest of California, in regards to the actions of Japanese-Americans.

In 1942, when many of the Japanese American citizens were evacuated and put into internment camps, five Chino Japanese-American families were affected by the process. Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt, the western defense commander, issued the order to San Bernardino and Riverside counties, demanding all Japanese residents to evacuate.[12] The five families, longtime residents of Chino, were forced to leave their homes with few belongings to be transported to Camp Poston in Parker, Arizona.[13] Later in 1945, the first Japanese-American family was admitted back into Chino. The Fujiwara family was the first to return back to their home after being exiled to a camp in Michigan.[14] Remarkably, even though the family was affected by the Japanese Exclusion Act, two of the young male members were stationed in Italy during the war.[15] Though there were only a few Japanese Americans who lived in Chino, they still suffered from ethno-racial prejudice.

Chino World War II Efforts in Schools & Transportation (1941-1944):

Chino’s involvement in World War II was similar to many of the small town middle America, from heroism under battle by hometown boys to buying bonds and saving scraps for the war effort. Chino at the time was a farming community, but still made a significant effort to the wartime needs. According to a newspaper article from the Chino Champion in 1987,

“Young Chino men scrambled to enlist, housewives donated old pots and pans to make tanks, and the government rationed sugar, cars, fires and meat. Inmates at the California Institution for Men volunteered themselves for “suicide” military units, townsfolk hung stars in their windows for each family member in the service, and just about everyone dreaded the sight of telegrams messengers, who often brought news of servicemen’s death.”[16]

Although written forty years later it really gave some insight into what the city of Chino did for the war effort. Schools and transportation were also affected by the war and were taking precautionary measures to keep people safe.

In 1942, before the school year began Superintendent Leonard F. Collins held the annual breakfast in which all members of the school board attended. His main effort was to address the war and how tough the school year would be.

“Every effort must be made, to carry out an energetic program pointing toward keeping the school going and at the same time maintaining our democracy. WE must meet the war conditions squarely and to give instruction that will build a stronger nation, mentally, morally and physically. Many of our teachers and young men are now in the armed forces, many more will go…never has there been more problems to solves and their solution requires courage, daring and character. We must do our job and do it well.”[17]

In the schools, their main focus was to do their job well and maintain these men to have morals, strong mentalities and physically fit to go to war. It was interesting to see how many teachers went away to war and all the young men that signed up to go to war. It really touches on how that causes a shortage for some teaching positions and attendance as well. The overall goal was to help support the war effort and also keeping their schools going through these tough times.

During the War, transportation was being used to supply the war and transport many service men. The Office of Defense Transportation gave the railroads authority to take trans-space from civilian passengers at any time, to make room for wounded servicemen. In an article published in the Chino Champion, the Southern Pacific Railroad put out an article warning travelers that they may not have seating and that there are not more trains being made. “We sincerely hope that the people planning trips not essential to the war effort will cancel their plans so that more room will be loft on trains, and so make it unnecessary to take these drastic steps. We are going to take car of the wounded men first.”[18] Many didn’t dare to argue with that, but there were some that became frustrated. They issued a statement saying how they weren’t going to make any more cars. “Why don’t we provide more cars, more trains? Virtually no new cars can be built during the wartime. Materials are scarce, and car builders have been making guns and tanks and other war equipment.”[19] Overall the war effort in Chino was put first. World War II affected many lives, for the goal was to try to maintain every effort to achieve victory.

Civilian Contributions, Mexican-American Servicemen, and the California Institute for Men (1942-1943):

Through Chinoan’s ‘day to day’ civilian efforts, contributions to the armed forces and defense services, as well as the aid provided by the inmates of the California Institute for Men, the city of Chino proved an integral player in the success story of the United States’ victory on the ‘Home Front.’

Like any other American city during WWII, residents of Chino were eager to aid in the war effort. Those who were not enrolled in the armed forces still wished to aid the Allies; thus, the Chino Champion ran advertisements encouraging the citizens of Chino to aid Uncle Sam in the war effort on the “Home Front.”[20] These types of advertisements also targeted “Farmers” to “Buy Bonds and Stamps Every Market Day,”[21] and “Laborers” to “Buy Bonds and Stamps Every Pay Day,”[22] expecting those who were not risking their lives to combat the Axis powers at least contribute some of their hard-earned pay. Similarly, a short clipping from another article warned “individuals or groups canning, drying or brining…foods for charitable purposes” to pay attention in regard to “regulations” to avoid state inspection and negative liability issues,[23] indicating that the agricultural community might have been preserving foodstuffs and supplies to send overseas. On a similar note, the Chino Champion commonly ran campaign advertisements and offered updates on scrap metal drives, urging civilians to “Keep getting in the scrap!” through a “private collection drive,” as the war wasn’t quite over and “all scrap metals [had] a war duty to fill.”[24] Likewise, the same source of news also warned motorists to conserve gasoline and rubber (from tires) by limiting excessive driving,[25] an indication that while Chino shared in the rich car culture of Southern California, the everyday life of Chinoans had become in some sense dictated by WWII.

When not residing at home, many native Chinoans aided in the WWII effort by serving in the forces. Therefore, the local paper commonly ran updates concerning those enlisted in the Army, Navy, and WACs, among other forces. Small article snippets titled, “Chino Youths of Mexican Parents” and “Many of These Mexican Youths,”[26] detailed the achievements of minority service men and indicated that the community not only took great pride in their native war heroes, but also served to explicitly note their ethnicity. However, not only civilians or those enlisted in the service who aided the effort; prisoners from the California Institute of Men were also impacted by the raging war. Created in the earlier years of WWII, the C.I.M. was praised by Superior Judge McKay for its “operation and its contribution to society,”[27] by the end of the war. While praise directed at a penal institution may seem out of place, the inmates did do much to contribute to the war effort. One example of the inmates’ dedication can be seen in the initial announcement of a “wartime guayule rubber plant program,” which would lease “lease 5,000 acres of Chino institution land to the United States Department of Agriculture,” and establish a “$500,000 guayule processing plant near the institution, which would require the “aid of the California Institution for Men at Chino.”[28] Therefore, even while incarcerated, the prisoners were required to pay their dues to society and to the legacy of Chino.

Like any other town in the United States, and especially in California, Chino aimed to put its best foot forward in contributing to the Allied effort in WWII. Thus, as Chinoans moved through the war years, they allowed their efforts to leave an imprint upon the city’s history.

[1]“Steps in War Effort Dominate News in 1942; Political Upheaval Highlighting of Year,” Chino Champion, January 1, 1943.

[2]“Steps in War Effort Dominate News in 1942; Political Upheaval Highlighting of Year,” Chino Champion, January 1, 1943.

[3]“All Chino Alert As America Goes to War,” Chino Champion, December 12th 1941.

[4]“Laws for Blackouts Passes in Special Session of Council,” Chino Champion, January 2nd, 1942.

[5]“Schools Given Instruction for Air Raids” Chino Champion, December 19th 1941.

[6]“All Chino Alert As America Goes to War,” Chino Champion, December 12th 1941.

[7]“All Chino Alert As America Goes to War,” Chino Champion, December 12th 1941.

[8]“Laws for Blackouts Passes in Special Session of Council,” Chino Champion, January 2nd, 1942.

[9]“All Chino Alert As America Goes to War,” Chino Champion, December 12th 1941.

[10]“Jap Spy Suspects, Equipment Nabbed in Canyon,” Chino Champion, December 12, 1941.

[11]“Jap Spy Suspects, Equipment Nabbed in Canyon,” Chino Champion, December 12, 1941.

[12]“Chino Japanese Families Leave Monday,” Chino Champion, May 22, 1942.

[13]“Chino Japanese Families Leave Monday,” Chino Champion, May 22, 1942.

[14]“Fujiwaras First Chino Nisei Family to Ranch Here,” Chino Champion, September 14, 1945.

[15]“Fujiwaras First Chino Nisei Family to Ranch Here,” Chino Champion, September 14, 1945.

[16]Brenda Alberson-Dunkie, “World War II Brings Out the Best in Chinoans,” Chino Champion, November 6, 1987.

[17]“Collins Points Schools to Goal of War Effort,” Chino Champion.

[18]Southern Pacific, “We Want you to be Forewarned,” Chino Champion, July 21, 1944.

[19]ibid.

[20]“Champion Forum: On Battle Front and Home Front,” Chino Champion, September 4, 1942, accessed May 6, 2018.

[21]“Farmers..,” Chino Champion, August 6, 1943, accessed May 6, 2018.

[22]“Laborers..,” Chino Champion, August 6, 1943, accessed May 6, 2018.

[23]“Short Session By Council Tuesday Eve: Two Communications, Reports ad Bills Only Business at Hand,” Chino Champion, August 6, 1943, accessed May 6, 2018.

[24]“It’s Not Over,” Chino Champion, September 4, 1942, accessed May 6, 2018.

[25]“Serve-By Conserving!” Chino Champion, September 4, 1942, accessed May 6, 2018.

[26]“Chino Youths of Mexican Parents,” Chino Champion, September 4, 1942, accessed May 6, 2018.; “Many of These Mexican Youths,” Chino Champion.

[27]“State’s Penal Facilities Condemned by Jurist: Superior Judge McKay Advocates Sweeping Reforms at Assembly Group Hearing on Jails,” Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1945, accessed May 6, 2018.