A centavo bill issued by the Japanese Government during WWII as it invaded the Pacific uncovers a dramatic story — one that happened on the home front.
The bill was discovered in a box of foreign currency at a store in Largo, Florida, and shared with the North Wood County Historical Society. It includes a few scribbled names and places, one of them R. W. Stoiber of Marshfield.
Richard “Dick” Stoiber was a 20 year-old U.S. Navy third class ship fitter when he was reported dead in the Dec. 16, 1941 edition of the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. A navy telegram had stated he was lost in action at Pearl Harbor. He was on the U.S.S. California.
A requiem high mass was sung on Dec. 22 at St. John’s Catholic Church as Richard’s parents, Raymond and Ida Stoiber, spent the holiday grieving over the news of their oldest son.
But in a dramatic twist, they received the Christmas present of their lives when a letter postmarked Dec. 25 arrived at their N. Maple Ave. home the morning of Dec. 29. It was from Richard — their son was alive!
Both had already headed to work at the Roddis Lumber and Veneer Company plant and the Stock-Gro plant when their daughter Elaine called them to let them know the news. Mrs. Stoiber took the day off “almost delirious with joy” to go home and read the words that brought her missing son back to life.
Word spread quickly through the city and the Stoiber’s telephone was kept ringing as disbelieving friends called to verify the rumors.
In an interview with the paper, Mrs. Stoiber said there was always doubt in her mind and she hadn’t stopped praying for her son’s safe return.
Richard’s letter revealed nothing about his location, but he verified that he was okay, though he had lost all of his possessions. Apparently unaware of his status back home and the subsequent grief it had caused, he said, “This Christmas isn’t so merry, but I can be thankful at least that I am still alive.”
He explained that circumstances prevented him from writing any sooner but he had worried they might think he wasn’t okay. While the speed of the letter’s arrival indicated Richard wasn’t far from the coast, his parents and four siblings were content not knowing exactly where he was — just as long as he was alive.
In October 1943, Richard, now a petty officer first class, married Virginia Braem where he was stationed in Bremerton, Washington. Both had graduated from Marshfield High School.
Together with Ginny, Richard enjoyed attending many U.S.S. California ship reunions around the nation as well as Pearl Harbor anniversaries in Hawaii. Richard died November 24, 2001, almost 60 years after that fateful Christmas.
