Dec. 19, 1943: Los Angeles prepares to celebrate Christmas with a focus on service members, while U.S. troops fight the Nazis in hand-to-hand combat for the Italian town of San Pietro. 

The Times story by James Warnack (d. 1958) begins: 

“Thanks to American patriots whose love and sacrifice have kept their homeland safe, Los Angeles will join the nation next Saturday in celebrating the birthday of freedom’s greatest champion, the Carpenter of Nazareth.

The Man whose matchless career demonstrated the power of righteousness over the forces of evil will be remembered in sermon, song and story and in deeds of kindness inspired by the life He led and Gospel He taught.”

I think it’s safe to say that sort of writing never appears in American newspapers anymore. It is definitely of its era.

David Hargrave, 3, waits in vain for Santa, who was delayed by rain.

The Elks will give a Christmas party for the families of 200 members of the Elks who were taken prisoner by the Japanese on Wake Island.

On the bestseller list: “So Little Time,” “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” “Under Cover” and “Burma Surgeon.”

The Times announces the guests of its National Sports Award Dinner at the Biltmore Bowl. The main speaker will be Amos Alonzo Stagg, who is the Rose Parade grand marshal. Also attending: Jim Jeffries, Pop Warner and Jim Thorpe.

Life magazine names as movie of the year “The North Star,” by Lillian Hellman, which will be cited in the blacklist era as a sign of communist influences in Hollywood.

And Philip K. Scheuer interviews 29-year-old Bowen Charleton Tufts III, better known as Sonny Tufts.