Thousands stormed the business district of Williamsport last night as they joyously celebrated the surrender of the Japs.

President Truman’s official announcement of peace given by radio at 6 p.m. Eastern War Time set off a demonstration never excelled in this city and probably only equaled by the jubilation which followed the signing of the Armistice in World War I on November 11, 1918.

The excitement that prevailed here all yesterday, starting at 3:10 a.m. when railroad whistles touched off a premature celebration, was dwarfed to insignificance when compared to the spontaneous outburst that developed upon the issuance of the President’s proclamation.

Immediately following the Presidential announcement from the White House, Mayor Leo Williamson appeared on the microphone at WRAK radio station and read to the waiting thousands his proclamation for Williamsport.

As agreed in earlier plans, he called for a community assembly in front of City Hall one hour after the proclamation. The parade was delayed however, by heavy and unmanageable traffic so that it did not begin before 8:45 p.m.

For Williamsport and Lycoming County, the surrender of Japan meant the end of 44 months of warfare which started on the fateful day of Dec. 7, 1941, when the Jap planes descended on Pearl Harbor.

It meant to the more than 9,000 men and women from this county who have been serving on every battle front of the global war may now anticipate ultimate release from the armed forces and return home.

An estimated 2,000 persons paraded along a route lined by about 25,000 residents.

Police estimated at 9:45 last night that another 10,000 had jammed their way within hearing distance of the hastily erected platform in the front of the municipal building.

It was from that platform that Williamsport gave formal expression to its thanksgiving, and there too, it paused in respectful tribute to the 305 men and one woman from Lycoming County now known to have died in World War II.