No I did not see it, really don't go to the movies too much, but I can
remember like it was yesterday. I was standing in the living room when
it came over the radio. I called for my Mom and we stood there and
cried. I remember listening to President Roosevelt giving his speech and
seeing the headlines. I have many sad memories of the war, but also many
fond memories. I do remember the blackouts, the ration stamps for sugar,
meat etc. Also was only allowed 3 gal of gas a week, Dad put the car up
on cinder blocks in the garage for the duration of the war. The
headlights of all cars were painted 1/2 black so there would be no
reflections, and all the stores had to paint their front windows 2/3 of
the way with black paint, all curtains had to be drawn so no lights
would show as soon as it was dark. We had 200.000 soldiers in Atlantic
City training, a Naval Base in Pomona, about 12 miles from us, also a
Navy Base in Cape May. It was a sad time in our history but also
exciting to young people. Of course we only could read in the papers and
see the news at the movies, So many of our young men died during that
war. Towards the end they made Atlantic City a place for the wounded to
return. The Haddon Hall was made into a hospital, name the England
General Hospital. Then is when you realized how many were so badly hurt
when you would see them with no legs, or arms off. I worked on the
boardwalk in the summer and saw so much. I will never forget that. Of
course we have had several wars since then, and I think the VietNam war
was so sad since some of the people and even our gov't were not
committed to give our boys all of the support that they were so entitled
too. Sorry, I went off again, but some of you who were not born yet
might like to hear from my experience and the memories I have of Pearl
Harbor. Of course this is only the tip of what I remember.
I remember reading the front page headlines that GERMANY SINKS ROBIN
MOORE, a Merchant Marine ship that was supposed to be carrying
foodstuffs and clothing to England. It was so scarey/ This was just
before we went to war against Germany. Everyone was up in arms and of
course had reason to be, but about 6 months into the war, a fellow I
knew came home on leave from the Merchant Marine and told us the story
about the German sub, and how it radioed our ship and the capt of the
sub came aboard and told them to get off the ship because they were
going to sink it because we were sending supplies to their enemy
(England). They let all the men get off the ship into the lifeboats,
made sure they had food and water and when they got far enough away, the
Germans sank the ship. This fellow Tom, told us the ship was loaded with
tanks, guns and amunition, not clothing and food which was printed in
the paper. He said the Captain was very mannerly and he said he was
sorry as we were not at war but this was his orders. Fortunately all the
men were picked up and were all safe. It wasn't long after, the U.S.
declared war on Germany, which we all know was inevitable. I remember
after that happened then the whole country pulled together. I know in
our little town most of the boys joined the service, or was drafted. I
know the men got $21.00 a month for serving. Not much money even in
those days. That was the beginning of women going to work in the
factories. I think that also was the beginning of women wanting equal
rights. I was 14 when the war started, but when I was 16 I went to work
in my Uncle's factory doing war work. Of course I still went to school,
and only worked part time. but I made 75 cents an hour. Only worked
weekends, cause I worked in woolworths during the week after school,
that was in the winter. In the summer I worked on the boardwalk in
Atlantic City. I loved going to work earl in the morning and watching
the soldiers marching down the boardwalk, singing. They even had a troop
that rode horses on the beach. I think I told you how dark it was during
the war with no lights shining toward the ocean. There were a lot of USO
canteens around but I was too young. Had to be 18. so we more or less
had our own at home. My mom and dad always had servicemen for dinner and
holidays. We also had daylight savings time all during the war, in order
to conserve energy. Of course we didn't have oil heaters, only coal and
wood. and coal was hard to come by. They needed the coal for the troop
trains etc. no deisel trains then. No jets either. in fact a lot of
things weren't thought of back then. I can't remember the name of the
planes that the Germans came out with toward the end of the war, but I
think it was the beginning of the jet age. They were very fast, but not
better than us. The Japanese used the Kamikazi planes, where a flyer
would more or less commit suicide by flying their plane right into our
ships. I knew a couple of fellows that were prisoners of war in Japan,
it must have been horrible, not that they talked about it much, but the
mental scars showed. Well, just wrote another book. Have so many
memories. some sad and some were fun. Have to put on my thinking cap and
decide what you might like to hear about. Hope you are all well. Lots of
love and hugs to all.
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