I was 10 years old when World War II ended. Not old enough to understand why it happened but old enough to remember events associated with that war and my family.
My father was 29 in 1942 but he was deferred because he and Mama had 3 kids at that time. Until 1945 he worked at Westinghouse for the war effort. Three more sisters and another brother came along and we became a big family.
For most older folks looking back now at that time, “rationing” seems to come to mind. As a little girl then, these are part of my memories.
Items like meat, sugar, butter, gas, tires, nylon stockings, etc. were going to be in short supply during the war. Each person was issued a ration book with just so many coupons for each rationed item.
Photo credit: deflam / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
8,000 ration boards were created in 1942 to administer these restrictions. Even newborn babies were issued their own ration book.
Photo credit: deflam / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
In place of butter we used something called Oleo. It looked like a small block of lard and came with a packet of yellow food coloring to mix in. It tasted strange.
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It was suggested you drive no more than 35 MPH to save wear and tear on your tires.
Photo credit: HuTDoG83 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
An “A” sticker on your car meant you were allowed 4 gallons of gas per week. My father would put the car in neutral and coast down hills.
Photo credit: scrosske2 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Air mail letters from my uncle stationed in England arrived with large sections deleted by the War Department.
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The day the war ended there were mobs of people celebrating across the country, including my hometown, Canton, Ohio. I remember the day well.
We took my grandmother’s 1935 Packard downtown to join the crowds and the car was almost swamped with guys jumping up and down on the car’s running boards.
Photo credit: brizzle born and bred / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
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Next Post, Next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by!
Joan
Items like meat, sugar, butter, gas, tires, nylon stockings, etc. were going to be in short supply during the war. Each person was issued a ration book with just so many coupons for each rationed item.
Photo credit: deflam / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
8,000 ration boards were created in 1942 to administer these restrictions. Even newborn babies were issued their own ration book.
Photo credit: deflam / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
Photo credit: Foter.com / CC BY-SA
It was suggested you drive no more than 35 MPH to save wear and tear on your tires.
Photo credit: HuTDoG83 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Photo credit: scrosske2 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Photo credit:
The day the war ended there were mobs of people celebrating across the country, including my hometown, Canton, Ohio. I remember the day well.
We took my grandmother’s 1935 Packard downtown to join the crowds and the car was almost swamped with guys jumping up and down on the car’s running boards.
Photo credit: brizzle born and bred / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
If you would like to respond, just click the link below that refers to “comment.”
Of course I have no memory of the war but I did come across a piece of V-mail sent to my mother on the birth of a new baby boy. The uncle who sent this was stationed overseas when he wrote this letter in July, 1942. Soldiers' letters were transferred to film and then printed on very small-sized paper so huge quantities of mail could be sent in fewer pouches.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the exact wording but it was quite poignant, welcoming the baby to "this war-torn world" and hoping for a better future. I presented the letter to that baby's son just a few years ago and he was amazed and thrilled to have it. I'm sure he'll cherish it and pass it down to his own son.