memories

We are an innocent generation, patriotic, caring and appreciate life and what it has to offer. Younger generations sometimes feel us to be ignorant of the real life. Most of us have lived while we witnessed first hand the horrors of World War II. We managed to live without automobiles (some people) savings accounts, air conditioners, television, electricity, pipeline water, computers, among other things which are taken for granted today. Most of us had telephones. Party lines. The number of rings indicated the person which the phone call was for. Many spent time listening to other people's conversations - ha.

We managed to lead our lives with happiness, with what we had available through the love for one another, during these difficult times. No one ever complained, as is typical of the present time.

During our high school years, many of us who lived on a farm, lived in boarding houses. Very impersonal, and lonely. Our high school days were not filled with dating, our boyfriends were overseas serving their country with pride, in order tha we would be safe from harm during WWII. Our only concern was that they would return safely home. We girls would share letters received from friends "over there" somewhere, never knowing exactly where they were. We giggled and cried over the contents. We attended movies at the local theatre, sobbed during the news reels which had combat films of current conditions in Europe, South Pacific, etc. Then, the movies during the forties were usually were concerning love stories - we are a romantic generation. Most of us would take boxes of Kleenex. Still, no one complained, we were aware that each of us must bear the unfortunate circumstances in our own way and go on with our lives.

During 1942 in the winter after Pearl Harbor, our High School seemed to be very unsettled. The guys were unhappy regarding the war which had been declared, concerned about which service to join, rather than being drafted, etc. For some reason, almost everyone in our class "went on strike" and refused to attend classes. The guys when seeing our Principal in the hallways, would salute their arms forward and yell "heil Hitler". They toilet papered his house, and pulled all sort of pranks. Extremely unlike the happy teenagers they once were. These were not happy times for any one. The Japanese had attacked our beautiful country and disrupted our lives. We could not imagination how terrible it would become. At our high school prom, there were only two or three boys from a graduating class of 54 in our small community. We danced with lower classmates. All of us were raised under strict supervision and morals. When our fellows came home on leave, even moreso. My dad saw to it that we came directly to my house after a movie. Then, should we linger by sitting in the car talking, he would brandish his flashlight in our faces and state that we should be saying goodbye, we understood.

I do not recall having gone out for dinner, until the late forties. We had the problem with gas rationing stamps, sugar, chocolate (soy bean candy bars were in) AND horrible horsemeat hamburgers, among other things. Yuck. Certainly could tell the difference. And, oh yes, nylons. Where were they? We placed leg makeup on our legs, to give the appearance of nylons, and used an eyebrow pencil to draw lines down the back of our legs. During those day, nylon stockings had seams. Keeping the seams straight was not always easy. Should you get caught in the rain, the leg makeup would run, really a mess - ha.

After graduation from High School the search was on to locate employment. Was able to locate one after taking a civil service exam, as a typist with the Army Recruiting. Eventually was promoted and involved with swearing in ceremonies at the base. Then promoted to preview combat films to be sent to the camps, and of course comedy and other films. My personal opinion was that I was too young for these decisions, was only 18 years old, what did I know about making these decisions. Did not need to be concerned about that long though. I mentioned my job responsibilities to a gal who had seniority rights, therefore was "bumped" from the job - ha. The films were actual combat films. Horrible. Was extremely difficult to imagine how these guys coped. Even realizing that they had no choice. One interesting aspect turned up. I witnessed my first view of a naked man - ha. He was taking a shower outside with only a showerhead and him visible "somewhere in the Pacific" it was stated. Thought about that many times, will need to admit. I felt guilty about my life as it was, realizing all of the atrocities our young brave men were going through. There was nothing I could do about it.

Recall making a statement to my girlfriend upon receipt of my first month's pay check, "they are paying me for having such fun and meeting new people?" Those were the days when you could purchase a pair of high heels for $5. We usually made our dresses in the familiar style then which was referred to as "sack dresses". My girlfriend and I, who I shared a rented room with, made lots of them by hand. You purchased a yard or more of material, sewed up the sides, leaving arm holes, cut out a neck design, hemmed everything up, placed a belt on, and you had an outfit. Of course, added a perky little hat, gloves and purse to set it off. Unless you were attending a picnic, you always wore high heels, even of course, when jitterbugging.

We dated sometimes. Most of us had boyfriends overseas. We had a scheme. Should some handsome sailor ask for a date, we always insisted on a foursome. Then after the meal, we excused ourselves, then skipped out the back door, running and giggling. Of course, we had always suggested a restaurant where we knew it had a back door which we could exit, and were aware of the streetcar schedules.

Our brave fellas fighting a war, would have loved being home and dating, and we certainly would have been happy also. The guys not only were suffering the hardships of WWII, were concerned in the possibility of receiving a so called "dear john" letter. Many of them did unfortunately.

After it was declared World War II when other countries were involved, the atrocities caused by the mentally deranged creature named "Hitler" was so unbelievable, even to this day. We could never understand how this monster could create followers. As we listened to the horrifying news over our radios we were sickened indeed. The Nazis were making lampshades out of the skins of prisoners, harassing females to wooden carts with wooden wheels to pull heavy loads and using whips should they stumble and fall, removing the breasts of females so as to make better physical workers because they felt their breasts were in the way, using males and females for experimental purposes by removing parts of their bodies, sterilizing women so that they would not be able to reproduce because they desired a blonde German race for future generations, pulling children away from their families to be destroyed should they not fill the requirements of the German image wished, stripping the clothing from Jewish prisoners and all possessions, then forcing them into an apparent "shower" which instead was a gas chamber from which there was no escape, or forcing them nude into huge dug out graves where they would be shot then when the trenches were filled with dead bodies, fill it up with soil, the prisoners clothing was stacked in a pile and gone through later for money and gold which the prisoners had attempted to hide in their clothing. Oh, SO many horrible, inhumane and unbelievable matters which involved human beings as punishment for their heritage.

There was a German prisoner of war camp near where we lived. Dad would save gasoline ration stamps in order for the family members to visit. I was young, and could never understand why anyone would care to see a human being entrapped. It was revolting to me. I mentioned this to my Dad. He stated there were no food starved or battered victims in OUR camps. We both recalled movie reels shown before the movies. I had to agree. Our men, especially in the Pacific, were suffering cruel inhumane treatment. Such as being placed in small wooden crates for days, or tied down and having their fingernails pulled out for not divulging troop movements, etc.

Our American soldiers suffered horrific treatment, they were only provided rice as a food, sometimes bread, were on starvation diets and beaten periodically. Have heard the unreasonable punishments by the Japanese were even worse than Hitler in Germany. This is an excerpt from a stats report, "Another country that got away relatively easily from its war crimes is Japan. If one counts civilian casualties only, Japan's invasions were far more brutal than Germany's invasions. They killed, enslaved and raped millions of civilians. Japan was the only country to use chemical weapons, and it pioneered biological warfare by dropping plague, cholera and anthrax germs on Chinese villages. The number of people submitted to medical experiments in Japan's secret labs is much higher than the number of German prisoners who suffered the same fate. Nobody will ever know the number of "sex slaves" who were used (probably more than one million) and who died (sources say up to 90%). Prisoners of war in German camps were not mistreated (only 1% died) but prisoners of war in Japanese camps were used as slave laborers (and 31% died). If one includes China and all the occupied countries (Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc), Japan caused the death of about 12 million civilians, far more than those caused by Germany".

No wonder these WWII Vets live with nightmares, and cannot possibly discuss these situations.

We must also not forget the Native Americans, the Navajo, Sioux, Choctaw and Comanche who provided their language, and were referred to as "code talkers", which could never be decoded by the Japanese. Many of their lives were sacrificed also by brave men serving and protecting the country they loved,

WAR IS HELL! That is an understatement. We, back home were made aware of these matters through newsreels at the movie theatre. The female Japanese referred to as Tokyo Rose spread junk on radio lines heard by our armed forces for punishment if our country did not surrender, and other propaganda, including "who is your girlfriend dancing with tonight?", etc . Will not go into that. Thankfully, the "ENOLA GAY" bomber with its cargo of an atomic bomb pretty much took care of that country, with another attack following.

Even to this day, have observed, you NEVER hear any complaints from a WWII Veteran who has served in combat. They felt honored to serve their country during a time of need. All of we Americans owe a lot to these brave men and women, who survived the rigors of war, and left our country free as it is today, THEY SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN!