Letter to the Editor

Your View

Tuesday, October 2, 2001

Another time recalled

On Tuesday, Sept. 11, my daughter called to relay the shocking news. In disbelief, I had flashbacks of that horrendous day in December 1941.

In our home, every meal was laced with conversation concerning Adolph Hitler and FDR.

Willingly, we donated some of our most precious treasures that were auctioned at Victory War Bond rallies. Salvage drives were the rage. Our schools canceled classes for students to scavenge for metal from old tractors or otherwise useless materials laying in waste. Nearly half of the country's war needs of steel, tin and paper were provided by civilian salvage efforts. Paper shortages prompted publishers to experiment with "soft-cover" books.

We became accustomed to long distance five-minute phone calls, gas rationing, 35 mph victory speed limits, and girls learned to secure pin curls with toothpicks. Also on the ration list were tires, cars, sugar, butter, coffee, cheese, flour, fish and canned goods. Conservation was noted on clothing - no hoods, pant cuffs, pleats, tucks, zippers or metal fasteners were used. The idea of "separates" or interchangeable clothes was introduced. Citizens were limited to three pairs of shoes a year. The Selective Service Act was passed in September 1941 (the first peacetime draft) and women were recruited. The 93rd Infantry, an all-black combat division, was organized. Clocks were turned ahead one hour in February (later to be known as Daylight Savings Time).

Many movie stars and professional baseball players answered their country's call. Women took defense industry jobs, working in positions usually held by men. "Rosie the Riveter" was born.

A small group of German POWs were housed at Conran and worked on local farms, overseen by gun-carrying military. A young prisoner, no older than 15, became ill and was brought to our home when the prison base was contacted to enable him to see a doctor. The boy was crying and muttering, "I want to go home! I want to go home!" I was a year younger. He was homesick. I wept with him.

People of Japanese descent in the United States were placed in government-run internment camps for the duration of the war.

We should remember not to hate a nation - it is the evil people within that nation who are the culprits.

Were those hardships on families? I never heard anyone complain. Would I sacrifice again? Do I love America? You betcha!

Margaret Noe