Pearl Harbor Day

I remembered it is Pearl Harbor Day after I wrote the previous post. Since I have missed a few days, I guess it is ok to have two posts on one day.

I remember listening to the radio with my folks. We did that a lot back then to hear the "soaps."  One Man's Family, Lux Radio Theater, Ma Perkins, Aunt Jennie's Real Life Stories, The Guiding Light, Fibber McGee and Molly, Red Skelton, Bob Hope,  Inner Sanctum, Major Bowes Amateur Hour.
Those are the ones I remember.

However on one Sunday we heard a news bulletin. These were rare then - not "Breaking News" every hour. The Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. Ships destroyed and hundreds of service men killed.

It was very scary for a ten year old. My folks remained calm but I knew it was very serious. I wondered if they would bomb our country, state or town.

The next morning at school we heard President Roosevelt speak to Congress. (Each room had a small radio that was usually used to hear an educational program.) I do not remember if there was any discussion. We were in a room that was split down the middle - half fifth grade and half sixth grade.

Later there were paper drives, metal drives, saving grease and buying war stamps at school every week. My folks wanted to buy bonds so they let me bring $18.75 to school to purchase a book of stamps. Then I licked them, filled the book and they took it to the bank to get a regular certificate. In ten years that would return $25.00. I've forgotten how to figure interest, but it sounds like a pretty good deal. And we felt we were helping the war effort!

Our janitor at Roosevelt Grade School was Mr. Welles. We bought him a money belt as a gift when he entered the army. Sadly, he was one who did not return. Everybody had a relative or close friend in the service. Women went to work in the factories building planes, tanks and jeeps.

In less that four years it was over. Britain, Russia, Canada, called the Allies, managed to defeat the Axis: Germany, Japan and Italy, in a truly world wide war.

When it was over, I was fourteen, had my driver's license and we drove up and down Main Street, Hutchinson, KS, honking and cheering. It was the closest thing we ever had to a traffic jam.