Today in World War II History
Adm. Frank Jack Fletcher, September 1942 (US Navy photo)70 Years Ago—Oct. 11, 1943: Vice Adm. Frank Jack Fletcher succeeds Thomas Kinkaid over North Pacific Area. World Series concludes: New York Yankees defeat St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 1.
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Emily
(new)
Oct 11, 2013 08:40PM
I asked my grandma tonight over dinner if she was alive during WWII. She said she was about six when it started and about nine when it was over. I asked her if she remembered much, and she said no, everyone was quiet around children. (Had you gathered that from your research? I wonder how much would be filtered if such a ting were to happen in this day and age?) One thing she said has always stuck with her, she said she overheard, I think it was her dad, say that the Japanese were so cruel that the had these metal things, I forget the technical name, tied to trees so that anyone who would try to climb up one trees for safety would be shed to bits. Did you know that!?! The horrors of war...
reply
|
flag
Hi Emily! Actually, from what I've read (and so many I've talked to), your grandmother's experience is unusual. A lot of readers who were children in WWII write me with their stories - from watching dads/uncles go to war, to collecting tin & paper for scrap drives, to buying war bond stamps, to watching for enemy planes. They also remember rationing and shortages. And no, I haven't heard of those metal-tree-things, but my research has focused on Europe rather than the Pacific. Yes, war is horrible.
Wow... interesting. About her experience, I mean. I asked her about a victory garden even, but she didn't act like they'd had one. She said she did remember her mother getting a telegram that her brother had died... get this: their house was at the bottom of a hill, nestled away, but the mailbox was out by the road. They found the telegram, who knows how many days late, with the news. Nobody came to the door. That is unusual isn't it? I haven't done all the research that you have, but that didn't seem right to me.
No, it doesn't seem right to me either, but maybe that was because she wasn't next-of-kin??? Perhaps the to-the-door delivery was only for next-of-kin.
Would a mother not be considered next of kin to her son? I don't know... maybe it was different by state?
Oh, I misunderstood - I thought you said it was her brother :) Honestly, I don't know how that all worked. Most of the stories I've heard involve the telegraph to the door - but it might also have been different for rural areas???? I don't know.
Ah, the mysteries of life... Thank you for your input!
