Millenials and others born in the modern era cannot grasp the impact of the instant communication they take for granted today.
In the WWII era it was often days or weeks or even longer before news of battles and other significant events made it into the newspapers and news magazines or onto the radio.
When men boarded troop ships on voyages to join the battle it could be months or longer before their families had any news of them.
Today they can telephone or message their loved ones from the most remote corners of the world.
Donald J. Trump
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China talks are going very well!
5:13 AM - 7 Dec 2018
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1071030014123098112
Good point, Vlad.
My uncle’s ship was sunk by a U-Boat in the Atlantic, the USS Block Island (CVE-21) in May, 1944. It was an escort carrier with 24 aircraft. The U-Boat was then sunk as well.
The news of its sinking was withheld for one year, until after the war in war in Europe ended, so the enemy would not know if they were successful.Also, to maintain morale stateside.
In the meantime, he and almost all of the crew were rescued, brought stateside, and were put intact into the crew of the new USS Block Island (CVE-106), and fought in the Pacific.
It was the first time the Navy put an entire crew from one ship to another.
Six men died in the sinking. Six planes were in the air at the time. Two pilots crash landed by friendly Portuguese shipping vessels and survived. As Portugal was neutral, they were interned until the war ended. Four others headed east toward land and were never heard from again. Not enough fuel.
Such were the daily losses and unknown fates of the time.
When men signed up for WW2 service and went overseas, it was for the duration of the war. There were no trips home every six months. So many lost their lives but all made great sacrifices.