Nearly everyone had a loved one, friend or neighbor involved in the war, and flags with the appropriate stars were hung from many windows all over America, indicating a loved one at war - or one or more who died in action.
My father served in WW I at Kelly Field in Texas, instructing Army Air Corps pilots on airplane engines.
At 42 when Pearl Harbor took us into WW II, he could not enlist, but as an engineer, was based in Atlanta with The War Production Board, responsible over the seven Southeastern States.
Any war production plant with a 'problem,' meant his flying there to "fix it."
At age 7 to 9, many is the time I went to the Miami Airport to meet his plane, home for a weekend, or taking him to fly back to Atlanta.
I vividly remember being tired one day, sitting on the floor and struggling to get on frilly pink socks and my Sunday patent shoes, and Mom hurrying me..:))
The next door neighbor's son was the age of my older sister, and was in the Air Corps -- Bill was sent to England, and had many missions over Europe as a tailgunner in a bomber, trapped in that little bubble with no way to escape enemy fire...just pray and hit the trigger first, and don't miss...
After the war, Bill and Anne married, and he went to work for Eastern Airlines in Miami, eventually promoted to a desk job.
Seven years and two little daughters later, he was stricken with both spinal and bulbar polio, and was treated at Children's Hospital there; after a year, able to be home on a rocking bed they provided. All costs were borne by The March of Dimes, including twice weekly taken by ambulance for treatments.
In November of 1953, however, he worsened and was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami to a ward for seriously ill and totally paralyzed polio patients.
Among several men there, many who had no one or whose loved ones seldom or *never* visited, Bill shared his love of the Lord, and was to many a sustaining force.
A True Hero to the very end, in January 1954, his life was honored by
a full half side of the page editorial in The Miami Herald, dedicated to his life and efforts.
Heroes were the norm then, and I still hold Bill in my memories and heart.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful story with us, Lady. You are such a wonderful story-teller! (((hugs)))
Thanks for the memories LadyX.
I had a brother-in-law that served us well in both WWII and Korea. A hero indeed... but unassuming and such a gentle, kind man. He went to be with the Lord some 12 years ago..... so now he flies with the angels.
Hugs to you lady......
Nana
As engineer for the War Production Board, he was probably known by my Mother and Father who worked at Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville Arsenal respectively. I feel sure that he was called in when the plant in which my Mother worked exploded, killing all but three people, my Mother being one to survive.
Your friend, Bill, died at Jackson Mem. the year I arrived in Miami. I had good friends who worked for Eastern Airlines in Miami. Just more times and people who crossed paths in our lives. How did we miss finding one another for so long? Could it be because we were both so busy moving from place to place, and just missing one another by inches?