MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II VETS

About the Book

Many of the vets I interviewed asked me why I was interested in World War II. I never forgot when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I was five years old and standing at the end of the kitchen counter next to the black art deco style radio. The announcer was very loud and excited but I didn’t know what he was talking about. My mother was at the other end of the counter standing in front of the kitchen sink washing a dish. All of a sudden she turned off the water and came over to stand in front of the radio. I had never seen a look on her face like that before. She called my dad to come here. Both of them stood in front of the radio with these shocked and unbelieving faces! I never forgot that experience. We next went to Sunday school and church and I remember all of the adults were talking to each other in low tones with stunned looks on their faces.

About the Author

Every woman in the small town of Syracuse, Kansas, where I was born, took turns making coffee and donuts for the soldiers and sailors who came through on the troop trains and stopped at the depot. The troops all had smiles on their faces and leaned out the windows. They would hand us letters to be mailed. When I was eight years old, I told my sister “Let’s entertain them.” And so we tap danced for them. They all laughed and clapped. One soldier said to me, “You are very pretty.” I remember my eyes getting very big. He said, “I will remember this town and will come back for you after the war. Will you wait for me and marry me?” I opened my eyes wide and slowly nodded my head “yes.” The engine tooted and he and his buddies were looking at me and laughing. They waved goodbye and I did too. He called to me as the train started pulling out. “Remember I am coming back for you!” I turned to my sister and said, “I have to tell mother I’m getting married.” We went into the depot and I told mother and all the women were howling with laughter so hard including my mother! America’s wars have always been of great interest to me because my great grandmother was a second cousin to Robert E. Lee. I became very proud of the heroics of all service men who have defended our country. I am very proud to have worked at Northrop Grumman. I worked on the Secret B-2 program. I received a letter of commendation from the Chief of Directorate Air Force for updating our contract as a contract administrator. I then became a senior buyer and bought an item that belonged in the cockpit. I was in AV-2 cockpit checking on what I bought. AV-2 is the one that flies over the Rose Parade. At the end of the program 34,000 members of the B-2 program signed a scroll and it was hung in Palmdale at Plant 42 where the B-2 was assembled. As a result of my involvement with contracts, I received a commendation letter from the directorate of contracts for the ATB. To quote: “You have done a difficult job skillfully and produced a valuable addition to our program.” I still feel very honored. The second most scary attack on America after Pearl Harbor was the 911 attack on the twin towers in New York City. All Americans mourned as one. What incredible people are Americans! I am so proud of my country, the symbols of democracy—the flag and the eagle. I love all Americans, the ones lost and the survivors as we all felt the pain, shock and the sorrow of the attack on America. I will never forget the United States flag flying in the sunshine amidst the massive destruction falling around it—“Old Glory”, red, white, and blue with the stars and stripes rippling in a gentle, soft breeze. All Americans were involved in the attack on America and the aftermath and, therefore, all are reflected in the power, majesty, freedom and invincibility of the American people. All Americans contribute in one way or another to our great country, the United States of America. God bless America!