General Discussion

tularetom

(23,664 posts)

55. I was born 3 months and 3 days before Pearl Harbor

Mon Nov 24, 2014, 08:33 AM

Nov 2014

By the time I was a year old both my parents were serving and my sister and I had been sent to my maternal grandparents to live. My dad was with the 1st Marine Division and my mom was a nurse in San Diego.

I spent the war years on my grandfather's farm in Sumner County Tennessee and didn't see my parents until October 1945. We stayed there on the farm for a year or so and then moved 50 miles or so to Bowling Green KY where my dad attended college and I started school.

I don't remember very much about WWII but I often recall life on the farm and things like the first time my grandparents took me fishing. Oddly enough I don't have any memories of my mom and dad coming home but I do remember one of my uncles returning from France where he'd been injured during the Normandy invasion.

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Were you a child during WW2 or early post-war years? [View all] grasswire Nov 2014 OP

Yes, I was born in 1940. Cleita Nov 2014 #1

I was born in '40 also and remember rations and other things I thought was normal life. monmouth4 Nov 2014 #7

I remember that too. Cleita Nov 2014 #10

yes, and this makes me recognize anew what a racket the wars are now grasswire Nov 2014 #22

I have who was just a young girl at the beginning of WWII, they lived in the country and Thinkingabout Nov 2014 #2

Born in 1934 here -I remember the war years quite well. virgogal Nov 2014 #3

We too. I remember the shortages of life's necessities, such as Fleer's double-bubble gum, indepat Nov 2014 #39

Not directly REP Nov 2014 #4

My father fought in WWII. onecaliberal Nov 2014 #5

you could probably find out more about his service grasswire Nov 2014 #28

Born in 1935, in the 1st grade when the war started Thirties Child Nov 2014 #6

I like these memories JustAnotherGen Nov 2014 #14

yes, remember Pearl Harbor grasswire Nov 2014 #26

Yes, born in early 1939 IphengeniaBlumgarten Nov 2014 #8

I was born in January of 1939 RebelOne Nov 2014 #35

I feel like I remember blackout curtains... grasswire Nov 2014 #43

After reading your post where you remember paying taxes with red and green.. Spazito Nov 2014 #37

Yes northoftheborder Nov 2014 #9

I was born in 1936 and remember a lot of everyday justhanginon Nov 2014 #11

Thank you for sharing this JustAnotherGen Nov 2014 #13

the term for your Uncle was "shell shocked" grasswire Nov 2014 #23

Not me JustAnotherGen Nov 2014 #12

Yes, I was born in 1939 Duval Nov 2014 #15

My father served on Guadalcanal. MrsMuir Nov 2014 #16

I was born in 1944. lpbk2713 Nov 2014 #17

That was my birth year mainstreetonce Nov 2014 #20

I was born in 43 zeemike Nov 2014 #18

Born in 1941. Dad and uncle in the war - one navy other army. We had a kiranon Nov 2014 #19

Born in '38 Thespian2 Nov 2014 #21

oh, fake butter! grasswire Nov 2014 #24

Oh, yes Thespian2 Nov 2014 #29

I just posted something about that. Arugula Latte Nov 2014 #34

My grandmother used to use the button to dye the margarine blue. n/t RebelOne Nov 2014 #36

I was 1 1/2 when it ended. Two uncles fought in the Canadian Army. Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2014 #25

Born in Jan. '35 clydefrand Nov 2014 #27

My mom was born in '36 whistler162 Nov 2014 #30

My father mainstreetonce Nov 2014 #31

My family and I frogmarch Nov 2014 #32

My parents told me a bit about their childhood war memories. Arugula Latte Nov 2014 #33

This is a fascinating thread to read, thank you for posting the OP... Spazito Nov 2014 #38

my uncle the P.O.W. never spoke of his experiences either, to the family. grasswire Nov 2014 #42

One of my earliest memories was Mother bathing me & HST was on the radio UTUSN Nov 2014 #40

I love that bit of family lore. grasswire Nov 2014 #41

I'm an early boomer, born in 1946, Blue_In_AK Nov 2014 #44

Born 1935. Lots of memories ! GoldenOldie Nov 2014 #45

I remember a few years later in the early 50s. grasswire Nov 2014 #47

Yes. nt kelliekat44 Nov 2014 #46

Remember squeezing a clear tube with dab of orange dye to make "butter"? madfloridian Nov 2014 #48

My parents were both born during WW II. WhiteAndNerdy Nov 2014 #49

Thanks to all of you for sharing these memories. ladyVet Nov 2014 #50

this is a great thread, thanks for posting it steve2470 Nov 2014 #51

My mother was in England nitpicker Nov 2014 #52

There was a really good episode of Supersize Me about this time period. Lars39 Nov 2014 #54

My mom and dad lived it. cwydro Nov 2014 #53

Wait, did they house him while he was still a POW? Arugula Latte Nov 2014 #60

I was born 3 months and 3 days before Pearl Harbor tularetom Nov 2014 #55

My grandparents were alive then abelenkpe Nov 2014 #56

I was born in 1938 and remember my brother leaving for the navy. Frustratedlady Nov 2014 #57

black sugar hah! grasswire Nov 2014 #59

Born in 1940. Tracer Nov 2014 #58

Born in Los Angeles, 1940 OxQQme Nov 2014 #61