Jack’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Veteran’s Day
Article by Jack Knothe

Jack’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Veteran’s Day. It’s November. What do you remember?  To my mind came thoughts of Veterans Day. As a grade school and junior high kid, many things we did almost daily, reminded us of WWII.

November 11 was a day off from school to remember our Veterans. However, the day was called Armistice Day, honoring Veterans from WWI.

Most families were affected by WWI. There were sixteen million plus in uniform. Therefore, most families had a personal connection to people serving in the military.

Many industries turned their production energy to producing materials for the war effort. This caused shortages in consumer goods.

United States government set up a system of rationing. Stamps were issued to use for weekly limits of purchasing meat and gasoline. There was a limited supply of coffee and soap. New automobile tires were very short in supply. Speed limits were at 35 mph to save gasoline and tires.

To make everybody aware we were at war, a system of Air Raid Wardens and blackouts were set-up.  Lights were turned off certain nights to practice drills that were conducted with the wardens in charge.

At school, we sang patriotic songs daily. Savings stamps were sold to fill a book to accumulate to $18.75, enough to buy a $25 war bond.x (Interest) war bond drives, participated in by famous Hollywood stars, came to many communities to raise money for the war effort.

News of the war came to us via newspaper, radio, and newsreels at the local theatre. Letters to service people were checked, especially those coming from the G.I.’s. There was a fear the enemy would find out military information. Some words or sentences were blacked out.

Collections of paper and metals were semi-annual to recycle for the war effort. As a Boy Scout, I participated in these recyclable drives.

And of course, many of our armed forces remember receiving boxes of cookies from back home, which were consumed readily with the help of your buddies.

You probably remember these things and many others.