With all the tumolt and turmoil over today's issues and anxieties, have we forgotten the significance of today's date and what happened in 1941?
Today's Date
- Thread starter Steve Kamp
- Start date
Forget?! As a Navy veteran?! Not on your life. It defined my childhood as my Dad was immediately called into the Marines. My Mom was already expecting me. I was born in March, just over three months later. As young as I was I still remember the air raid drills. . . . .in Pittsburgh!
Memories of Long Ago
I remember the air raids from Sept 1940 and ended in May 1941.
At night I used to put my head between two pillows to make the bombing and gunfire sound less frightening.
I was five.
Still cannot sleep unless I have two pillows.
If they play the sound of a V1's (Doodlebug) ram jet engine over the car radio my heart stops waiting for it to go quiet - and then ......
Some things stay with you for life.
I remember the air raids from Sept 1940 and ended in May 1941.
At night I used to put my head between two pillows to make the bombing and gunfire sound less frightening.
I was five.
Still cannot sleep unless I have two pillows.
If they play the sound of a V1's (Doodlebug) ram jet engine over the car radio my heart stops waiting for it to go quiet - and then ......
Some things stay with you for life.
Don, and you guys were fighting from Sept 1, 1939, a tad earlier than we were, although we do remember Lend Lease. Glad we're still on the same side!
Having never served myself all I can do is say thank you to all who have. God bless you and God bless those who gave everything. May they rest in peace.
I saw a cartoon many years ago that explained the lend-lease program. "if we lend it the lease you can do is give it back." I believe that they made good use of the stuff we sent over although some of it got damaged.
I know a few who are still alive and a few more who were just a bit too young to get called before the war ended.
In 1970 the north vietnamese were driving lend lease Studebaker trucks we had given the Russians in 1940. Good old American engineering.
During the 24 yrs I served in the navy, two events will always live with me. I was lucky enough to be asked to be the re-enlisting officer for a young sailor, we did it just after "colors" while standing on the USS Arizona. And I was part of an honor detail that inturned the ashes of a shipmate who had served on and survive the Arizona. But brought a chill to me then and now. And the kids today serve with the same honor and sense of duty.
My Dad graduated from Great Lakes in November,1940. By December 1941 he was serving on a four piper DD off the Aleutians.
Thanks Stu
Boy did we need that lend lease. A personal thanks to all who contributed.
Once, when in a French port, I asked an awkward Frenchman if he realized that a Mr. Churchill and a Mr. Roosevelt had prevented us from understanding one another. He didn't see the irony.
BTW: The South Bend lathe I have in regular use in my home workshop has a 'Lend Lease' plate on it. Bought it second hand for £5 from my employers 45 years ago.
Still going good after 60 years, - a bit worn now!
Me too very glad to be still on same side - (though it doesn't always feel like it!)
We just finished repaying our Lend Lease debt in 2006. See item below.
In praise of... lend-lease
The Guardian, Friday 5 May 2006
Britain owes its survival in the second world war to many causes. A standard list might include the bravery of our Battle of Britain pilots, the leadership of Winston Churchill, the resilience of the people - and the sacrifices of the Red Army. But there is little doubt that Britain would not have survived without lend-lease either.
Between March 1941 and September 1945, the United States' lend-lease programme transferred some $48bn worth of war material to other nations, the largest part of it (worth some $21bn) to Britain. This was an enormous sum, nearly equal to an entire year's UK gross national product.
But it came at a price and the Americans drove a hard bargain.
At one point Washington pressed for the transfer of the British West Indies in return.
Though that proposal fell through, Britain did agree to give up the rights to and royalties on innovations such as radar, antibiotics, jet aircraft and nuclear research to the US as part of "reverse lend-lease". And when the war was over, the Americans handed in their bill.
Britain has been paying off our lend-lease bill in annual instalments ever since 1950. This week the Treasury confirmed that the last payment of £45m will be made by the end of this year. Lend-lease was an extraordinarily far-sighted American move - hardly "the most unsordid act in the history of any nation", as Churchill described it. But it was also the price of our survival. Repayment of debt may be unfashionable these days. But if ever a debt deserved paying it was lend-lease.
Boy did we need that lend lease. A personal thanks to all who contributed.
Once, when in a French port, I asked an awkward Frenchman if he realized that a Mr. Churchill and a Mr. Roosevelt had prevented us from understanding one another. He didn't see the irony.
BTW: The South Bend lathe I have in regular use in my home workshop has a 'Lend Lease' plate on it. Bought it second hand for £5 from my employers 45 years ago.
Still going good after 60 years, - a bit worn now!
Me too very glad to be still on same side - (though it doesn't always feel like it!)
We just finished repaying our Lend Lease debt in 2006. See item below.
In praise of... lend-lease
The Guardian, Friday 5 May 2006
Britain owes its survival in the second world war to many causes. A standard list might include the bravery of our Battle of Britain pilots, the leadership of Winston Churchill, the resilience of the people - and the sacrifices of the Red Army. But there is little doubt that Britain would not have survived without lend-lease either.
Between March 1941 and September 1945, the United States' lend-lease programme transferred some $48bn worth of war material to other nations, the largest part of it (worth some $21bn) to Britain. This was an enormous sum, nearly equal to an entire year's UK gross national product.
But it came at a price and the Americans drove a hard bargain.
At one point Washington pressed for the transfer of the British West Indies in return.
Though that proposal fell through, Britain did agree to give up the rights to and royalties on innovations such as radar, antibiotics, jet aircraft and nuclear research to the US as part of "reverse lend-lease". And when the war was over, the Americans handed in their bill.
Britain has been paying off our lend-lease bill in annual instalments ever since 1950. This week the Treasury confirmed that the last payment of £45m will be made by the end of this year. Lend-lease was an extraordinarily far-sighted American move - hardly "the most unsordid act in the history of any nation", as Churchill described it. But it was also the price of our survival. Repayment of debt may be unfashionable these days. But if ever a debt deserved paying it was lend-lease.
is truly a day that will live in infamy. yet we, as a nation, seem to have forgotten that message.
my dad's best friend at the time is still leading the western fleet band on board the ARIZONA. was a position my dad lost by a coin toss-both were french horn players, first chair......
my dad's best friend at the time is still leading the western fleet band on board the ARIZONA. was a position my dad lost by a coin toss-both were french horn players, first chair......