This afternoon I was cleaning out a closet and found an old box that my mother left at our house when she moved out of her apartment a few years ago. It’s turned out to be a time capsule of what she was up to during WWII. (The only souvenir my father brought back from his time in Guadalcanal was a raging case of Malaria).
Cover of "What to Do in an Air Raid" pamphlet, 1942
"What to do in an Air Raid" pamphlet pages 4 & 5
Mom in Sherwin Williams "World" magazine
Members of Mobile Blood Bank #1. Photo taken at Corn Products International. Mom is in the center, bottom row.
Brochure. Title says it all. In addition to the Red Cross reference material, there were dozens of corporate sponsored pamphlets and brochures similar to this devoted to meal planning and frugality.
Red Cross "Canteen Girls" marching in Flag Day parade, State Street, Chicago, 1942.
Mom offering coffee from the Red Cross Mobile Canteen, Chicago, IL Sept 1943. Parking lot of Soldiers Field facing west.
Mom is third from the left.
Mom (far left) was a member of the Red Cross Speaker's Bureau
Although mom was trained to cook during a disaster, when I was growing up her cooking proved to be a disaster.
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L in the Southeast
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Comments
There was one incident when the were activated at the wrong time. Late in the evening of 1959 the Fire Commissioner terrified the city's residents when he ordered the air-raid sirens to sound, heralding the White Sox penant victory. This was at the height of the Cold War.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
R
(thumbified for meat... and romance, of course.)
Jane Smithie -- Thank you so much. I will definitely make time to fire up the scanner in the next couple of weeks.
I too would be very interested in anything else you care to scan.
John - Those Nazi documents must have been a profound reminder of a horrific time for your parents. It just goes to show how screwed up the world was. Sometimes it is the small artifacts that offer an intimate insight into every day struggles that make history interesting but aren't conveyed in the textbooks. Thanks so much for offering your perspective.
Skeletnwmn - Thank you.
Silkstone - It really is remarkable how people managed to work together in their communities during those times - whether it was in England, or Australia or the US.
Deardruchtach - so true! Thanks.
Designanator - Thank you for visiting!
Ablonde - YOu are so right about the poignant aspects of these photos. I should ask my mother about how she felt knowing these men were on their way to war. I always knew this was a pivotal time in her life -- but the depth of the experience didn't sink home until I looked inside the box yesterday. She turns 88 on the 21st. Thanks for sharing your impressions.
Great post, well done.
Rated
Thanks for directing me to this post!