CHRISTMAS IN MEMPHIS 1944

When WWII began, I was in the third grade. We thought the war would be over by 1942 Christmas. It wasn't. Nor 1943. Now 1944 Christmas was approaching and we were still at war.
In September Will (my little brother) started first grade at Gordon.
                       


 After having us play with him all summer, Jay (almost one) was left behind. But Will and I went home for lunch and life was pretty good for our little family.
                        


Will's first grade teacher, Mrs. C__ lived across the street from us. She already was friends with our family. In fact she had taken Will and me to the zoo that summer.
                        


 The zoo keeper knew Mrs. C__and invited Will to pet the lion. He did!!
I stood there crying as I saw it. I only learned recently that the lion's roar you hear at the beginning of MGM movies is that very lion, Volney. It was recorded in the Carnivora Building at the Memphis zoo!! 
                         




Now I was in the sixth grade at Gordon. It would be my last year there. In June I would say goodbye to Gordon, but not to my friends who would also go to Humes with me for 7th grade
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I finally won first place in the school talent show. I sang "Accentuate the Positive." I was no longer terrified singing. I had a three line article in the newspaper and won $5.00.


We brought tin cans to school to help with the war effort; we bought US savings stamps toward bonds.  My little book never got full enough to get a bond. But I tried.  Our Weekly Readers kept the kids somewhat informed about what was going on.
      


Many items at home were rationed. I remember sugar and butter were rationed and many other items such as gasoline.


I remember Oleo Margarine was plain white with a package of yellow coloring. Will and I enjoyed stirring it in!! 
                  

Of course I wore socks. But the American women missed their nylon hose until the war was over. A small price to pay.








                               
Our Christmas tree lights burned out. You couldn't buy any others. Daddy liked to work on radios and had some little bulbs. He painted them and strung them on a wire; they looked  pretty good, too. 

Christmas 1944 came. Wish we could have known that in Christmas 1945 we would be at peace. The adults in our world were very concerned about loved ones who were fighting during the Christmas holidays.



 Our Uncle Cliff (single, movie star handsome, and as sweet as anyone you could ever know) was our family's only serviceman. We had not worried about him, because he had been safely at home. Then my grandmother had a premonition that he would soon be in danger.

Recently his grandson told me this.

 "Grandaddy Clifford was in development and training between Ft. Benning and Ft. Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division working on gliders preparing for war 1942-l943. He wasn't in combat until D Day June 6, 1944, when he flew over the beaches of Normandy as part of the largest airborne assault in history."

 IKE WITH PARATROOPERS 

                     

 They were among the first to fight in Normandy and Uncle Cliff told his grandson it was the beginning of a NIGHTMARE. There were 33 days of bloody combat without relief or replacements.  5,245 paratroopers were killed or wounded. Every mission was accomplished and no ground gained was lost!! That was only the beginning!! 

He not only survived, but married, had children and lived a long, happy life. 

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 There was a wave of sadness over our country because of the little bits of news that came about what was going on at the front. The adults tried to keep things as usual for the children. Yet now I don't remember the feast we must have had that year, or the relatives coming, or the gifts from Santa. I don't know why? 


                      

Perhaps I was old enough to sense there was widespread suffering and despair for people in other parts of the world.Christmas time is a time of peace and love. Yet I know now  what was actually going on that Christmas. Here are two stories. 


At the Flossenburg concentration camp, six prisoners who were caught trying to escape were hanged in front of an enormous Christmas tree.  


A contrasting story is about a peasant woman who forced American and German soldiers to lay down their arms for a few hours. Singing Christmas Carols in English and German, the soldiers had their short private armistice.


Some pictures of Christmas 1944.(a few from thousands.)
v 
While enemy shells are heard overhead, members of 101st AB are singing carols at Bastogne, Belgium on Christmas Eve at midnight.
v.Sailors trim tree.DINNER
ITALIAN FRONT  
 Am POWs 12/22/44
  BURMA
OPENING GIFTS IN BELGIUMDecember 25th.
PACIFIC FRONT 



I guess this entry about Christmas 1944 is complete. I tried to tell what I knew then and a little of  what I know now.


Christmas 1945 we would have a Christmas of peace. My friends and I were in 7th grade at Humes. But during our senior year a few boys I knew  would be leaving school to  join the service because of the Korean War. My husband and his friends left college at 18 to join also. But that is another story I will leave for someone else to tell. 


                             1944 CHRISTMAS CARD


During WWII I prayed for peace and still pray for peace for our world.



May God's blessings be with you all this Christmas and evermore. 
                          With love, annie in memphis

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