Who is the Oldest Person Here?

helenbacque said:
I was 8 and I vividly remember the expression on my Grandfather’s face when he heard about Pearl Harbor. In looking back I’m sure his first thought was to his only son, early 20s and single. What I remember of the war … male family members going away and being in danger, rationing and coupon books, frequent letters on tissue thin paper, The slightly sick to the stomach feeling when seeing the symbol of Germany or Japan (swastika or giant red ball).
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I too, was 8 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Outside on a mild December day when my dad came out to call me indoors. Of course, I gave him a hard time about have to go in, but then other parents began calling their children indoors. When I asked why, my father said we were at war. I looked out the window and asked, where? Boy, did I get a geography lesson that day. Dad should have been a teacher.
 

I was a boomer baby, conceived in the relief of it being over I guess. My wife was born a couple years after the war began and a few before it ended. Her family lived in Ventura, California and her father went into the merchant marines. All she remembers is being walked to play at the beach with her one year older brother most days by her mother. For me the war was something I learned about on television.
 
Yes. And the stars on windows--gold for soldiers who had died in battle, blue for those still alive.

I was in my teens but very much involved.
Every week I joined a small group of women at a hospital where we wrapped bandages to be sent overseas. The finished bandages were then sterialized in an autoclave at the hospital. I also knit scarves to be sent.

We lived just outside the city limits so when I had a date I spent the night in town with a relative so my date wouldn't have to use up rationed gas to drive all the way to my house. My dad had a Victory Garden and Mother canned food for the winter from it. And everyone was buying bonds.

We girls danced with soldiers at the USO and visited them at our local federal hospital.

We had double features at the movies. Betwern features, lights went on, a musician played a patriotic song on a piano while the movie-goers stood and sang as the words moved across the screen. We also watched war pictures of actual battles. I remember mostly air strikes, a lot of bombing, firey planes going down and parachutes floating through the sky.

There was a strong feeling of comradery, everyone pulling together. When the war ended, we had a parade in my town. As soldiers marched down the street, girls ran towards them. Some grabbed the girls and kissed them.

The war was awful! All wars are awful. If the ones who wage them had to fight them, there would surely be far fewer of them.
Also, it's a pity to have lost that feeling of camaraderie.


 

oldsunbird said:
Yes. And the stars on windows--gold for soldiers who had died in battle, blue for those still alive.

I was in my teens but very much involved.
Every week I joined a small group of women at a hospital where we wrapped bandages to be sent overseas. The finished bandages were then sterialized in an autoclave at the hospital. I also knit scarves to be sent.

We lived just outside the city limits so when I had a date I spent the night in town with a relative so my date wouldn't have to use up rationed gas to drive all the way to my house. My dad had a Victory Garden and Mother canned food for the winter from it. And everyone was buying bonds.

We girls danced with soldiers at the USO and visited them at our local federal hospital.

We had double features at the movies. Betwern features, lights went on, a musician played a patriotic song on a piano while the movie-goers stood and sang as the words moved across the screen. We also watched war pictures of actual battles. I remember mostly air strikes, a lot of bombing, firey planes going down and parachutes floating through the sky.

There was a strong feeling of comradery, everyone pulling together. When the war ended, we had a parade in my town. As soldiers marched down the street, girls ran towards them. Some grabbed the girls and kissed them.

The war was awful! All wars are awful. If the ones who wage them had to fight them, there would surely be far fewer of them.
Also, it's a pity to have lost that feeling of camaraderie.


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It sure is a shame that we have to have a common enemy to feel in it together to that degree.

We probably all lived through Viet Nam and the Iraq hunt for WMDs, but those military deployments didn’t have the same existential implications of WW II which threatened to upset every aspect of day to day life. For politicians to deliberately turn us against each other not only plays right into Putin’s hands but also risks existential risk we didn’t have otherwise.
 
WWII was everyone's war. There were 57 countries involved in that terrible conflict. Amazing how one or two people could come up with who was more evil. The atrocities were unbelievable.

I have friends who lived through that war from the European side, and they went through hell on earth. How they survived is amazing.
 
I am 64
ms gamboolgal is 62

I boggles my mind that I have been chasing ms gamboolgal across 6 decades..... I started in 1979 so barely in the 70's but i was well hooked on 13-Jan-79 when I first met and saw her.

My favorite thing to do is still chasing her around our old 4 Poster Buck Neckid...:love:
 
so do we know who is the oldest ?:unsure:...I'm in my 60's... got a birthday next week... but I'm almost 25 years younger than some here..


My mum if she'd been still with us, would have been 90 tomorrow...💕
 
gamboolman said:
I am 64
ms gamboolgal is 62

I boggles my mind that I have been chasing ms gamboolgal across 6 decades..... I started in 1979 so barely in the 70's but i was well hooked on 13-Jan-79 when I first met and saw her.

My favorite thing to do is still chasing her around our old 4 Poster Buck Neckid...:love:
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Neckid works as a time saver, that will help in a few more years and chasing becomes a fast walk.
 
I just turned 63. It's funny because I am now finding myself referring to those under the age of 60 as "kids" but I don't think of those having a higher age then me as older, just more experienced with life. It's probably because I have two older sisters and my dad just turned 94. Even though he is no longer mentally connected to this world, I don't think of him as being "old" .
If i do make it to my 70's, I'll probably start referring those in their 60's as kids :)
 
As one of the ancients ( see my post #42.. birthday this month) i have to say that my age at any time never really bothered me at all.
Being the oldest in years doesn't mean a thing!...yes , that sounds vague, but think about it!
One can still have good mental capabilities at any 'old' age. It is the body that can be a problem but we cope.
If you are now 65 don't worry what you will be like at 75, 85.

Just live life to the utmost while you can .
 
I've never put a picture on the internet for privacy reasons and, in fact, we don't own a camera and just aren't interested in pictures of ourselves.

But yesterday, one of my husband's 12 siblings sent him an e-mail entitled, "found this old photo." we looked at it and I said, it must be one of her grand daughters. Then I said, "I used to have a blouse just like that", and my husband said, "Oh yeah, I remember it."

Only then did it begin to dawn on us that it was me. Hah!
 
Della said:
I've never put a picture on the internet for privacy reasons and, in fact, we don't own a camera and just aren't interested in pictures of ourselves.

But yesterday, one of my husband's 12 siblings sent him an e-mail entitled, "found this old photo." we looked at it and I said, it must be one of her grand daughters. Then I said, "I used to have a blouse just like that", and my husband said, "Oh yeah, I remember it."

Only then did it begin to dawn on us that it was me. Hah!
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How old were you ?:)
 
hollydolly said:
you must have looked young for your age if you mistook yourself for one of her grandchildren...
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No, it's just that his sister is about our age and we know what her children look like, but have never met her grandchildren. Come to think of it they aren't that old but I was grasping at straws.
 

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