Thursday, January 2, 2014

Monday, February 7, 1944

Oh holy Jingle Bells and Happy New Year!  Where did December go?  I'm sorry y'all that I have been terribly remiss in maintaining this blog, but now I'm back and ready to show 2014 what I'm made of!  Now let's get back to Grandma shall we?

February 8, 1944 is Grandma's 22 birthday.  It makes me wonder what my Grandma would have thought of me if she saw me at 22?  Would she be proud?  I like to think so and I think she is still there looking out for me.  Really all of my Grandparents are making a running commentary of my life.  I wish I could hear some of what they are saying.  There would be a lot of groans and gasps.

Grandma decided to have a quite birthday this year, what with the war on and all.

"Well, tomorrow is my 22nd birthday and the first birthday that I haven't had any sponge cake.  I think I will take myself out to a real nice dinner tomorrow night.  I haven't told any of the kids tomorrow is my birthday because none of them have too much money and I don't want them to go to any expense--as they have enough.  Beverly suspects that my birthday is soon but I won't tell her."

Studying for her First Class exams is involving a great deal of her time.  Since Grandma did not get accepted into Officer's academy, I believe it motivated her to work harder towards her First Class certification.

"Yesterday, Sunday, I came down to the office and took some 1st class progress tests and studied.  I am nearly through with the book.  I am certainly glad that it is nearly over with.  I only have two more tests to take and then I have to go down to Personnel and take my advancement in rating test."

There is a Suicide submarine on display near where Grandma is stationed.  

"They had a Suicide Submarine on display here last week.  It was one of those affairs that they have only two men in.  It was over in Biscayne Bay."

Suicide submarines, or Kaiten submarines, were part of a last ditch effort by the Japanese towards the end of WWII.  The operators used only periscopes and instruments to find their way through the ocean's murky depths.  The pilots families were given a 10,000 yen reward if their son volunteered for the Kaiten submarines.  The men were always between the ages of 18 and 26.  War and money always asks crazy things of the earth's citizens.  No wonder this generation is called the greatest.  They made enormous sacrifices for the countries they believed in.  Sacrifices for their world and for the generations to come.

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