Thursday, February 10, 1944 part two

Grandma finally talks about her birthday in a round about way.  She talks about the gifts she received from some of the girls and from her parents.

"My roommate Pirtle and the girl across the hall went together and got me a box that is covered with bright pink creton and flowered.  It is for handkerchiefs, stocking and things like that. ... Mildred, the girl that works in my office, gave me a nice bar of real good smelling soap and two handkerchiefs.  Beverly hasn't given me a present yet as I didn't tell her it was my birthday and she didn't know until the 8th but she did take me out to dinner the night of my birthday."

Her parents and my Great Aunt Peg sent her money to buy a watch.  She cannot thank them enough.

"I got the check the other day and thank you so much.  I am going to put it with the money that Peggy gives me and then add a little of my own and get a wristwatch. ... I can get a $50 watch out at Ship's service* for $35.  I can save my money for a little while and get a watch within a month.  Don't worry about sending more and thank you for that much."

*For people like me who do not know what a Ship's service is, according to Merriam Webster it is a ship or Nay post exchange.

Now looking into, that means Grandma is going to spend around $428 in 2008 money for a wristwatch.  My first and still foremost reaction is why in the heck does a watch cost $428?! Fine, a high quality watch can cost a great deal, production processes were just evolving during WWII, and they did not have access to digital watches.  BUT STILL why does a watch cost this much?!  Could someone who is well educated in WWII watches explain this to me?

A Black out occurred on the evening of Grandma's birthday.

"On the night of my birthday we had a blackout.  It was ver successful and everything blacked out for 50 minutes."

This lines reminds me of a story told by a bygone acquaintance of mine.  She was in New York City when the power grid went down across the Northeast in 2003.  The most remarkable event occurred in New York City.  A New York Citizen could finally see the stars.

I bet the stars were gorgeous over Miami on February 8, 1944.  Happy 22nd Birthday Grandma.

On this day in WWII history

Thursday, February 10, 1944

Grandma writes a quick note to her parents in this February letter.  She doesn't mention how her birthday went, but she didn't want to make a huge fuss anyway.

She sent my great-grandparents several photos of Biscayne Bay and Boulevard.  This letter serves as a list of captions for those photos.  Unfortunately they are lost somewhere in the family archives, but I will try my best to give you an idea of what my Grandmother is talking about in each photo.

"#1 is a liberty ship that is in Biscayne Bay.  It's being converted into a transport.  The island in back is the Start of Miami beach."

So here is a photo of Biscayne Bay in the 1938, 4 years before my Grandmother relocated to Miami.  Special thanks to Vintage Everyday.

I also wanted to show you what a liberty ship looks so you can super-impose the ship onto the photograph above using your minds eye.  We're using our imagination today people!  Thanks to Patricia Hysell for posting about the SS Patrick Henry the first Liberty Ship built during WWII in 1941.

You can see my Grandma's photo slowly merging in your mind's eye.  Alright onto the next photo!

"#2 is sailors marching down Biscayne Blvd.  That is part of Submarine Chaser Training School in background.  They have marked off the center of Biscayne Blvd. for the sailors to march to & from school."

Special shout out to Eye on Miami for finding this photograph.  I am absolutely thrilled that I am able to show you exactly what my Grandmother was talking about.  I think that is so neat.  Obviously the geographic location might be different because I do not know the exact location of the Submarine Chaser Training School.  If someone can tell me that would be great!

Grandma sends one final photograph of Biscayne Blvd.

"#3 which is looking right down the blvd.  The buildings are hotels all taken over by the Navy.  This isn't the prettiest part of the blvd. tho.  The Atlantic is off in the distance where I marked (X)."

Unfortunately the only photograph I could find is a postcard but I think it does Biscayne Blvd. justice.

Special thanks to JR Postcards for this one.  

And as always, special thanks to my Grandma for taking us on a tour of 1940s Miami.

On this day in WWII history

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.

On this day in WWII history