Each person likely has some local, national, or worldwide historical event that they would say had a big influence on their life. For many of us today, 9/11 had a great impact on our lives. Meanwhile, for my parents’ generation many would call out World War II as having a great impact on their lives. This event definitely impacted my father and his three brothers.
Declaration of War
Although the conflict that led to World War II had begun several years earlier, it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor that got the United States directly involved in the war. Many call out Pearl Harbor and United States’ Declaration of War as being very significant to their life.
Dad talked about the years surrounding World War II a lot. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he was a freshman at Girard High School. On December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave an address to Congress at 12:30 p.m. asking them to declare war.
In anticipation of the content of the President’s address, all the students in his school were called to the gymnasium to listen to the speech. It became known as the “Day of Infamy” Speech and is one of the most famous speeches in American history. Listen to FDR’s speech to Congress.
Although Dad could quote pieces of the official speech, it was other words that FDR said in a radio address that Dad quoted the most. He said,
I didn’t want war,
Eleanor didn’t want war,
And, Fala didn’t want war.
But, we’ve got war.
And, you fight war with war.
Dad would repeat these words often, always imitating FDR’s accent. For instance, he said the word “war” more like “waaaarrrr.” Now, if you are wondering who Fala is, that was FDR’s dog. FDR’s Scottish Terrier is likely the most famous dog that ever spent time at the White House. He traveled with FDR, was mentioned on the House floor, and had his own secretary to answer his fan mail. Read more about Fala. . .
Dad’s brother Don questioned him about the story, as he didn’t believe FDR talked about his dog not wanting war. However, he researched it and found a transcript of the speech, which confirmed Dad’s story.
Atomic Bomb
The historical event of World War II that appeared to most greatly impact Don was the use of atomic bombs in Japan in 1945. He had the realization that the war would now end, but that it would be at a high human cost. As he wrote in his poem “August 1945,” “I don’t want to die; I am only fifteen.”
Before that, he had believed that the concept of atomic bombs was merely a theory. But, once it became a reality, it brought the idea of death to him in a way he had not previously considered. His own mortality sunk in. The last verse of his poem states,
I want to live, but it is more than that.
I want to be survived.
When other people died, others survived them; I want the same;
I will die happier if I know others still live.
For years, I have dreamed about the end of the war;
And now that it is over, my dream has changed to a nightmare.
I don’t know exactly how much of the poem he wrote in 1945. However, he told me that at that time he wrote a portion, but just could not complete the poem. It was years later that he finished capturing his thoughts about the atomic bomb.
Daily Life
Although these two events etched memories into both Dad and Don’s minds, the war also changed their family’s life. Schools immediately required all males to take some form of physical education to get in shape for the military. The schools participated in scrap metal drives, bond drives, and more.
The most significant change was that their older siblings scattered as they went to work and to war. Dewey was in charge of the family’s farm when he got the call to serve. Since Grandpa worked on the roads for the state of Kansas, the farm was left without anyone to run it. Thus, at age 14, Dad dropped out of school (he would finish later) to become a full-time farmer with responsibility for a portion of the family’s income and food supply.
Dewey and the Army Air Force
Dewey and the Army Air ForceDewey was the first brother to be called into service. The draft would have to be the event of WWII that most impacted his life.
Dewey became a mechanic in the Army Air Force. Although Dewey had multiple assignments, he spent most of the war at the airbase in Greenville, South Carolina. He primarily worked on engines for B-25 Mitchell medium range bombers. At times, maintenance crews worked multiple shifts to keep the planes flying for training missions. He thought that he might get shipped overseas, but that day never came. Although he never left U.S. soil, Dewey definitely had different experiences because of his experience being in the Army Air Force.
Dewey may have talked about his experiences, but never in my presence. I do know that when equipment broke down, he was very open to Dad working on it. I suppose he had enough of ‘mechanicing’ during his time in the service. Read more about his service . . .
Howard and the Blue Devils
Howard’s work at Solar Aircraft in San Diego had bought him a deferral. However, he knew it would not last as they were seeking all able young men. In fall of 1943, he was called into service. After basic training, he was sent to North Africa and then to Italy where he joined the 88th Division Blue Devils.
Howard marched through mud as he fought in the mountains in pouring rain. He saw plenty of death and destruction although he, like all the others, were instructed not to write home about such things. On good days, he saw old cities and even ate some local food. He definitely wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
Howard had many experiences that would have shaped his life had he not been injured and then gone missing in action on April 17, 1945 near Monterumici Hill, a short distance from Florence. He has never been found. Read more about Howard’s service . . .
Clearly, the historical event that impacted Howard the most was that last battle where the Allies pushed through the mountains to the Po Valley. The Allies were successful and it was one of the keys to them defeating Germany. Had he not received an injury that day, that battle still may have been the most significant historical event as it helped end the war in Europe.
It’s Personal
In the end, it isn’t the historical event per se that impacts us. It is the personal aspects surrounding that event that stick with us most and changes our lives.
When I think about Dad, I know that all the personal aspects kept the war in the forefront of his mind, especially the loss of his brother. Had his brothers not served and he had stayed in school, his experiences would have been very different. Although he did not serve in the military, the war likely changed the trajectory of his life.
Featured Image: Rare photo containing all four McCracken boys. I do not know of any photographs of just the four boys by themselves.
Prompt: Historical Event
#52Ancestors52Weeks
Francis in Ireland
It was four more years before Francis would marry at the Menallen Monthly Meeting, which was about 30 miles west of York. He was 34 at the time of his marriage. Meanwhile, his bride Mary John, daughter of Abel John and Mary Fisher, was approximately 10 years his junior. Mary was a birthright Quaker, as her parents were both Quakers prior to their marriage.