Who do you know? - Living History

[Plink]

Our friend was a part of a POW exchange during WWII as a child and his ship was nearly torpedoed by our own American ships.  The entire story from beginning to end is nutty, yet fascinating.  

 

It got me to thinking about the very real history lessons we have in our lives, yet don't fully take advantage of:  The woman who can explain in detail how to cook turtle for dinner because their family was hungry during the depression, the child factory workers who developed an amazing work ethic as they slaved from dawn until dusk before labor laws were put into effect.

 

Do you know anyone with an interesting life story?

[TheReader]

my grandfather was an engineer who did contract work for NASA and developed/invented/built assorted things for early space exploration. I had my boys interview him so they could learn his involvement in that. 

 

No one else super interesting that I'm aware  of. 

[Chris in VA]

I think many people's life stories have their fascinating bits!

My dad was evacuated to Wales during WWII. An unexploded bomb came thru the roof at one point.

 

My maternal GMA nearly starved in Germany after WWI. She came here and learned to speak English

By going to school--they put her in K, tho she was a teen--and by going to the same movies over and over.

 

I love oral histories of regular folks.

 

I think we will all one day contribute. I mean think of all the stories we have--many of us have firsthand accounts of the first moonwalk, Nixon'resignation, various coups and assassinations,9/11, etc.

[Cinder]

Well, no one famous, but dh's mother grew up during the depression. But when ds1 tried to interview her she wouldn't talk about it. Nor would she talk about what it was like during WWII or about living in the deep south in the 50's.

[DawnM]

My mother grew up dirt poor. Her father died when she was 15 and her mother couldn't feed them. They got help from a Children's home/charity to eat the same thing every day. No new clothing, no new shoes, bad teeth, etc...

 

She won't talk about it either, none of the siblings will.

 

I have just heard bits and pieces throughout the years.

 

Dawn

 

Well, no one famous, but dh's mother grew up during the depression. But when ds1 tried to interview her she wouldn't talk about it. Nor would she talk about what it was like during WWII or about living in the deep south in the 50's.

[Plink]

You know, my own grandparents were the same way.  They refused to talk about anything that wasn't entirely positive.  Asking about a wedding dress was fair game, but questions about working in fiber mills was not.  Happy to describe what the neighborhood looked like when they were young, but adamant that "nobody needs to hear that" when asked about military service.  

 

Curious.  

[gardenmom5]

My fil was on the Bataan death march, and he was on the hell ships (they never covered those in school) and torpedoed by Americans - twice.   one time he was saved by the fact his last promotion hadn't reached the Philippines before they fell - so he was still listed at a lower rank.   the two ranks had been separated on the ship, and the torpedo hit where upper rank were placed.   the Japanese marked their troop transport ships as pow ships and left the pow ships unmarked.   the civilian captain of one tried to get medical care for the sick pows while they were on board, but the officer in charge offered to bayonet him too if he wasn't quiet.   

 

My fil stayed with mostly positive memories - how they'd carve "ivory" in a bar of Japanese soap, and sell it to the Japanese guards, who thought it was the real thing.  soldiers who smoked trading their red cross food rations for cigarettes (needless to say, they all died.)  stealing sugar while guards turned their backs (very good sgt schutlz impression  "I see nothing".  the soldiers risked their lives to turn their backs, if their superiors had discovered it they would have been shot).  being punished by not being allowed to work . . . they played chess instead.  one soldier smuggling an American flag into camp, and how they felt when they saw it.  He shared his worst memory - it makes me want to vomit.   I learned more about the horrible of what happened by reading records.

 

my grandmother talked about the hogs dying from cholera during the depression. lost a lot of crops from drought.  they came to seattle during the war to work in her bill's store.  my grandfather worked at boeing.  while I think he was happier as a machinist, he loved to drive his brother's tractors every time they went back for a visit.  she bought a basket from their Japanese neighbor as they were being taken to an internment camp.   I still have the basket.  (it's really sturdy)

my mother remembered the woodstove and outhouse - she didn't miss the farm.  or the chiggers . . . .

 

I remember the then-open campground on Mt rainier at the 5400' level that was closed in the 70's.  it took years for the vegetation to hide where it had been.  now, if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't know it had been.  the gas station at Longmire - when it sold gas.  now it's a museum.

 

there's a woman in my local homeschool group whose mother wouldn't talk about those years at. all.  after she developed Alzheimer's, that's all she could remember - in vivid detail.  they took copious notes.  the lace on the taffeta dress she wore to a dance . . .