Serving in WW II was quite an honor and a brand new experience for me, I was only 18 years old, graduating from beauty college and getting ready to start my career. I was engaged to be married in the coming summer. News from Germany was beginning to worry many of us Americans. I was so young I could barely visualize what a war was. I would read the newspapers and could not believe what horrible things were happening over in Germany to their good people, and especially to the Jewish people.
Adolph Hitler was a leader for the " Nazi " regime and couldn't be trusted by his people and he hated the Jewish Faith. Many Jewish men and women were driven from their homes and slaughtered while their little children watched their parents, bleeding and crying, being dragged away never again to be seen. This was getting worse every day and other Countries started joining in to fight against Nazism.
America, at this particular time, was in a deep recession and there was very few jobs available. I applied for a position at a very prestigious salon, and before being hired I had to give a hair style to the owner of this salon, proving my capability as a hair stylist. I was hired-- I worked long hours but was paid very little. Being so young and inexperienced, it was difficult to build up a clientele. It was several months before my salary increased.
My husband to-be was in sales and barely made enough to live on. We, together, would share our salaries after our marriage to make ends meet. We were married the following summer and managed nicely on our two paychecks. War continued over in Europe and things got worse in America. There was talk of a draft and all young men over 18 were to sign up. It wasn't long until young men and women started volunteering their services and signing up to serve our country.
One night we were getting ready to drive home from work when we heard a news bulletin. Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese. Thousands of our young sailors were killed instantly on this night and many more injured. What a shocker to everyone in America.
Shortly thereafter America joined World War II and all men were called in to fight. The factories started hiring men and women to make war materials instead of their own products. My husband was hired and became a machinist. The pay was wonderful and so very much needed, but his job lasted only two years. He was drafted to serve his country.
The War was taking older men by this time and, even though he was 25 years old, he was called for duty. He filled out draft forms, got his physical, and was sized for a uniform. As my husband was leaving the building, the officer in charge noticed that the occupation listed on the application was tool and dye maker. The officer mentioned machinists were in great demand for foreign countries and held out a paper with a listing of the countries.
My husband checked several countries on the list noticing the Panama Canal Zone wanted government civilian workers. AND they were hiring women, too. We talked it over and decided to apply together, not knowing for sure if there were openings for hair stylists. We got hired to work in a little village called Cocoli -- our new home. How exciting!
Getting ready to go. Passports, buying new clothing, packing bags careful not to go over a weight limit. We are on our way to a foreigh country. We were scared,having heard odd htings about Panama, but we'd be in the U.S.A Canal zone.
It was hot and humid but we dearly loved our new surroundings. A dangerous place in wartime, it was guarded in fear of being bombed. Threats were made to destroy the Canal Locks-- the only passageway from one ocean to the other.
Crippled ships, damaged in the South Pacific, came through for enough repairs to make it back to the States for a complete overhaul. My husband would come home from work in the shipyards and tell me how horribly the ships were damaged.
He spoke of all the sailors who were dead -- their ashes lying beneath gun mounds. How devastating to see. Huge vessels carrying thousands of service men had torpedo holes blown through them as large as a six story building. Many of my high school boy friends lost their lives on ships.
How sad to know what a war can do to so many great young men, some still in their teens. Moms' and Dads' dreams demolished for their sons' futures. How sad this is.
We were going into our second year away from home, frightened to hear fighter planes swooping over the whole country. It goes on twenty four hours a day and so many times we would be wondering if they were our planes or the enemy's. I would get so homesick so often for my family but we both knew we had to stay and serve our country. I loved working in the Government Beauty Salon, though we lived in constant fear of being bombed.
I enjoyed my work and my de;ightful boss, Ms. Bliss had been reading all about the new concept in permanent waving popular in the States. She was aware I was knowledgeable in giving them so she suggested to all the salons on the Isthmus that I give a demonstration of the "cold wave."
We had a great time getting acquainted, all salons and their hair dressers were invited. I instructed each and every one how to give a beautiful permanent wave without the heat machine. I was honored to teach these hair dressers. I loved watching ladies leave the salon with their new hairdo. How well pleased they would look, all were Government Civilian Employee's -- nurses, secretaries, teachers. Biding their time until this war came to an end.
One morning at work I felt very faint, then nauseated. I took an antacid tablet and soon felt better. Probably a stomach flu.
No, I was about to become a Mother. I was ecstatic but we were so afraid.
"Here we are," I thought, "in a foreign country. I have no idea about the doctors or hospitals way down here in Panama."
Our worries were soon put to rest. I was referred to an excellent government physician and our baby boy arrived in a beautiful and clean hospital. Little Michael weighed in at 6 lbs, born on fathers day. What a beautiful gift I gave to his daddy on his day.
I couldn't wait to take my precious baby to the states to show him off. He was only 4 months old when the war ended. Baby Michael was homeward bound to good old America to meet Grammas and Grampas. Three years away from home, in constant fear for our lives, but this beautiful son seemed a reward for serving our country at wartime. It had been a great honor and made us proud.
Today we are again in War----our young men and women serving our Country need our support and our many prayers just as we needed them back in World War II. Thank them by flying your flags. Show them we are with them every step of the way. May God bless each and every one of them and bring them all back safe and sound. God Bless America.
Ruthe is an over-50 American who made sacrifices for her country during the War. She writes now for other seniors and enjoys being a penpal to many. Her writing was recently included in Willard Scott's book, The Older the Fiddle, the Better the Sound. She's also involved in a neat site called Write a Senior -- a place to find penpals.
