Significace card WWII Roanoke

How did World War II impact the lives of people in south west Virginia: 

How did World War II impact the lives of people in south west Virginia

Slide2: 

As early as 1939, the Roanoke chapter of the Red Cross announced plans to aid the British in the war. The Patrick Henry Hotel building became the site of the British war relief headquarters; volunteers packaged up hospital bed sheets, operating and convalescent robes, dresses. socks and mufflers. The American Commission for Defense of British Homes set out to provide binoculars, guns and ammunition that could be sent to England to supply civilians with equipment in case of a Nazi invasion.

Slide3: 

Though the war was still a long way from home in 1940, as part of American defense preparations, the National Guard, including the Roanoke companies of the 246th Coast Artillery and the 116th Infantry, were inducted for one year of training.

Slide4: 

Governor James Price established the Virginia Protective Force. By July 1941, Roanoke's 81st Virginia Protective Force sought to cover expenses by asking men in Roanoke who had been contributing $25 annually tomthe national guard companies to now do the same for the 8 1 st company fund. Such a gesture, Captain Leroy H. Smith explained in his letter to Mr. Irving Saks of S. Jefferson Street, would "exempt you from Jury duty."

Slide5: 

War came on December 7, 1941 ; the Gilbert and Sullivan Society had just presented the "Mikado" on December 6. And Roanokers were looking forward to the opening of "Life With Father" starring Dorothy Gish. By Monday, armed guards were guarding the airfield and the recruiting stations were full.

Slide6: 

The Norfolk & Western Railroad transported both troops and equipment through Roanoke, which in turn added to Roanoke's position as a center for military matters in southwest Virginia.

Slide7: 

Norfolk & Western also laid on daily trains to run workers to the Radford Ordnance Works. The munitions plant had begun construction in September 1940 and produced its first powder on April 5, 1941. The Radford Plant wonfive Army and Navy “E” awards for excellence

Slide8: 

The Virginia Bridge Company of Roanoke was also awarded the Army and Navy "E" pennant for its work in fabricating such items as structural steel for ships and landing bridges

Slide9: 

The Viscose rayon plant, with dormitories for its workers, met large war orders for rayon, to be used for tire cords, self-sealing gasoline tanks, and many types of parachutes.

Slide10: 

In Salem, the Comas Cigarette Machine Company and the Salem Foundry and Machine Company met orders for parts and casings for atomic bomb work at Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Slide11: 

A labor shortage on area farms was alleviated with the use of German POWs, who were held at the Indiana Street garage in Salem and on Catawba Hill. The prisoners were paid 80 cents in coupons per day for their work which they exchanged for cigarettes or candy.

Slide12: 

A great many of Roanoke's civilians donated untold hours volunteering in civilian defense initiatives. The Civilian Defense Executive Committee for Roanoke County had its first protective service blackout on April 28th, 1942: in the next two years there would be 16 blackouts and two daylight alerts.

Slide13: 

One of the most successful initiatives came with the salvage and conservation program. The War Productions Boards made appeals for materials to aid the war effort: scrap metal. aluminum, tin cans. paper. hosiery and even fats were needed. According to the WPO, "a tablespoon of used cooking fat saved every day for a month will make enough glycerine for powder to fire tour 37mm anti aircraft shells."

Slide14: 

Every Saturday, children in Roanoke turned in their weekly collection of fats to school authorities. A cannon at Elmwood park event went to the metal drive. On March 11th, 1942 ten-year-old Billy Ratliff from Ironto wrote to the Cooperative Extension in B l a c k s b u r g explaining that he had heard one of their radio programs about scrap and he had lots of it. and "if you all care fer it, you send fer it."

Slide15: 

Roanokers helped to finance the war effort by purchasing war bonds. The bonds sold for $18.75 and could be redeemed after 10 years for $25. In July 1943. Mayor Walter Wood bought the first bond to launch a million-dollar war bond sale for the month. To gain publicity, he purchased the bond through the fifth-story window of the state and city bank from a member of the Jaycees who was on a fire truck ladder as bombers flew overhead. The goal was to buy three bombers for the war effort, to be named Roanoke, Vinton and Salem.

Slide16: 

Rationing did produce shortages for many. Shoes, leather. rubber, gasoline, nylon, sugar, butter, oils and shortening, meats, canned goods, vegetables, liquor, and even coffee were all rationed.

Slide17: 

You could buy only two pairs of shoes a year, the coffee ration was one cup per day, holders of "A” gas ration books got three gallons per week, "B" books got nine gallons, while government officials, the clergy and "essential” workers were entitled to unlimited gasoline. People nevertheless learned to manage with the system. One option to offset the shortage of food was the victory garden.

Slide18: 

Bill Cook, a teenager in Roanoke during the war, remembers being handed a telegram by a man who came to the door. He knew something was wrong, and waited for his parents to come home. His brother, 1st Lt. Russell H. Cook, Jr. was the navigator on the last bomber lost by the allies in the European theater during WWII. Lt. Cook lost his life on May 7, 1945 on a mercy food-supply mission to Utrecht, Holland, one day before VE day was official.

Slide19: 

Elizabeth Franklin Spoelma received good news about her husband John at the Jefferson Theater in late 1944. Before D-Day, she recalled how he wrote often, but after the invasion she received no mail from him. "I was frightened and apprehensive. I started going to the theater just to see news reels. I went to the Jefferson Theater and I remember watching landing craft crossing the English Channel . . . then suddenly there was John walking across the screen, holding the arm of a wounded German soldier." After the initial shock, she went to see the manager, who later gave her 10 frames from the film.

Slide20: 

In Troutville. the family of Staff Sgt. Herbert Lawhorn had their minds put at ease when they were contacted by Sanford Lowe, an amateur radio operator from New York City. Lawhorn had been captured at the Battle of the Bulge. The family received a letter from Mr. Lowe. explaining that he had heard on Berlin short wave radio that Lawhorn “was recently captured.. and he is now in a prison camp in Germany safe and well. Lowe hoped that this message would be a source of help to the family and he went on to say that “this is my 15,139th notice forward by me from Tokoyo and Berlin.”

Slide21: 

Many people volunteered and participated in the war effort, while trying to continue with life as normal. This included going to see the famous Von Trapp Family singers (Sound of music) in February 1942.

Slide22: 

With the defeat of Japan in 1945, people filled the streets and 10,000 gathered at Victory Stadium on August 15th to celebrate.