Life in the USA

[angie999]

As most of us are aware, wartime life in the USA was largely without the rationing and restrictions like the blackout endured in Britain.

Yet much was the same: millions overseas in the forces, women in the shipyards and factories (it was the land of rosie the Riveter), exciting music on the radio and so forth (don't forget that AFN was widely listened to in Britain, much to the alarm of the BBC!).

There was the downside: internment of American citizens of Japanese descent, a colour bar and a great deal of racism in the US forces, war profiteering, etc.

What aspects of American wartime life interest you most of all?

[Danmark]

My GrandFather helped make Liberty Ships in the Brooklyn Naval Yards, NYC. He often told my dad of stories from around the harbor. My Grandfather would oftne lecture my dad on the ignorance of major US cities allong the Eastern Sea board and how disregarded the black outs. The Uboats would use the lights from the cities to guide them down and up the coast. My dad told me that the US Coast Guard thought that a German U-Boat was under the New York Harbor.

[BeppoSapone]

Originally posted by Danmark@May 19 2004, 08:22 PM
My GrandFather helped make Liberty Ships in the Brooklyn Naval Yards, NYC. He often told my dad of stories from around the harbor. My Grandfather would oftne lecture my dad on the ignorance of major US cities allong the Eastern Sea board and how disregarded the black outs. The Uboats would use the lights from the cities to guide them down and up the coast. My dad told me that the US Coast Guard thought that a German U-Boat was under the New York Harbor.

Well, I don't know anything about German U-Boats in New York Harbour, but I did read that the Italians were planning attacks in New York:

"The Black Prince", Junio Borghese, commander of the Decima Flottiglia MAS, was ready to conduct a human torpedo attack of the New York Harbor when Italy signed the armistice in 1943."

Source: http://www.comandosupremo.com/Facts.html

[Jeff Floyd]

The U-Boats had no need to come into New York Harbor. It was easier for them to sit offshore and watch the convoys pass in front of the lights of the city. It was much the same elsewhere along the eastern seaboard.

My father was a Merchant Marine officer sailing from New York and mother tells of watching the ships burning after U-Boat attacks just outside the roads. Because of security, however, she could not find out if my father's ship was among them. Her first word was usually a letter from my father posted from the UK a week or so later.

[Neil B]

Just to confirm Jeff's point my Mother and Father can tell of US merchant ships visibly burning from the Jersey Shore. There was also rationing in the US during WWII.
Take care,
Neil

[angie999]

Originally posted by Neil B@Jul 1 2004, 07:49 PM
There was also rationing in the US during WWII.

Do you have any information about the scale of rationing and what goods were covered?

I seem to recall that there was no problem over petrol, for instance, but tyres might have been in short supply. This would have been more of a problem in the US than in Britain, as country people were much more reliant on motor transport.

[Neil B]

Hi ANgie,
Sorry for the delay in my reply. I think you may be confusing the USA of today with that of the 1940's gasoline was rationed and cars were much less plentiful. Servicemen had preference for rail travel. Meat and eggs were rationed and the US had it's share of scrap drives Nickel (5 cent) pieces wer made of silver to save the nickel and copper they were made of. Keep in mind the US was exiting the Great Depression and people were not as wealthy as they are now.
Take care,
Neil

[angie999]

Originally posted by Neil B@Jul 26 2004, 04:25 PM
Hi ANgie,
Sorry for the delay in my reply. I think you may be confusing the USA of today with that of the 1940's gasoline was rationed and cars were much less plentiful. Servicemen had preference for rail travel. Meat and eggs were rationed and the US had it's share of scrap drives Nickel (5 cent) pieces wer made of silver to save the nickel and copper they were made of. Keep in mind the US was exiting the Great Depression and people were not as wealthy as they are now.
Take care,
Neil

This is certainly on a greater scale than I realised. Do you know any good web links on the subject?

I think that rationing in Britain was much more severe, but this is easy to understand, given the naval situation and the shortage of foreign exchange for consumption. Still, I didn't know about meat and eggs in the US.

Thanks for the info.

[Neil B]

Hi Angie,
I found this on a genealogy website. My apologies, I was wrong about eggs!
Price controls were also maintained on items.
Take care,
Neil


Friday, April 23, 1943
RATION REMINDERS

NOT ALL FOOD IS RATIONED - Chief unrationed items are eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried and dehydrated fruits (prunes, raisins, etc.) fish and shellfish of all varieties except that in sealed containers, bread and cereals, milk, grain products such as spaghetti, macaroni and noodles, poultry and game, jams, preserves and jellies, mayonnaise and salad dressing, perishable cheeses.

RED STAMP RATIONING - This covers all meats, butter, fats and oils, and cheese (except the soft, perishable varieties). Each person is allowed sixteen points a week. Red coupons in War Ration Book 2 marked D are valid this week. These coupons and any A, B and C coupons saved from the preceding three weeks may be used at any time through April 30.

BLUE STAMP RATIONING - G, H and J blue stamps in War Ration Book 2, worth a total of forty-eight points a person, become valid tomorrow, April 24, and are good throughout the month of May. D, E and F blue stamps, in use since March 25, expire Friday, April 30. Thus there will be an overlap period of one week in which all six stamps will be valid. These stamps cover canned, bottled and frozen fruits and vegetables and their juices, dry beans, peas, lentils, etc., and processed foods such as soups, baby foods, baked beans, catsup and chili sauce.

SHOES - No. 17 coupon in War Ration Book 1 is good for one pair until June 15. Families may pool coupons of a household.

COFFEE - Coupon No. 25, in War Ration Book 1, good for one pound of coffee, expires Sunday, April 25.

SUGAR - Coupon No. 12 in War Ration Book 1 is good for five pounds, but this must last through May 31.

Gasoline Ration Card

GASOLINE - A, B and C coupons each are worth three gallons. T coupons are good for five gallons each. The A coupons numbered 5 must last through July 21, which is double the time of previous ration periods. B and C books bear own expiration dates.

FUEL OIL - Period 5 coupons, which must last you through Sept. 30, are now valid for ten gallons (household type) and 100 gallons (institutional type). The O. P. A. advises you to save the stubs from ration sheets - you will need them when the new heating season begins on Oct. 1.

TIRES - Tires for essential driving are available on application to rationing boards. Recapping with reclaimed rubber camelback (Grade F) is now available to all without restriction.

LOCAL RATIONING BOARDS - Borough rationing boards will provide the address of any of the fifteen local rationing boards in the city which should be consulted on rationing problems. Borough office telephones are: Manhattan, COolumbus 5-4575; Brooklyn, MAin 4-85575; Bronx, MElrose 5-8250; Queens, IRonsides 6-6300; Richmond, GIbraltar 7-6929. Information on price control may be obtained at the O. P. A. offices in the Empire State Building, Chickering 4-7300.

[angie999]

Excellent post, Neil. Thanks for the information.