Photo Story: Changes and World War II Begins

Mom's 1940 Yearbook Photo

(Original Image and Text, Copyright (c) 2011 Cynthia Shenette)  The end of the 1930s and the early 1940s was a time of change for my family.  In 1939 my grandfather's brother Feliks was killed in the bombing of Warsaw on the first day of World War II, and my great-grandfather Antoni died during the winter of 1940.  Mom graduated from high school in the spring of 1940 and went on to continue her education at a two year business college.  

After college Mom worked at the Worcester War Price and Rationing Board for the duration of the war.  She enjoyed working at the Ration Board and said it was the best job she ever had.  She must have done a pretty good job, because she was eventually put in charge of the food and shoe departments.  

Dad returned from the Philippines and was separated from the service in California on November 19, 1941.  Pearl Harbor was bombed eighteen days later on December 7, 1941.  Dad knew it was a matter of time before he was drafted, so he reenlisted in February of 1942.  This time around he chose to serve in the Navy.  He figured if he reenlisted he would get to choose which branch of the military to serve in.  If he waited for the draft he would be assigned to a branch.  He always said if worse came to worse he'd rather go down with the ship than die in a foxhole.  He was in the Navy for 15 years and never learned how to swim...  


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