Archief

With the ranks of the World War II veterans dwindling so rapidly, a letter received by the Transylvania Times with the information that a special veteran of this war was living in Transylvania was especially welcome. The letter was from Daniel Voglesong, the US. Army Hohensfeld Safety Manager in Bavaria; and was written about his father Donald Voglesong. Donald was in a German P.O.W. camp (prisoner of war) during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944-45 and now lives in Brevard, N.C Donald Voglesong, now in his eighties and possessing a sharp mind for details, lives in Deer Lake subdivision. His memories of his capture and internment give so much information about what those days were like for those prisoners. Voglesong was born in Grantsburg, a small farming community in the southern part of Indiana, not far from the Ohio River. "My mother was 16 years old when she married my father. My dad was a jack of all trades and could do almost any job that was available. I had two brother and we all grew up on the farm, except for brief periods when we lived in the big city of Gary, Indiana. My father worked in the steel mills and even became a conductor on Gary's street cars. But our whole family missed our home and farm in southern Indiana, so we moved back," Voglesong talked about his early days. Shortly after graduation from high school, Voglesong attended a special training school for sheet metal workers. "It was one of Eleanor Roosevelt's ideas and It was a good one, but it didn't work out for me," Voglesong related. So, he volunteered for the army and had his basic infantry training at Fort Benning, GA. However, as a result of an ASTP test he had taken in high school, he was sent to Auburn College in Alabama (known as Polytech at that time.) Shortly thereafter his orders were changed once again and he was sent to Camp Atterbury, Indiana for infantry training in early 1944. "The general public does not appreciate how dangerous the duties of the infantry men are," Voglesong commented as he discussed his 106th Division. Forty percent of that division was sent to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, and he was part of that percentage. The Allied Forces were suffering great losses at that time and were in desperate straits. Every available man was pressed into service to help save the situation, many with just a few short weeks of preparation. Voglesong shipped out from New York City to Scotland and then on to London England by train. In one month's time he was part of the Battle of the Bulge in that small area of Europe where Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany meet. "It was a calculated risk, our placing only three divisions across this area when the battle started. The Germans employed rapidly moving Panzer tanks, known as lightning warfare, and it really worked for them as they quickly encircled the Allied Forces," Voglesong recalled. "We were surrounded and fighting a big battle for a long time until there were not many Americans left; so our commander surrendered and most of the 106th was captured. This was at Schoenberg, Belgium on December 19, 1944 when approximately 7,000 American soldiers were ambushed. "Meanwhile, General George S. Patton, Jr. was moving into the battle from the south. I never met him, to tell you the truth, but we were scared to death of him, he was so offensive minded. The Americans, as well as the Germans, respected him," Voglesong recalled. "I was 19 years old at the time, tired and worn out, and I can remember how the Nazis marched us all night for 30 miles during miserable winter conditions. They then put us in box cars on a German train. These primitive cars had no facilities and we were so crowded that there was no room to lie down. We traveled in those box cars for four days with nothing to eat, just a little water to drink," Voglesong sadly described that time in his life. "The war was winding down and the German economy was shattered. The Germans did not have much food themselves, so the gave us only pieces of bread and bowls of thin soup. We arrived at the P.O.W. camp (prisoner of war) at Bad Orb, a small village east of Frankfurt, Germany on Christmas Day and we were there until April of 1945," Voglesong described that difficult period of his life. There wasn't much for the prisoners to do. When they looked out of the barbed wire that enclosed the area, there was not much to see. They were so hungry that food became their main obsession. "So, we mainly sat around and talked and thought about food. To keep occupied, three or four of us started writing down all the things we would have to eat when we were released," Voglesong described the rough conditions. "One thing that happened at that time which really scared me concerned one of the two or three letters home which I was allowed to write each month. A guard came into the building, called my name, and said, 'Come with me'" I was to present myself to the commander of the prison. I didn't know what to do when I was brought into his presence, so I saluted," Voglesong recalls. "I soon found out that a problem had arisen from one my letters home where I had complained about the lice. This had upset the commander especially when he noted that I had a German name. He wanted me to know that the lice had been brought in by soldiers from other countries, not by the Germans. He pointed out in, no uncertain terms, that the Germans were above that," Voglesong confided. Getting enough food to stay alive was the prisoners main goal. So, when a friend told Voglesong that they needed somebody to work at the dispensary, he volunteered because he knew it would mean receiving an extra piece of bread each week. His job was to clean up the floors with hot water, using a makeshift broom and patches of bags for mops. I usually shared that piece of bread with my buddies; but one time I ate it all myself because I was so hungry - all the time feeling guilty about it. I learned a lot about people and how they react under such austere conditions. A few were so selfish that they would do anything to stay alive, stealing your bread or your shoes at night," Voglesong described the details of those terrible days. "I always had the feeling that I would be the last one to get out of there. Many of the Americans died. In fact, four of them died in one day of Pneumonia. We picked them up and carried them out. It was not a hard thing to do as they were very light, barely skins and bones," Voglesong remembered with sadness Life at the prison camp was nothing like the comedy TV show, Stalag 17, which portrayed conditions at a prisoner of war camp with humor. There were lots of atrocities committed on both sides. He remembers that the Germans lined up about 100 Americans in Belgium and shot them down. He mentioned that the S.S. German troops were fanatic fearsome fighters; but not all the Germans troops were that way. Many of them were just doing their jobs. In fact, he remembers feeling sad when he came upon one dead German soldier who was about 16 years old. At that time there were about four or five German soldiers lying dead in a little field and their comrades came along with wagons and took them away. "We were liberated from the prison camp by an American Reconnaissance Group. By that time the Germans had fled the area under the pressure of the advancing Americans. After our release, our rescuers gave us cans of C-Rations to eat. However, we were so weak and malnourished that we were not able to finish the can of food all at one time. "The Americans interviewed each of us and then we were put on planes for France. When we got there we finally got a bath and clean clothes. Our new uniforms were much smaller than the ones we had originally been issued when we were inducted into the army. We had lost most our body weight," Voglesong said as he recalled his release from captivity. Voglesong was then sent to a London hospital for a couple weeks. Then came a joyous boat ride back to the United States, followed by a big long furlough. One of his buddies at the prison camp had developed TB (Tuberculosis) and after Voglesong was discharged and teaching school in Indiana he tested positive for TB on every annual physical exam. "My great-grandparents had also fought in wars, as they were in Indiana outfits during the Civil War. They supposedly served with General Sherman, going from Atlanta to the sea and then north up the coast," Voglesong added. "After my return from the service, I taught school. My wife of 42 years died and I was the principal of a high school, teaching typing and shorthand, as well. I later became re-acquainted with my present wife, Twighla, who was an elementary school teacher. We had known each other since we were children, as we lived in a small town where every one knew each other. I encountered her at a school meeting on a Saturday, asked her out the following day to go to the park and by that Sunday I had proposed and she had answered "yes:. That was in November and we were married in December, one month later. "When it came time to retire, Twighla was looking for a better place to live, although there was nothing wrong with Indiana. Through a trade magazine we found an ad for Deer Lake in Brevard; so we mailed in a request for information. We got an answer inviting us to come down and take a look for ourselves. So we drove to Deer Lake, fell in love with the area, bought a place, and moved in five years ago," Voglesong talked about coming to North Carolina. Don and Twighla are happy at Deer Lake since there are so many friendly people there. In fact, they have made several trips with a group of their neighbors and have enjoyed traveling. Twighla is a very active member of the Brevard community. She volunteers at Habitat, SAFE's Attic and the library. She is the secretary of the Friends of the Library and is also very involved with her church activities. His son Daniel, who wrote the letter to the Transylvania Times, lives in Bavaria where he is in the army at one of the last training camps that Americans have in Germany. He is stationed near Heidelberg and very happy there. "My son invited us t visit him in March of last year, 2006. He lives in the mountains in a beautiful part of the country. The state-owned forests are carefully managed there: when a tree is cut down, it must be replaced.. Although my son is a Presbyterian, he was invited to sing in the choir of a beautiful 600 year old Catholic Church. Every town in that area has a singing group and they go from house to house serenading the people. They are then served cups of a hot drink which is very strong. In fact, it takes your head off," Voglesong laughs as he describes the libation. In his letter about his dad, his son said that the first thing his father wanted to do when he arrived at the Frankfurt Airport was to visit the camp where he had been held prisoner. They had a hard time locating it, because it is now a camp for children, but finally found it. There they met a German school teacher and his wife. After Don's son told the new friend that his father had been a prisoner at that place, the man told the children (in German) that his father had done a heroic thing to save Germany from the Nazi dictator. The children all clapped and it was a very emotional moment for Donald Voglesong Voglesong says that politically he is a strong Democrat and that it is the subject of much discussion with his buddies at the Deer Lake Clubhouse. He feels very strongly against wars. He says that he was fighting with the U.S. military for such a short time that he did not have much experience in that regard; but that 80% of the Americans killed in World War II were infantry soldiers. "They just gave us an M-1 rifle and hand grenades and sent us off to the fight. That war was fought mainly by Americans who were poor. It was a rich man's war and a poor man's fight." Voglesong concluded, Lorraine Miller

The skirmish that banged up my driver's side door and front fender last
Sunday, had more effects than I expected it would.

Right after the crash, you are so stunned, that you are running around
in a shock. Nothing hurts. But, wait a few hours, and then every thing
hurts. I went to the doctor yesterday and all is okay. At first the pain
was so severe, I could not find a comfortable sport to rest in bed. But,
now, four days later I feel almost as good as new.

Something wonderful happened to ease my soul and spirits. Some of the
Good Neighbors brought hot home-cooked meals for me for the past three
days - - - and homemade brownies and fudge!
These three women were people I had never met. But when they found out
about the accident, they called me and said they would be bringing
dinners over for three days. What a wonderful thing to do!

I shall certainly send them notes of appreciation. But, what's more, I
intend to join the group to do my share to help others in times of
distress.

These are the areas they cover:

Bereavement Ministry:
This is a caring group of residents who are there for you at the hardest
times.

Caring companions
These caring companions provide a few hours of relief for those who are
caring for a loved one who cannot be left alone.

Friendly caller
They have developed a buddy system for those who live alone, and would
like a daily phone call to make sure there is someone they can depend
upon.

Meals
Our good neighbors meal cookers are those wonderful folks who provide
meals for residents who are sick, recovering from a trauma or are
suffering family loss.

Transportation
Good Neighbors Travelers are a group who get you where you want to go
when illness or family difficultly prevent you from driving yourself.

Welcomers
Visit newcomers, to make them feel welcome.
----------------------------------------------
I don't feel alone - I feel blessed.

Lorraine

Datum: donderdag 25 december 2003 5:20

As is sit here, alone - with a friendly fire burning in my stone fireplace - I count my blessings. And, some of my greatest blessings are the friendships of you who mean so much to me.

I hope and pray that our country will be safe from terror attacks. I pray that peace will return to this tormented world.
I pray for the serenity and joy we should be experiencing - instead of this constant turmoil.
I pray that level heads will prevail.

I pray that each one of you will find the inner peace and the time to look around you and enjoy the many blessings that abound around you.

I pray that you will count the support and love that you receive from your family and from your many friends, who appreciate you for the fine people you are.
I pray that you will realize that you are not alone.
We all can have faith for a better world and for release from pain an concern for our dear friends.

Look around you - see the bounty that is there for your enjoyment. Let's all pray for peace in the world; that all of mankind can enjoy the beauty that this Earth has for all of us.

I want you to know, dear friends, how much I have enjoyed and appreciated your friendship - and the many heartfelt e-mails that you have sent me. They sustain me through the turmoil that man has created.

It reminds me - at this advanced age of my life - that there is order and beauty around us, if we will but open our hearts to let the beauty reside there.

Lorraine

I wish each and every one of you
A happy and blessed Holiday Season
and a healthy and happy year ahead.

 

Datum: dinsdag 10 oktober 2006 2:50

I'm okay. In fact, just got through baking some pancakes after waking from a little nap. So, don't worry. Had an ice pack on my knee which hit the dashboard, and it seems to be functioning okay.

Here's the whole story, the truth and nothing but the truth; so help me!

It was a beautiful October day - blue sky, warm but with a bit of a fall chill in the air. I noticed that the leaves on the trees have reached about /14 of their autumn glory.

Had a busy day planned, as usual. I drove my latest Senior Profile manuscript and the accompanying pictures over to the Transylvania Times - and was in good fettle.

Went over to the Proper Pot on Main Street and bought the most expensive single fry pan I have ever purchased. Had to get a special one to use on my new electric stove with the glass top and the radiant heat.

Drove around the corner on Caldwell and on to Probart. When I got to corner of Probart and Broad Street, I had a decision to make. Should I turn right - and go the main intersection and then turn left? Or - should I wait for the traffic to clear and drive across Broad and up that steep hill on Probart? Made the wrong decision. !!!!
Decided to wait for an opening and drive across before going up that terribly steep hill on Probart. I thought the road was clear in front of me, but there is traffic coming down that steep decline on Broad and I didn't see the car approaching me.

I was inching across when suddenly - BANG - that sickening thud when another car hits you. I saw a woman with a little baby spinning around and my car was driven off the road, over the curb, and on to the grassy area on the other side of Broad. I was shaken up, and heart beating madly, and frightened - as I sat there in my mangled up 1999 Buick!

The young woman and the baby in the other car seemed to be all right - and they were - except that the back door of her car was in pretty badly messed up shape.

It seemed like in no time flat I was surrounded by police cars and an EMS - and a very concerned young woman EMS worker asking me if I was all right - and if my neck or any thing hurt. I dazedly said no. Wanted to know if I wanted to go to the hospital to be checked. I confusedly said no. The lady in the other car got out of her car and took her little girl - looked about a couple years old - out of the car seat in the back seat. Baby was frightened and crying. NO ONE HURT. No blood, no broken bones - but the automobiles took a terrible beating.

Police and EMS workers were so kind and gentle and caring - made me feel protected. She drove off in her car, but mine was undriveable, so in no time flat there was a wrecker there and they hoisted the car up onto a flat bed and drove it away -where to? I have no idea.

The EMS worker, in the meantime, had helped me to take my belongings out of the car and put them into a big bag. At this same time, Evie Huntington, (a friend of mine from Connestee Falls) came by saw me - police wouldn't let her stop and hold up traffic - but she kept circling around until she came up to where I was and gave me a ride home.

I got a citation. First one I have ever had in my life. It will cost me $25 plus court costs; but I can take a check to the Court House, pay for my sins, and won't have to appear in court.

I was on my way to an appointment at Quotations, for an interview for my Senior Profile column in the newspaper, with Doris Kendrick when the accident happened. Doris is the owner of the Ladies Apparel shop in Sapphire, called Hogshed. Evie went into Quotations and let her know what had happened - and drove me home.

How kind and nice of Evie to do that for me! She was so efficient and calming, made every thing seem okay for me. There is nothing like this area - people are all extraordinary.

So, here I sit without a car in the driveway. I called State Farm and told them about it and they assured me they would take care of it. The other driver is also insured with State Farm - sort of a family affair.

I had a later appointment this afternoon to see Gloria Clouse for another appointment for a newspaper interview. She is the current President of the Friends of the DuPont Forest (a favorite project, close to my heart). I called her, explained, apologized. She has sent me some info on the internet. Hope I can get the info in to the paper for next week's paper on time, as the DuPont Forest is having their annual Fall bus tour for people to view the forest, the placid lake and all the thundering waterfalls at the end of next week - and I wanted to get her story in the paper, complete with the news about the upcoming TOUR before the event.

Maybe, I can still make it.

Bunged up knee seems to be doing pretty well. Ice pack I put on it has kept down the swelling - and so far it seems to be in working order. It would have to be on the left leg which has the bursitis in the hip. But, what the hey, I was limping on that leg anyway.

Soooooo, I don't know just what will happen to my car, where it is, or what! Of course I have Russell to ferry me around in his car if I need ferrying.

My pride is bruised - first citation I ever got - and the poor maroon car doesn't seem like the little engine that could any more - but, I am counting my blessings. Could have been worse.

Head aches a bit - but I guess that is a tension thing.

Lorraine

 

This is a copy of a letter that Lorraine wrote to her great-granddaughter Kaitlin. Kaitlin is 7 years old and has an extraordinary vocabulery. She wrote that they were studying wether and such in schol and wanted me to write and tell her what it was like here:
---------------------------------------------------
All along the coast - usually many miles from the oceans - there are mountain ranges. The ones on the East coast (The Atlantic Ocean coast)start near the northern top part of South Carolina and run up to the top of New England and the Canadian border..

Names of the mountains ranges change, but they seem to me to be almost all of one range! You will see them on the U.S. Map. You will see the Appalachians, The Great Smokies, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Catskills, the Adirondacks, and then the mountains of New England.

We are in the mountains that are furthest South on the East side of the United States, the Appalachians. I was surprised to learn that the Appalachian mountains are the OLDEST mountains in the whole world. They have been here so many years, that wind and snow and rain have beaten down the top peaks of stone so much that you rarely see any outcroppings of rock at the tops of our mountains. The centuries have made them round and curvy, instead of jagged like the Rocky Mountains in the western part of the United States.

The many centuries have deposited dirt on top of the Appalachians,allowing trees and other vegetation to grow and form forests in these mountains. When you look at them, there seems to be row after row of mountain ranges. You often see different shades and colors on the mountains in the distance. They seem to get purple, lavender and finally fade to a blurred gray in the background.

There are not many big cities with big factories and other pollution causing factors to change our beautiful forests. Some nearby forests (within hundreds of miles) have been damaged by winds that carry pollution to their forests and kill their trees; So far, we have been lucky here in this area, because we are not near any big industrial cities and the prevailing winds do not bring pollution here, yet.

So our forests are healthy and green and our air is pure and full of oxygen. Oxygen is the part of the air which we humans breathe, and is very important to life. Our mountain air is very clean and contains a lot of oxygen, coming from the forests which leads to more healthy living.

I am hoping that this stays like this for many years. And, I believe that it will. I will tell you why:

We live in Transylvania County and 70% of the land is National Forest.Unless the laws are changed, no one can disturb these national forests.

However, lately, I have been very concerned because the federal government is showing less protection for the national forests and the environment.
However, I am hoping that this beautiful part of the United States will be allowed to continue in its glory.

Since so much of the county is federal national, or state, owned forest,there is very little land left for places to be built upon. I am very grateful for this, as I hate to see this magnificent country side spoiled for the benefit of developers. There are so few places like this left in the United States.

HOW DID WE FIND THIS AREA?

When your grand pa was a little baby, it was during World War II sixty years ago. And we came to live in South Carolina for a few years. I loved it and was very happy there, in spite of the worry about the war.

However, it was not mountainous where I was, nor was it forested. I loved the climate, as I was so grateful to get away from the cold weather of Michigan. But, more than that, I loved the people of the South. They were so much gentler, kinder, and friendlier than the people I had known in Michigan.

Many years went by.

Then, in 1980 (that was 25 years ago), your grandpa and I travelled to North Carolina to see a printer we were doing business with. We came South down I-75 as far as Knoxville, Tennessee and then cut over on I-40 going East through the most beautiful mountains I had ever seen.

Your grandpa and I were so awe-stricken by the beauty of the area. But,we did not have time to stop and look around.

Then, your grandpa and your uncle Greg took a little vacation, driving up and down the mountain areas of North Carolina to look around. Your grandpa was especially impressed with our little town of Brevard, N.C.
He came back to visit it several times and always took pictures to show me. He also was always telling me that we should move here, that he knew
I would love it.

Your great grandpa, Barry Whitehead, lived in California. When he gotready to retire, they bought a motor home and took a year's time to travel around the United States. They visited all the retirement areas,to see which they thought would be the best choice to live. Grandpa Russell told his father to look into this area. He did. He bought a home in the nearby time of Hendersonville, N.C. and was always happy that he had chosen this area.

After years of having your grandpa tell me how wonderful this area was,I finally (in May of 2000) took a month's vacation and rented a house in Connestee. I fell in love with the place. I did not want to go home. I tried to find a place to buy but did not find one that I wanted.

The next year (July of 2001), I came to Connestee for another vacation and spent more time looking for a house. I found the one that we are living in, just two days before our vacation was over. I bought the house and went back to Michigan.

In middle November of 2001 we made the move to Connestee. I have never regretted it. I am very happy, content, and grateful that I am here and can enjoy my late years in this magnificent spot. I love the people in this mountainous area of North Carolina and am enjoying life.

GEOGRAPHY AND WEATHER

The United States has the Great Continental Divide near the west coast.
It also has the Eastern Continental Divide, just a few miles south of us in South Carolina. This is where the mountains end. You can stand on the top of the last mountain ranges and see several states below you on flatter lands. It is very beautiful.

The area where we live is a most unusual area. It is where the trees of the north and the ones of the south, come together. So, the area has both types of trees and the autumn colors of the changing leaves are spectacular. People come from all over to marvel at their beauty. The peak color usually comes in Mid-October.

Another thing that surprised and delighted me about our weather, is that we have so many days of sunshine. So many days when the skies are all blue with no clouds. And so many nights, when you can look into the dark velvet night sky and see so many bright stars that you are overwhelmed.
We can see them so clearly because we do not have street lights in Connestee. This makes the surrounding night so much darker and you can really see the stars.

When I was little, we used to spend our summers on an island in the Flats of Lake St. Clair, Michigan. We had no electricity on that island, so at night we could count the thousands upon thousands of twinkling stars in the dark summer night. This reminds me of those times when I was a little girl. There also were many fireflies flitting about in the Flats, and I was delighted to see them here in the summer nights; as I was afraid they had all gone away.

Bye bye for now, to my dear ones:

Great Grandma

World War II - ah, yes, I remember it well.
I can easily recall the feeling of foreboding, in 1939, when the US passed the bill authorizing the Selective Service (I felt the same stirring of emotion when I read in this yer's July issue of Family Crcle that the US was again discussing the possibility of a draft for all men and women eighteen years of age to 44.) Detroit was gearing up as the Arsenal of Democracy and in 1940 I was in the midst of it. Fresh from the University of Michigan, I was one of the few women from my class to enter the workplace. As Secretary to the Chief Odnance Engineer of the 20mm. Oerlikon Anti-Aircraft Gun, I was right in the middle of this secret government work.

On that fateful Sunday, December 7th, 1941, my husband and I were driving to Ann Arbor to see his parents. We heard the news of the attackon Pearl Harbor on the car radio and were dumbstruck. How could this have happened to the USA - an unprovoked attack that destroyed much of our naval fleet? We listened in disbelief, as the dreadful words entered our consciousness.

We knew that war was brewing; but we thought that the U.S. would be able to choose the time and place to enter the fray. Actually, it never had occurred to us that we would be so vulnerable - and that the initial cost would be so high.

In one Sunday morning's time, our whole world was turned topsy-turvy.From that moment on, every thing in our lives changed. The Draft was nipping at the heels of all the young men; and their women dreaded going to the mail box to receive that letter of "Greetings" from the government.

I can well understand how the military wives of today are constantly tortured in their minds. I know their anguish about the welfare of their men, as they struggle to maintain the daily life of themselves and their children.

Five weeks after my first child was born, my husband was inducted into the U.S. Air Force at Fort Sheridan in Chicago.

The $50.00 per month allowance I received as a service man's wife, could not pay my bills. The rent on the house we were living in was $50.00 per month. And, that did not include the cost of utilities - or any other living expenses.

I did, as so many other young mothers were forced to do, moved in with my parents. In my case, this was not easy on grandma and grandpa. I, their only child, was born when they were in their 40's; and, by this time, they had put in a full lifetime of hard work and were ready to retire.

But, we were a nation united in spirit and resolve, and there was very little grumbling. Almost all of the able-bodied men were in the service.
I remember the old song: "They're either too young or too old - they're either too gray or too grassy green". It was a strange world without young men.

If you lived in an area where there were no military facilities, you found that almost all young males were gone.Since most of the military facilities were on the coasts or in the south, the north was devoid of any young men.Those women who could work outside the home went to work in the factories. Their lives were all forever changed, too.

Life was so different. We were faced with rationing - something new to us. There were ration stamps for gasoline, butter, cheese, fats, meat,and so many other items we had previously taken for granted.

Manufacturing of domestic items had practically stopped - no more new cars, appliances, furniture, rubber nipples for baby bottles, paper, metals of any types,safety pins, nylons . No more rubber for automobile tires; we had to have the tires recapped over and over.The list went on and on.

All the baby items, like baby buggies, play pens and other manufactured items were no longer being made. Every thing had to be bought second hand.

In those days we had cloth diapers for babies; and I can remember thatlarge safety pins had to be hoarded, as you could not buy new ones..Even after they became rusty and decrepit, we pressed them into service. I soon learned that these pins could be stored in soft bars of soap and could be made usable. Of course, they left big rusty marks on the diapers; but, at least, they served the purpose.

Rubber pants were no longer available, either. So, we knitted wool"soakers" to try to confine the problem. Soakers was a good name for them. they just soaked up the leakage until they were full, and then the major dripping would start over any person or surface that were in contact with them..

You could not buy new baby bottles, so my son's habit of tossing the empties over the side of the crib caused great concern as glass went shattering all over the floor.And, woe be onto you, if the baby chewed through the worn out rubber nipple, there were no replacements to be had.

The fact that shoes were rationed to two pairs per year was not ahardship for me, at all; I had no money to buy two pairs of shoes in one year!

Every household that had a member in the service displayed an emblem with a blue star in the front window. If the service person perished,you received an emblem with a gold star. Thus, The Gold Star Mothers.

My mother and I taught knitting at the Red Cross to make woolen socks and gloves and scarves, to keep the overseas soldiers warm. My mother who had learned to knit in Europe, taught me - and we taught all the Red Cross volunteers the same method. The only trouble was that the European style of knitting puts all the stitches on the needle backwards. But, this style of knitting allowed you to tuck both knitting needles under your arms, and all your fingers were free to fly like the wind. I wonder how many of today's knitters, who were taught by their mothers and grandmothers, are unwittingly putting all their stitches on backwards?

There were no cell phones or other modern methods of communication that we enjoy today. When my step-son was in Kuwait, during The Desert Storm in the 80's, we would fax each other whenever possible.

At the time of World War II. you depended upon the mail. You sent your letters to an A.P.O. address when your serviceman was overseas. All letters were censored, which often delayed their receipt.

Many messages were delivered to us by "wire" (telegrams), with a messenger ringing the doorbell to deliver the message to you. This was quite the fearsome moment when you saw the uniformed man approach your door, as this was the method usually used to deliver news of someone's death;

There were written reports in newspapers and magazines by War Correspondents to tell us the news from the battlegrounds. We did receive radio reports, but there were no graphic daily television programs to bring the war into our living rooms.

The movies had News Reels to show different events; and many movies were made to stir up patriotism - as well as to vilify the enemy. Many innocent people who had emigrated to the U.S. from countries with which we were now at war, were ostracized. All Japanese citizens on our west coast were put into Special Detention Camps. Many innocent people suffered from discrimination.

It was a "far-away" war, but our hearts were filled with constant worry.
During the years between 1941 and 1945, our lives were changed forever.

V-E Day (Victory in Europe) and V-J Day (Victory in Japan) were occasions for unfettered joy. People all over the United States joined in the celebrations. I was fortunate enough to be at Fort Benning,Georgia, when V-J and the end of all hostilities was announced. You never saw any thing like it! Guards left their stations, and all personnel just took off from the base without leave. Cars streamed into Columbus, Ga. and the jubilant celebrations went on all night long! I'll never forget the jubilation of that day in 1945!

AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY Here I was in Brevard, the land of over 250 waterfalls. However, I thought I would never see one except for the Connestee Falls on our property! To reach the most spectaculr falls, involves quite a bit of mountain hiking which I could never negotiate. So, I bought paintings and photographs and videos of the waterfalls. I accepted the fact that I probably would never see them for myself. Well, today, October 25th, 2003, provided a marvelous oppotunity to visit three of the largest, waterfalls and I was quick to take advantage of this "Tour".The volunteers." Friends of DuPont Forest", arranged a tour by large vans to take us through the forest to view these secluded beauties. What a rare opportunity for us! When DuPont owned this property, thousands of acres of wilderness were all privately owned land.. The forest was used primarily as recreation area for the benefit of the employees. However, when DuPont closed their plant (it produced photographic camera film which is being abandoned for the new digital cameras), a large developer purchased the property. His intention was to build a community of upscale homes. Lovely Lake Julia and the waterfalls would then be for the enjoyment of only those people who bought property in the development. A large group of volunteers from our Transylvania County {and from neignboring North Carolina counties and the nearly state of South Carolina), formed an association to save the forest and its magnificent water features for the enjoyment of all citizens. These good folks volunteer their time to keep up the roads and trails and the forest, contriibuting many hours of devoted labor. They lobbied the North Carolina government to purchase the land from the developer. They were successful and the DuPont Forest is now a state willderness area. As such it can be acesssed only by hikers,non-motrized bikers, non-motor boats and by fishermen using only artificial bait. To drive a car into the forest, you have to be given a special permit and that is not easily obtainable. There is no camping in the forest. Everything is planned to keep it safe from fire and as pristine as possible, to preserve it for us and the generations of people who will follow us.. My friend, Alice, and I arrived at the gate to the forest early in the morning. In fact, we were the third couple in line when the tour opened. The volunteers greeted us with hot apple cider and home-made cookies and cakes. We boarded the first van and were off on our long-awaited adventure. There were hundreds of people who arrived later in the day, but the early participants we encountered were all senior citizens. Like us, these were folks who never would have been able to hike those precipitous trails to see these magnificent falls. We were in what looked like a brand new van holding 15 people. We drove up and down narrow, unpaved one-way dirt roads - seemingly right through the foresst. It certainly was a good thing that the driver knew where he was going and how to drive over wild land to get there. The vans drove us to the best spots to view the falls for those of us who could not hike the trails.. Our first stop was at The Triple Falls.(150 feet of falling water in three sections); How glorious this was, surrounded by the multi-colored fall trees. An early morning mist still hung over the top falls area. None of us were able to scramble down the steep grainite walls to reach the water, but we had a tremendous view from the vantage point where our van drove us. Back into the van. And that was a scramble in itself - we old gals did our best to jump in. Or scramgle unceremoniously, but we made it! We then visited High Falls. To reach the slope on foot would have been a 900 ft. steep cllimb to witness one waterfall drop of 120 ft. This was a spectacular, roaring sight. It was featured in the movie "The Last of the Mohicans" where the actors sought refuge by hiding behind the falls. I guess they must have been adept at mountain climbing. Each year, the falls claim their victims (usually tourists) as folks gets into the water above the falls, not realizing that the force of the water will carry them over the precipice. The constant mist formed by the roaring water clothes the rocky banks, making them slippery and dangerous.. Back into the van. By this time, we know how ]ridiculous we look climbing to our seats, but we don't care. We are finally seeing the falls. The third falls we viewed, Bridal Veil Falls, was completely different. The water drop fanned out into a bridal veil shape as it spilled over a huge granite rock. We concluded our tour by visiting the large lodge that sits on the shores of Lake Julia. This placid lake had nary a ripple on it, as it mirrored the stand of multi-colored trees that surround the lake. Again, we were treated to hot cider and home-made goodies. Stuffed as we were with those diet-breakers, we barely made the climb back into the van. Which was quite a feat! We only banged our heads two or three times on the entire trip. The van then drove us back to the parking lot where our cars were awaiting us. It was a thrilling, unforgettable experience on a beautiful day, filled with sunshine and bright blue skies. We were thrilled and thankful that we got to see nature's bounty in all its glory. This was all made possible through the efforts of volunteers who strive to protect our environmnt. Lorraine