Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Continuing to respond in summary to the thousands of questions I have received.

The thrill of being asked so many fascinating questions encourages me to keep going (and that can be interpreted in a number of ways, I realize).  I make no claims for being an expert, but I have had some rather broad experiences, and I believe I bring common sense to my remembrances.  And if folks are going to read my rants in greater numbers than they did before, I will feel challenged to use this vehicle to answer questions.  Although I have already responded to questions about WWII, there were so many expressing a curiosity about how life was different in that period,  I'll share a few personal experiences..

I well remember the division in our country before Pearl Harbor. Certainly there was great hostility to the leadership of FDR, and I recall that the people next door who had a son of draft age were vehemently against getting involved in "foreign entanglements". Homes and cars had signs reading, "Keep U. S. Out of War - Be Neutral"!  We could, however, hear the shrill voice of Adolf Hitler on one of our three major radio stations. (Note that having fewer trusted media was one of the things that united us that we don't have today.)

One of the other sources of news occurred when we went to the theater (for about $.35).  San Antonio, with a population of 250,000, had three major theaters downtown and they were truly enormous, very ornate movie palaces. Rather than having advertisements and trailers advertising forthcoming movies, THE PATHE NEWS gave us glimpses of what was occurring in Europe. After the movie was over, if one wanted to stay to see it again, one was entertained by musical groups. I well remember the nationally known PHIL SPITALNE AND HIS ALL GIRL ORCHESTRA playing the top tunes  that were on the radio's LUCKY STRIKE HIT PARADE.  However Lucky Strike had to change the color of their pack because the green dye was needed in the war effort.  Thus their slogan was, LUCKY STRIKE GREEN HAS GONE TO WAR!  But men (and women for the first time in the service) were given all the cigarettes they wanted to smoke.  Straight arrow me never did!

But the attack on Pearl Harbor united the nation. Ths common enemy united the country with everyone seeming to want to do their part.  We collected scrap metal and tin foil that wrapped our candy bars.  Most consumer products were rationed and we had stamps noting our allotment.  At 16 was I just so I'll informed or have I sublimated the terrible things we did to those citizens of Japanese heritage on the West Coast?  We of German descent faced no such trauma!!!!

There are of course books on this topic, but there are many experiences not recorded about the war.  I'll close my thoughts on this topic with an email I received from a close friend:

 "It's ancient history to so many, but my father was captured on Corridor with Gen. Wainwright, and spent the rest of the War (and even 2 weeks after the Japanese surrendered) in prison camps in the Philippines and in the camps in northern Japan. I doubt he would have survived for much longer if he and the others hadn't been found. And a few years later, when I was in high school on Guam where he was stationed, there were Japanese soldiers still hiding in the boondocks, holding out to the bitter end for the Emperor. My friends and I got in trouble from our parents for exploring and hunting for souvenirs, but we found some. I just kept a couple of records from a camp we found, but they wouldn't play on my phonograph and besides, they were in Japanese, so I didn't keep them!"

I hope others of you will get to other WWII veterans before it is too late.

Next week I'll respond to the provocative question< "What is one trend or devise from your generation that you would bring back?  I hope you'll add your insight as a comment below, and I'll share the way I answered the question.



7 comments:

  1. Great post Mr Lehker! It's a hard question to ask, when should the U.S. insert itself into war or military engagements abroad? Today, many of us couldn't fathom remaining neutral in what we now know about the horrific events of WWII. Unfortunately, we have seen these same behaviors repeated in locations across the globe too many times since. It is so useful to have this historical perspective to look to for future decisions.

    What is one trend or device that I would bring back? I'm not sure but I often times wish I had a day or weekend without the internet, smart phone, and laptop!

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    1. I surely appreciate your thoughtful response. It is so important to select trustworthy leaders. Your response to the question of the week comes quite closes to mine. Stay tuned.
      Best, Ron

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  2. Dr. Lehker, You are a very influential man in my life growing up as a student. Out of my all principles in my life-elementary school, junior high and high school you're the only one that I remember. You once gave me a challenge of taking an old personal trumpet of yours and restoring it to working condition. Once I was able to get it to working condition you let me use it for well over a year. That was from 1977 to 1979. I end up going to school for one year with your son Tom in the Muskegon High School Big Red Marching Band. I always considered you were one of the finest educators I ever was around. I just want to thank you for the influence you had in my life in the mid-seventies. And to this day I'm still playing my trumpet. Thank you for being who you are, and may God bless you!
    David Ball

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    1. I once wrote an article about the "Payoff for the Principal" and it was focused around some comments like this, David. I truly appreciate your recalling our time together. My regret now is that I just didn't let you keep the trumpet. I'm so glad that music has continued to have meaning in your life. That's for remembering Tom. He too keeps trumpeting in the Ann Arbor area.
      All the best,

      Ron

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  3. Dr. Lehker, You are a very influential man in my life growing up as a student. Out of my all principles in my life-elementary school, junior high and high school you're the only one that I remember. You once gave me a challenge of taking an old personal trumpet of yours and restoring it to working condition. Once I was able to get it to working condition you let me use it for well over a year. That was from 1977 to 1979. I end up going to school for one year with your son Tom in the Muskegon High School Big Red Marching Band. I always considered you were one of the finest educators I ever was around. I just want to thank you for the influence you had in my life in the mid-seventies. And to this day I'm still playing my trumpet. Thank you for being who you are, and may God bless you!
    David Ball

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  4. Mr Lehker, nice to meet you. My name is Emanuela and I've read the article Jessica Contrera wrote about you on the Washington Post.
    Your story is amazing!
    I'd like to ask you some questions. Hopefully, you have some time for me :)
    Best regards,
    Emi

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    1. What's the best way to chat about them. Send me your questions, I plan to answer all I receive.

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