I am going to tell you a story about a girl who, in 1942, was 10 years old. In the year of 1941, the United States of America was attacked by bombers of Japan in Hawaii, killing sailors and people and sinking U.S. ships. The United States was then in World War II against Japan. It also happened that Germany sank a U.S. cargo ship near the coast of Europe. So, the U.S. was now at war against Germany as well.

What happened next? Well, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a speech to all Americans. He said that Dec. 7, 1941, is a day that will live in infamy. Young men and young women joined the Army, Navy and Marines and the draft was started. Young men had to go into the military services. Parents and children became a patriotic force. Paper drives started, plus any metal collected was placed at certain spots on street corners where it was used in support of the war effort. This happened many times — even gasoline was rationed.

The 10-year-old girl and her friends lived near the Deshon Army hospital and checked the surrounding fields for the enemy. They never found any, but they looked. They welcomed and hugged their uncles when they came home on leave and wrote letters.

By 1946, the war was officially over both with Japan and Germany, and the U.S. came out a winner! We could eat butter again! … and our seven uncles came home!

Mary Ann Bruner-Gass,

formerly of Butler