America Calling - Civilian Defense Reenacting

[MrBern]

Kilroy, thought you might make use of these high res scans.

http://www.legion.org/whatsnew/posters

 

[KilroyCD]

Nice posters! You bet I'll make good use of them. Thanks for posting them.

 

[MrBern]

My pleasure. Loved your displays at Reading's Air Show.

BTW, the `43 "Back the Attack" poster is gorgeous.

 

[Story]

Just for you, Kilroy

At the time, Trubisz didn't know he was one of the latest victims of legendary German Admiral Karl Donitz, head of Adolf Hitler's Kriegsmarine or wartime navy. Donitz had launched "Operation Drumbeat" on December 23, 1941, as five U-boats left France for a trip across the Atlantic. Their mission was simple: Sink ships along America's East Coast. In the first six months of 1942, over 400 Allied ships were sunk by German submarines lurking off our coastlines, killing 5,000 seamen.

"It was a shooting gallery," said Pete Petersen, a veteran of the Unterseebotwaffe, Germany's World War II submarine force. "It was very easy to sink ships here, because they had no idea how to handle it… everything was brightly lit up. And that helped those skippers that were here at that time to identify their targets."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,477889,00.html

 

[p51]

I really don't wanna nitpick, but getting some 1930s/40s glasses would be a great addition. I wear specs and know all too well how tough they are to find, but they're really worth it because people do notice...

 

[KilroyCD]

I really don't wanna nitpick, but getting some 1930s/40s glasses would be a great addition. I wear specs and know all too well how tough they are to find, but they're really worth it because people do notice...

Believe me, that is something I've been looking for, but my pumpkin head is too big for the vintage frame styles I've come across so far.

 

[Story]

World War II Reenactor Explains How Tower Operated

SUNSET BEACH — The World War II Lookout Tower: Fire Control Tower No. 23 Museum & Memorial opened to the public Friday March 27 with a steady stream of visitors and a coastal artillery reenactor inside from Cape Henlopen State Park who explained the purpose of the structure and how ships were spotted from the top level.

In 2008-09, Cape May’s Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) restored New Jersey’s last freestanding World War II Lookout Tower, an important part of Cape May’s World War II history.

The World War II Lookout Tower was part of the immense Harbor Defense of the Delaware system known as Fort Miles. The tower was used for spotting enemy ships during World War II and aiming guns to fire on them.

Well-written article with lots of details, here:

http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/48429-world+war+ii+reenactor+explains+how+tower+operated

 

[Story]

Coastal Defense guns on Cape Cod, Mass

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090427/MEDIA0302/90427013/-1/NEWS01

 

[David Conwill]

As my favorite history prof was fond of saying "Not too many German bombers made it through to Saginaw." But, I'm sure our British friends can explain the important contributions of the Air Raid Warden closer to the front. My mother's father was one - he couldn't otherwise serve because of his war-critical job and several kids, so he inspected M1 Carbines during the day and helped with the blackout at night.

If you really want to pick on a group of reenactors, I'll start a war profiteer/black marketer reenactment group for you to hate on.

-Dave

I also just discovered my maternal grandfather was a somebody in the Office of Price Administration in Saginaw because of his pre-war experience running a grocery store. That was actually two discoveries, as I’d always just been told he was a butcher.

-Dave

 

[KilroyCD]

I also just discovered my maternal grandfather was a somebody in the Office of Price Administration in Saginaw because of his pre-war experience running a grocery store. That was actually two discoveries, as I’d always just been told he was a butcher.

-Dave

As an aside, fellow Lounger Mr. K.L. Bowers set up an O.P.A. rationing board display (complete with portable building) at WWII Weekend at Reading, PA last month. We had fun with him. While he was talking to people out front, we's stick our head in the back door and say something like, "Pssst! Mr. Bowers! Where would you like us to put those four tires you had us grind the serial numbers off of?"
He'd usually push us out the back, saying, "Not now!"
O.P.A. out front, Black Market through the back door...

 

[Zemke Fan]

Update...

Here's our dear friend Kilroy clowning around with *Abbott and Costello* at the 2010 Reading WWII Weekend:

 

[Republic_Flier]

Civil Air Patrol the Air Force Auxiliary is a great military civilian all volunteer organization.
Here is the main website
http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/html/index.htm

Squadron Locater-
http://cap.findlocation.com

From wikipedia- Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF).
Our 3 missions are Emergency Services, Aerospace Education, and Disaster Relief. Senior members are aged 21 years old and up ; cadets can join up from age 12-18, but can stay as a cadet till 21 then they will go to the dark side (senior member). There are 52 wings one for each state along with Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[Sharpsburg]

Kilroy's now has a new facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/kilroyshomefront. New about upcoming events, like Williamsport, and lots of fun stuff!

Mary S.

 

[Story]

Interesting Bond Drive photo - http://www.perrycountynews.com/content/japanese-sub-visits-1943

 

[Story]

New Mexico and the Army Specialized Training Program.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_b881bbbb-c71a-5ffc-acc4-c49380d937d8.html