Honored to serve in " World War II "

By Ruthe

Serving in WW II was quite an honor and a brand new experience for me, I was only 18 years old and was graduating from Beauty College and getting ready to start my career--- plus I was engaged to be married in the coming summer. The news coming from Germany was beginning to worry many of us Americans, I was so young I could barely visualize what a war was, I would read the newspapers and could not believe what horrible things was happening over in Germany to their good people, and especially to the Jewish people.

Adolph Hitler was a leader for the " Nazi " Regime and couldn't be trusted by his people and he hated the Jewish Faith, many Jewish men and women was driven from their homes and slaughtered while their little children watched and then to see their parents bleeding and crying being dragged away and never again to see them. This was getting worse every day and other Countries started joining in to fight against the " Nazism."

America at this particular time was in a deep recession and there was very few jobs available, I applied for a position at a very Prestigious Salon, and before being hired I had to give a hair style to the owner of this salon proving my capability as a hair stylist. I was hired-- I worked long hours but was paid very little, being so young and inexperienced was difficult in building up a clientele, taking me several months before my salary was increased.

My new husband to-be was in sales, and barely made enough to live on, we together will share our salaries after our marriage to make ends meet. We were married the following summer and we managed nicely on our two paychecks. The war news was still continuing over in Europe and things was getting worse in America--- there was talk of a draft being necessary and all young men over 18 was to sign up-- it wasn't long until many young men and women started volunteering their services and signing up to serve their Country.

One night we was getting ready to drive home from work when we heard a news bulletin--- "Pearl Harbor" had been bombed by the Japanese----Thousands of our young Sailors was killed instantly on this night and many of them injured--- what a shocker this was to everyone in America-- very shortly thereafter " World War II " was declared and all men were called in to fight. The Factories started hiring men and women to make War materials instead of their own products, my husband was hired and became a Machinist, the pay was wonderful and so very much needed but his job lasted only 2 years he was drafted to serve his Country. The War was taking older men by this time and even though he was 25 years old he was called for duty--while filling out the necessary draft forms, going through a complete physical, being sized for a uniform and was finalizing all details, and was leaving the building the officer in charge noticed on the application that my husbands occupation was a Tool and Dye maker, he mentioned Machinist's were in great demand for Foreign Countries and then handed him a paper with a listing of the Countries --my husband checked several Countries on the list ---- he noticed the Panama Canal Zone was listed and wanted Government Civilian Workers, they were also hiring women, only professional --- we talked it over and decided to apply for it, not knowing for sure if there was openings for hair stylists, he definitely was hired and within a week I was also accepted as a Civilian Government Employee to work in one of the Salons in the Canal Zone--- a little village called Cocoli will be our new home. How excited we are and getting ready to go--- passports, buying new clothing, packing bags carefully not to go over a weight limit-- etc.

We are on our way to a start a new and different life in a Foreigh Country---- needless to say we was Canada' scared, we had been told some stories about Panama and they were not very nice one's, fortunately we will be living and working in the Canal Zone owned by the U.S.A. It was a new kind of living for us but after getting acclimated to a hot and humid climate we dearly loved our new surroundings. This is a very dangerous place in wartime it is constantly guarded in fear of being bombed, many threats are made to destroy the Canal Locks-- the only passageway from one Ocean to the other, the Canal was busy getting crippled ships through for repairs-- they were damaged in the South Pacific and would be repaired enough to make it back to the States for a complete overhaul, my husband would come home from his work in the Shipyards and tell me how horrible the ships were damaged and all Sailors would be dead with their ashes lying beneath their gun mounds. How devastating this was to see. These huge vessels carrying thousands of service men would have torpedo holes blown through them as large as if a six story building had gone through, and many of my high school boy friends lost their lives on these huge ships, how sad to know what a war can do to so many great young men --some still in their teens--- their Mom's and Dad's dreams demolished for their Son's future. How sad this is.

This war still continues, we are going into our second year away from home, It's very frightening to hear the Fighter Planes swooping over the whole Country and especially the Canal Zone protecting the Locks and all U.S.A personnel. This goes on twenty four hours a day and so many times we would be wondering if they are our planes or are they the enemies. I would get so homesick so often for my family but we both knew we had to stay and serve our country. I enjoyed my work and had a delightful woman boss Ms. Bliss--- I loved working in the Government Beauty Salon--- even though we all lived in constant fear of being bombed.

Ms. Bliss had been reading all about the new concept in permanent waving, it was very popular in the States--- and she also was aware I was knowledgeable in giving them, she suggested to all the salons on the Isthmus to have me give a demonstration on how to give this new permanent wave, a beautiful new concept for the Beauty World.

It was called " The Cold Wave " we had a great time getting acquainted, all salons and their hair dressers was invited I instructed each and every one on how to give a beautiful permanent wave without the heated machine --" A First " for the Panama Canal Zone, how honored this was to me to be asked to teach these hair dressers on how to design this beautiful new way in permanent waving.

My customers was always a delight to me and I loved serving them and to watch them leave the Salon with their new hairdo and how well pleased they would look, they too are all Government Civilian Employee's, most of them Nurses, Secretaries, Teachers etc. and are biding their time until this war comes to an end. One morning while working on a customer I started feeling very faint, then becoming so nausea, I took an anti-acid tablet and soon felt better, I thought it was a stomach flu---- but it soon become very obvious that I was about to become a Mother--- I was very ecstatic but we both my husband and I was so afraid, here we are in a Foreign Country and have no idea about the Drs. or the Hospitals way down here in Panama. Our worries was soon put to rest I was referred to an excellent Government Physician and our baby boy arrived to us in a beautiful and clean Hospital, little Michael weighed in at 6 lbs. and was born on fathers day--- what a beautiful gift I was able to give to his daddy on his day.

This baby boy has been the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me, and I couldn't wait to take him to the States to show him off, we didn't have to wait long he was only 4 months old when the war ended and baby Michael was-- home ward bound to good old " America " to meet his Grama's and Grampa's ---It certainly was worth our three years away from home even though we lived in constant fear for our lives, but then to have been given this beautiful Son as a token for serving our Country at Wartime. It also was a great honor and made us proud.

Today we are again in War----our young men and women serving our Country need our support and our many prayers-- just as we needed them back in World War II -- Thank them by flying your flags showing them we are with them every step of the way. May God bless each and every one of them and bring them all back safe and sound. " God Bless America "

Truly yours,

Ruthe