Class of 2018A

Armed Forces History, Division of History of Technology, National Museum of American History

Armed Forces History, Division of History of Technology, National Museum of American History

'These Wrens (women in the Royal Navy) were making toys as Christmas gifts for local children in Liverpool.

34th Bomb Squadron, 17th Group Lt. WWII Letter This letter was written by a Lt. who was with the 34th Bomb Squadron, 17th Group. That is the same squadron and group that the famous James Doolittle was with. The letter was written on July 19, 1944. From the letter….. My Dearest One,    Nothing much new and also it is quite late so as usual a short shorty to say hello and to let you know how much I love you.    At present I am listening to Bob Hope guess I forgot to tell you that we now have a radio. It is an Italian job, we bought it from Bohlan. He is going home so we took it off his hands. Spent a very busy day. Can’t remember doing a thing but I guess I did manage to stay on my feet.    Say I believe that a tan is developing, not sure as yet but the red seems to be changing color. At present I am quite a two tone job, imagine I will remain that way too because I don’t dare chance getting my rear sunburned (spend too much time on that thing) Hope you don’t get frightened when you see this two toned job

Not every home had a phone (and there were no mobile phones). Pay-phones in red 'telephone boxes' did not always work after air raids, because of bombs. To keep in touch, people wrote letters. Evacuees wrote postcards and letters home. Men and women in the Forces wrote home too. The sight of a messenger hurrying to a door with a telegram made people feel anxious. Telegrams often brought sad news - that someone had been killed in an air raid or in a bat

Friends and Neighbours With many parents away or at work, children were often left to look after themselves. They played in fields or in the street. Street games were safer than they would be today, because there were so few cars. Children helped clear up after air raids. They ran errands to the 'corner shop'. Older children looked after younger ones. Often neighbours and grandparents helped too. Many families were 'bombed out' (their homes were damaged by bombs). When this happened, neighbours offered food and beds, and lent clothes or furniture.