I wish my father was still alive, a few questions for him

[Doug]

He was absolutely born at about the worst time I could imagine. That being 1919

The 1930 -1940 decade had to suck with the Great Depression going on
So that would be his late childhood years

So you live through that . I think his father committed suicide during this time, but it never was discussed

Then circa 1942 after the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, he gets drafted by the Army , I assume he was drafted and did not voluntarily enlist ?

After WW2 he gets a college degree as an accountant works for the electric company, for life
meets and marries mother there.

By the 1970's, when I'm young ( born in 1963), marriage not going terribly well .

He escapes by working 2 other jobs in addition to his real job, nighttime jobs as janitor at cemetery and a restaurant it wasn't for need of money... just to get away from the wife.

I think I understand him well enough but, I sure would like to ask him some questions about those WW2 and earlier years ! I don't personally know any living veterans of WW2

 

[mr merlin]

I would guess he volunteered into the Army, most did back then.

 

[Doug]

I rather doubt that, he wasn't really the passionate, patriotic sort. He most likely wouldn't do that IMO. He did okay in the Army making a grade back then that was equivalent to sergeant. I do recall him saying he considered staying in after the war

I actually have his discharge papers
That is one of the questions I would ask him. He never liked to travel said he had his fill in the war. I don't think he did anything too hazardous like frontli e combat duty

Any way I could get info as to wether he was drafted or volunteered ?

Thanks

 

[Doug]

I do recall his pre-war occupation being listed as

Multi-shaft drill press operator

Sounds like a factory Job to me which makes a lot of sense in old time Connecticut , this state used to heavy in manufacturing with places like Stanley tools based here

 

[John Kelly]

Favorite memory of my late father is the day he served as an umpire for one of my Little League baseball games when I was only eight years old.

It was a practice game in the schoolyard and my father reluctantly volunteered to serve as umpire when the two managers looked for help from parents standing nearby.

Dad wasn't wearing any protective gear so he was positioned behind the pitcher.

I was at the plate and clearly overmatched by a kid throwing the ball faster than I could swing the bat.

The count was 3 and 2 and the pitcher threw a waist-high strike down the middle of the plate.

I kept the bat on my shoulder as Dad cried out, "BALL FOUR."

The parents on the other side cried foul as I jogged down to first base.

Our family members told that story at least once a year from 1971 until Dad passed away in 2007.

RIP Dad.

 

[Doug]

One thing I have noticed about those that lived thru the Depression is that they rarely speak of it

I get it, it was tough times but you were not exactly in a Nazi concentration camp!

Maybe it was tougher than I imagine.

Anyhow there is like a code of silence about it from those that were there.

You would have to be 90+ years old to have lived through it. I don't know anyone that old that also has their mind intact

Kind of like a WW1 veteran, none are left

 

[mr merlin]

One thing I have noticed about those that lived thru the Depression is that they rarely speak of it

I get it, it was tough times but you were not exactly in a Nazi concentration camp!

Maybe it was tougher than I imagine.

Anyhow there is like a code of silence about it from those that were there.

You would have to be 90+ years old to have lived through it. I don't know anyone that old that also has their mind intact

Kind of like a WW1 veteran, none are left

My mom died a couple years back and told many stories of growing up during the depression(in Milwuakee), she said on some days dinner consisted of buttered toast, on Christmas one year her gift was an orange(a rare treat), she said hobo's would come to the back door asking for food, and perhaps most amusing she said in the summer there would be parades with horses , her job was to run out into the street and collect any shit left behind to use in the garden before the neighbors grabbed it. She said her dad had work and they were far from the poorest.

By the way, I looked it up, during WW11 approx 18 million men served in the armed forces, approx 6 million enlisted while about 12 million were drafted, so you could be right about your dad.

 

[Doug]

I recall my mother saying something about an orange being a treat back then ,kind of hard to imagine now !

The poorest of the poor today probably live better than the richest people of a few hundred years ago

 

[texaswizzard]

My step father is almost 94 and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 16. I asked him, "wasn't the age to enlist or be drafted 18 years old"? He always says but doesn't give specifics that if you wanted in, they didn't turn you down. He and his two older brothers enlisted in the Navy and Army. He and one of his older brothers tell countless stories about their experiences. Maybe because they were always positive people but they never complained about serving. They said they didn't know better and the country was all in on doing whatever they had to do to win the war. They saw death and it didn't seem to affect them as they went on to be productive citizens as a doctor, dentist and psychiatrist. I've asked them about the hardship of eating horrible food and being on a boat for 2 years and they said it was fine.

 

[Doug]

My mom died a couple years back and told many stories of growing up during the depression(in Milwuakee), she said on some days dinner consisted of buttered toast, on Christmas one year her gift was an orange(a rare treat), she said hobo's would come to the back door asking for food, and perhaps most amusing she said in the summer there would be parades with horses , her job was to run out into the street and collect any shit left behind to use in the garden before the neighbors grabbed it. She said her dad had work and they were far from the poorest.

By the way, I looked it up, during WW11 approx 18 million men served in the armed forces, approx 6 million enlisted while about 12 million were drafted, so you could be right about your dad.

That stat of 18/12/6 million is really incredible, that is a huge chunk of the population at the time, pretty much you're going to war unless you are in a wheelchair !

Not quite like Vietnam, when you could skate out of the draft by simply moving to Canada. That is what I would have done, if age appropriate at the time.I'm not proud of it, but for sure would have taken that road instead of a free trip to Vietnam. No such option existed circa 1942...but that war was just.

 

[Doug]

My step father is almost 94 and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 16. I asked him, "wasn't the age to enlist or be drafted 18 years old"? He always says but doesn't give specifics that if you wanted in, they didn't turn you down. He and his two older brothers enlisted in the Navy and Army. He and one of his older brothers tell countless stories about their experiences. Maybe because they were always positive people but they never complained about serving. They said they didn't know better and the country was all in on doing whatever they had to do to win the war. They saw death and it didn't seem to affect them as they went on to be productive citizens as a doctor, dentist and psychiatrist. I've asked them about the hardship of eating horrible food and being on a boat for 2 years and they said it was fine.

I have a friend that is a Vietnam veteran and isn't very much older than me, maybe about 8 years older ?

He got in at like 16 or something, no problem. He did his 20 years in the Navy and retired. Obviously a total volunteer, a better man than me, I would have become a Canuck, much like Peep did from Peep's place

 

[Doug]

Population I'm 1940 was 132 million, narrow that down to able bodied young men of 18- 25 age, virtually all were drafted

It must have been one Hell of a time to experience it ! Males 9/11 look like nothing in retrospect

 

[mr merlin]

Population I'm 1940 was 132 million, narrow that down to able bodied young men of 18- 25 age, virtually all were drafted

It must have been one Hell of a time to experience it ! Males 9/11 look like nothing in retrospect

The article I read said the draft age was originally 21 -40 something, later reduced to 18+. it said about 1/2 of the available male population served. 2% were women, blacks were exempted from the draft at the beginning.

 

[mr merlin]

That stat of 18/12/6 million is really incredible, that is a huge chunk of the population at the time, pretty much you're going to war unless you are in a wheelchair !

Not quite like Vietnam, when you could skate out of the draft by simply moving to Canada. That is what I would have done, if age appropriate at the time.I'm not proud of it, but for sure would have taken that road instead of a free trip to Vietnam. No such option existed circa 1942...but that war was just.

When my mom died i looked at her old yearbook(she graduated in 46), she also had ones from 44,45. in each one it listed the numbers of boys in her class that entered the military as well as who had died. The list of dead from her school alone was maybe 15-20 each year. many boys were listed as graduating early because they were entering the military(presumably sign ups)

 

[Bushay]

He was absolutely born at about the worst time I could imagine. That being 1919

The 1930 -1940 decade had to suck with the Great Depression going on
So that would be his late childhood years

So you live through that . I think his father committed suicide during this time, but it never was discussed

Then circa 1942 after the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, he gets drafted by the Army , I assume he was drafted and did not voluntarily enlist ?

After WW2 he gets a college degree as an accountant works for the electric company, for life
meets and marries mother there.

By the 1970's, when I'm young ( born in 1963), marriage not going terribly well .

He escapes by working 2 other jobs in addition to his real job, nighttime jobs as janitor at cemetery and a restaurant it wasn't for need of money... just to get away from the wife.

I think I understand him well enough but, I sure would like to ask him some questions about those WW2 and earlier years ! I don't personally know any living veterans of WW2

My father's story very similar. Born 1918. As the only boy in his family, he was forced to quit school to support his family though and was exempt from the draft is what I was told anyways. Living through the depression prolly the reason older folks so appreciative of what they have. My older brother drafted, served and was shot in Vietnam. Survived and still alive in his 70's today. Healthy as a horse I might add. Another thing true too. I don't see him much anymore as he lives in another state far from me but talking to any of those war veterans. getting them to talk about it is like pulling teeth. They must have all learned mum's the word. Mainly cause of the memories it brings back. I sell NItro to a Vietnam vet. He comes over the house to pay his bill in cash every month. I've seen him on more than a few occasions break out in tears talking about his life and how the war still affects him today. Think he said he was exposed to Agent Orange but could be wrong. My brother doesn't, I won't say suffer, but show effects from the war but then again I'm not inside his head on a daily basis. The only way he'll talk about the war is when I would bring it up or ask a question. I learned a while back it's a sensitive topic so stopped asking many years ago. I imagine they all have some stories though.

 

[mr merlin]

https://imgur.com/l8xCikX

https://imgur.com/a/6UAMrGT

here's the pics from her yearbook, there's one more page I didn't put in, it brings a tear to your eye.

 

[winkyduck]

Luckily I have only had 1/4 Uncles and 1/4 Aunts die - although my oldest Uncle has Dementia and it is full scale and he has no idea who anyone is including his brothers and kids

I would love to ask my Maternal Granddather some questions. He was born in the last 1800s. During the Depression he not only had a job but a high paying one. Obviously he was afraid of losing it all so he simply saved it in a bank. He could have invested it in the market and made a ton. He lived in Skokie, IL, and he wanted to invest he could have owned so much real estate in the Chicago area that just from monthly rent alone Mom would be pulling in 6-7 figures a month

I'd like to ask Grandpa Bert if he ever thought of investing money in the market or real estate

 

[Bushay]

https://imgur.com/l8xCikX

https://imgur.com/a/6UAMrGT

here's the pics from her yearbook, there's one more page I didn't put in, it brings a tear to your eye.

Had no idea you even had tear glands. Great to hear nonetheless.

 

[Sol Diablo]

Favorite memory of my late father is the day he served as an umpire for one of my Little League baseball games when I was only eight years old.

It was a practice game in the schoolyard and my father reluctantly volunteered to serve as umpire when the two managers looked for help from parents standing nearby.

Dad wasn't wearing any protective gear so he was positioned behind the pitcher.

I was at the plate and clearly overmatched by a kid throwing the ball faster than I could swing the bat.

The count was 3 and 2 and the pitcher threw a waist-high strike down the middle of the plate.

I kept the bat on my shoulder as Dad cried out, "BALL FOUR."

The parents on the other side cried foul as I jogged down to first base.

Our family members told that story at least once a year from 1971 until Dad passed away in 2007.

RIP Dad.

Poor parenting.

I would have punched you out and told you to protect the plate with two strikes on the car ride home.

 

[John Kelly]

Tough call, Sol.

I see both sides of the argument.

Easy to say unless you're actually in the situation.

 

[John Kelly]

My step father is almost 94 and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 16. I asked him, "wasn't the age to enlist or be drafted 18 years old"? He always says but doesn't give specifics that if you wanted in, they didn't turn you down. He and his two older brothers enlisted in the Navy and Army. He and one of his older brothers tell countless stories about their experiences. Maybe because they were always positive people but they never complained about serving. They said they didn't know better and the country was all in on doing whatever they had to do to win the war. They saw death and it didn't seem to affect them as they went on to be productive citizens as a doctor, dentist and psychiatrist. I've asked them about the hardship of eating horrible food and being on a boat for 2 years and they said it was fine.

Your stepfather sounds like a great man.

 

[John Kelly]

My father's story very similar. Born 1918. As the only boy in his family, he was forced to quit school to support his family though and was exempt from the draft is what I was told anyways. Living through the depression prolly the reason older folks so appreciative of what they have. My older brother drafted, served and was shot in Vietnam. Survived and still alive in his 70's today. Healthy as a horse I might add. Another thing true too. I don't see him much anymore as he lives in another state far from me but talking to any of those war veterans. getting them to talk about it is like pulling teeth. They must have all learned mum's the word. Mainly cause of the memories it brings back. I sell NItro to a Vietnam vet. He comes over the house to pay his bill in cash every month. I've seen him on more than a few occasions break out in tears talking about his life and how the war still affects him today. Think he said he was exposed to Agent Orange but could be wrong. My brother doesn't, I won't say suffer, but show effects from the war but then again I'm not inside his head on a daily basis. The only way he'll talk about the war is when I would bring it up or ask a question. I learned a while back it's a sensitive topic so stopped asking many years ago. I imagine they all have some stories though.

Thanks for sharing, Bushay.

 

[John Kelly]

Luckily I have only had 1/4 Uncles and 1/4 Aunts die - although my oldest Uncle has Dementia and it is full scale and he has no idea who anyone is including his brothers and kids

I would love to ask my Maternal Granddather some questions. He was born in the last 1800s. During the Depression he not only had a job but a high paying one. Obviously he was afraid of losing it all so he simply saved it in a bank. He could have invested it in the market and made a ton. He lived in Skokie, IL, and he wanted to invest he could have owned so much real estate in the Chicago area that just from monthly rent alone Mom would be pulling in 6-7 figures a month

I'd like to ask Grandpa Bert if he ever thought of investing money in the market or real estate

Skokie at one time in the 1960's boasted that more than half its population was Jewish.

 

[winkyduck]

Skokie at one time in the 1960's boasted that more than half its population was Jewish.

In Sept 2009 I was back in the area and stopped by the house - the one my grandparents owned and Mom came home from the hospital to live in.

I was outside taking pictures and a woman who lived there saw me and came out to ask what I was doing. I explained to her that my grandparents were the original owner of the house and that when we lived in the area we used to come here all of the time. I told her I have been in that house too many hundeds of times to count. She gave me a look like she didn't believe me so I told her what the layout was like. I said the door you came out is in the kitchen and when you step inside if you take a few steps you walk into the door that leads down to the basement. I told her the entire layout of the house even thoughthe last time I was in it was probably in the late 70s. She warmed up a tad but still didn't like what I was doing. I said I'd be done soon and I was. I had so many great memories with Grandma/Grandpa in that house.

 

[Doug]

Here is one I'd like an answer to . Original family name was Jankowski, somebody changed it legally to a 5 letter name starting with the letter J.

I absolutely hate this name and would actually prefer Jankowski. I'm sure it was done for some perceived bias against Pollocks.

The thing is I want to know who changed it, I get the why factor.

Dad had the shortened name on his military papers and wouldn't be the type to file the paperwork to Chang e it . His older brother and my cousins have the short name. My paternal grandmother kept the old name until I her death. Not a whole lot of relatives on that side of the family

So who changed the name ? Pater nal grandfather maybe ? I know virtually nothing about him not even his name, I get the vibe that he was kind of a bum that checked out during the Great Dee

 

[Doug]

Phone fucked up again.

Depression

Funny how some things get swept under the rug and never talked about.

I've always wondered about the history of the name change..... Nobody still alive that I could even axe anymore and

 

[mr merlin]

Here is one I'd like an answer to . Original family name was Jankowski, somebody changed it legally to a 5 letter name starting with the letter J.

I absolutely hate this name and would actually prefer Jankowski. I'm sure it was done for some perceived bias against Pollocks.

The thing is I want to know who changed it, I get the why factor.

Dad had the shortened name on his military papers and wouldn't be the type to file the paperwork to Chang e it . His older brother and my cousins have the short name. My paternal grandmother kept the old name until I her death. Not a whole lot of relatives on that side of the family

So who changed the name ? Pater nal grandfather maybe ? I know virtually nothing about him not even his name, I get the vibe that he was kind of a bum that checked out during the Great Dee

I have relatives named jankowsi in the milwaukee area, my dad also changed his last name after WW11 to eliminate the ski, it was very common back then. he also changed his first name and used his middle name as his first name.

Those were different times, in some ways better, some ways worse.

 

[Doug]

The thing is this must have been done before WW2 ( the big one as Archie Bunker would say )

I never could figure out who changed it, my old man would be too passive to bother doing it . Nobody still alive to axe. I doubt I would have got a straight answer 45 years ago as well, see stuff just gets buried

 

[mr merlin]

The thing is this must have been done before WW2 ( the big one as Archie Bunker would say )

I never could figure out who changed it, my old man would be too passive to bother doing it . Nobody still alive to axe. I doubt I would have got a straight answer 45 years ago as well, see stuff just gets buried

I believe 1930 and maybe 1940 census records are available, you could check each one and see if the names changed in the 1930's, that would narrow it down.

 

[Doug]

I believe 1930 and maybe 1940 census records are available, you could check each one and see if the names changed in the 1930's, that would narrow it down.

I suppose that I could find out for sure given enough effort and determination, it would have been nicer to just be able to get a straight answer directly to such queries

 

[ComptrBob]

I have a friend that is a Vietnam veteran and isn't very much older than me, maybe about 8 years older ?

He got in at like 16 or something, no problem. He did his 20 years in the Navy and retired. Obviously a total volunteer, a better man than me, I would have become a Canuck, much like Peep did from Peep's place

Classic Doug thread. If his friend enlisted at age 16, in say 1966, it would put Doug as 8 then or about 62 now.

RIP.

 

[Rockfish]

Classic Doug thread. If his friend enlisted at age 16, in say 1966, it would put Doug as 8 then or about 62 now.

RIP.

The first post in this thread Doug said he was born in 1963. Still a young guy. RIP Doug. He was always an entertaining poster.

 

[ComptrBob]

The first post in this thread Doug said he was born in 1963. Still a young guy. RIP Doug. He was always an entertaining poster.

Good catch, I missed that. so he was about 57 yo.

 

[John Kelly]

Good catch, I missed that. so he was about 57 yo.

Good catch?

That's usually my line, Bob, after you correct me.

About Doug's age: Gamblers age quickly, don't we?

If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would have followed a stricter diet in my 20's and 30's.

Gambling doesn't always allow for three well-planned meals per day.

And then there's the stress of gambling and the toll it takes on one's body.

Often times, long hours too.

 

[John Kelly]

Of course, I have a bounce in my step following a winning day and tend to drag my feet after extended losing streaks.

 

[Bushay]

His step-daughter told me he was 57.

 

[Bushay]

Also that they found 30-35 empty vodka bottles about his living quarters. He lived alone.

 

[John Kelly]

Drinking and gambling are a terrible combination.

It's okay if the bet buys the drink.

But the real trouble starts when the drink starts buying the bets.

 

[winkyduck]

Drinking and gambling are a terrible combination.

It's okay if the bet buys the drink.

But the real trouble starts when the drink starts buying the bets.

We know how the story ends for most big time gamblers

We know about Ken. One of my HS basketball schedulers, the one who gave me the best games I ever received, would play local poker games where it took $10k just to get in the door. The thing about this is: There are always big winners and big losers at these events. You never know what you will be. He could not afford to lose - but did. Eventually he got in debt waaaaaaaaaaaaay over his head and eventually..........................

We all see the great human interest stories ESPN shows at the WSOP. But for every heartwarming story there are many more heartbreaking ones.

 

[John Kelly]

High-stakes gambling is dangerous.

Remember EOG contributor FACTORIAL?

He produced a sports betting documentary titled The Best Of It.

When he visited Las Vegas, FACTORIAL was eager to meet big-name gamblers like Alan Boston, Alan Denkenson and Lem Banker.

At first blush, FACTORIAL thought so highly of the Las Vegas sports betting fraternity.

After a year of research and development, FACTORIAL ultimately changed his mind.