 
Tponetom
Member
Username: Tponetom
Post Number: 29
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 - 12:14 am: |    |
Jubilation and Melancholia
July, 1945. We were looking forward to our Senior year at St. Joe’s. I suggested to two of my
classmates Dan and Vinnie that we take a camping trip to the Upper Peninsula for a week or so,
They agreed. We had no experience with camping. We had a tent, a fry pan, charcoal and other
utensils and somehow managed to do a decent job of it. Dan had his ‘36 Ford with suspicious
tires but it ran well and we had no trouble with it. At my persuasion, we were smart enough to
buy plenty of black market gasoline ration stamps. If we did not use them all, we could sell all of
them sooner or later when we got back home. On August 10, we arrived in Mackinaw City and
boarded the car ferry that would take us across the Straits to St. Ignace. That was always a
delightful ride. Our destination was the Straits State Park which was/is still located right next to
the, then, yet to come, Mackinac Bridge. On the third day or so we were doing well, until we
turned on the car radio and picked up a Detroit (WJR?) Station. We heard nothing but
BEDLAM. Horns, sirens, music and unintelligible voices. Japan had surrendered! V-J Day was
going full blast in Detroit and we three sad sacks were light years away from all the celebrations.
What we did hear, was that gas rationing was over with. You could buy all the gas you wanted.
Dan and Vinnie looked at me and one of them said, “Maybe we should find some small town
where they don’t have a radio, and sell them our ration stamps at a discount..” I never lived it
down. |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 993
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 04, 2007 - 12:05 pm: | |
(I have also posted this on Tponetom's "3-D. Early forties" thread.)
While Tponetom and his two friends were missing the VJ Day celebrations in the streets of Detroit, there were many other Detroiters who were also far away from home that day, still in the service of their country. There was for them, a brief time of celebration, but as you will read, the focus immediately turned to making a rapid and orderly return to civilian life.
On VJ Day (Aug. 14, 1945), my father was a US Coast Guardsman aboard the USS Davenport, which was docked in Reykjavik, Iceland. When the unofficial word of the unconditional Japanese surrender came in the pre-dawn hours of the morning, the noise of sirens and whistles in the harbor woke the crew, who at first thought that they might be under attack. Later in the day after the official announcement, the crew of the British destroyer HMS Shikari invited the USS Davenport crew over for some “grog” to celebrate the end of the war.
I have a photo of the teletype messages that the USS Davenport received from the Secretary of the Navy (James Forrestal) and the Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet (Admiral Jonas Ingram). It was read aloud by the ship's captain and later posted for all to see. Here is that teletype and a transcription follows it.
From: Secretary of Navy
To: All naval ships, stations and units
All hands of the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard may take satisfaction in the conclusion of the war against Japan and pride in the part played by them in accomplishing that result.
The demobilization of the Armed Forces of the United States and the return to conditions of peace will create problems taxing patience and control almost as great as the tensions of war.
I ask that the discipline which has served so well to bring this democracy through hours of great crisis be maintained to the end that nothing shall mar the record of accomplishment and glory that now belongs to the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
(Signed) James Forrestal BT 142301 AR
From: Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet
To: All ships, stations and units in the Atlantic
I congratulate the officers and men of the Atlantic Fleet for a job well done. I am proud of your tireless efforts and of the splendid results achieved. On this memorable day let us all give thanks to Almighty God for bringing complete success to our armies. We now face a difficult period of readjustment in which the virtues of loyalty and patience must be emphasized.
Let us maintain the high standards of performance and leadership achieved in war while all commands concentrate on material and personnel excellence in reorganizing to meet post war conditions. It is my fervent hope that you will have early opportunity to visit your homes and be reunited with your families. BT 142302 AR |
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