Sent to me by Al Kincer

War Ration Book

Al: Yes, I well remember the ration stamps for almost everything prior to enlisting in

WW 2. I also remember os "farm boys" being allowed to get a small rationed allotment of .22 cartridges along with shotgun shells for "pest and varmint control" along with this.

Also remember turning in fat drippings to get more meat stamps in the local butcher

shop to buy meat. When comming home for a "delay in route of 10 days" prior to being

sent overseas being given gas coupons from the local authoriies of rationing for 10 gals.

of gasoline which the local gas station didnt take and just filled the tank instead. This

was a godsend to my mother as I filled the car prior to leaving also..

Post WW2 ration items.

A dress white shirt: I arrived home in Feb. 46 Things were back to normal! What wvwe Normal is.

There were plenty of casual clothes and shoes. NO dress suits OR white shirts. I checked the local clothing stores where I always bought my clothing. Nothing for several months, the shelves were empty.

One day as I walked in a man walked out witha white shirt. Oh they got some in? When I looked there was the same empty sheleves. Asking the customer later he said they have them in the back store room. Next time I lined up with the back room door and asked ab out shirts, sorry no in srock. So I pointed thru the door way and asked how about them. Oh they were ordered for friends.

So I replieed NO point in trying to buy in this store. I am NOT a friend. Good bye he then followed me out the door trying to tell me I had it wrong.

My Father told me about getting the allotment of .22 shells, and using them to put rabbits in the stew pot for dinner. Also told me about carrying a lunch to school in old lard buckets that usually amounted to a couple of bisquits. My Mother told me about the ration stamps, and also about how in highschool (during WWII) the kids rolled bandages for The Red Cross rather than having P.E. time.

I would love to have lived during a time when the people in this country were all marching to the same drummer, at least during the war effort, and all doing their part with rationing at home.

Jim

Al: Yes, I well remember the ration stamps for almost everything prior to enlisting in

WW 2. I also remember os "farm boys" being allowed to get a small rationed allotment of .22 cartridges along with shotgun shells for "pest and varmint control" along with this.

Also remember turning in fat drippings to get more meat stamps in the local butcher

shop to buy meat. When comming home for a "delay in route of 10 days" prior to being

sent overseas being given gas coupons from the local authoriies of rationing for 10 gals.

of gasoline which the local gas station didnt take and just filled the tank instead. This

was a godsend to my mother as I filled the car prior to leaving also..

Joe; The wife still has two or three ration books still full of stamps that her

father got, I never saw any till she showed them to me. Again Joe, in the

city was a little different. She tells me lines formed for different things and

yes, flour sacks were made into dresses. Youwere lucky to get a 10 day

leave. I was shipped directly from Basic to New Jersey with one stop in

Pa. Those ration books are priceless and she has to decide what to do

with them. You were and are fortunate to live in the country. Roque

10 gallons of gas? That's barely a 1/2 tank for me. Even with the more fuel efficient cars of today that would barely get any one to work for an entire week anymore.

Can you imagine people today dealing with rationing?

Brooke

Brooke, it wouldn't happen would it? People today dealing with it? I listen to people complain in the store everyday over dumb things. They already think it's so tough and rough. I have to laugh sometimes. They ain't seen nothing!

A "different breed of cats" back then. We were used to hardships due to the 1929 Big

Depression that lasted for about 10 years. So rationing was no big deal. Cant help but

wonder if many of the newer and softer generations could exist with it. I hope we never have to find out. Can you imagine the 35 MPH speed limit to save tires and gas

for one thing . The "A" gas stamp book for non-essential workers for 3 gals. per week?

Even essential workers were closely rationed. Wont go into food ETC.