Eugene woman recalls facets of life at wartime.Byline: Tim Christie The Register-Guard Even among those who grew up during the historic years of World War II, Becky Kaiser had a childhood like few others in her generation. She grew up in Grand Coulee Grand Coulee A gorge, about 48 km (30 mi) long, of north-central Washington, carved by the Columbia River. It is fed by water from the Grand Coulee Dam (built 1933-1942). , Wash., where her grandfather built one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century: a giant dam across the Columbia River Columbia River River, southwestern Canada and northwestern U.S. Rising in the Canadian Rockies, it flows through Washington state, entering the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, Ore.; it has a total length of 1,240 mi (2,000 km). . Then her family moved to Portland and Vancouver, where her father oversaw shipyards that produced naval vessels at breakneck break·neck adj. 1. Dangerously fast: a breakneck pace. 2. Likely to cause an accident: a breakneck curve. pace and were credited with helping the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. win World War II. "It was just a very exciting time," she said Thursday. "It was scary, but it was a time when everyone loved their country and were working night and day to try to make it safe." Kaiser, who lives in Eugene, was speaking from Vancouver, Wash., where she's participating in an event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II End of World War II can refer to:
Kaiser will make brief remarks today at a reunion for shipyard workers. She moved to Eugene 11 years ago, and for the past nine years has run the Secret Garden Bed & Breakfast at 19th and University. Kaiser is the granddaughter of industrialist Henry Kaiser Henry Kaiser may refer to:
His son, Edgar Kaiser, was a business giant in his own right. After helping his father build Grand Coulee, Hoover and Bonneville dams, he managed the naval shipyards in Portland and Vancouver where 343 vessels were built from 1941 to 1945. Kaiser shipyards The Kaiser Shipyards were seven major shipbuilding yards located on the U.S west coast during World War II. They were owned by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, a creation of US industrialist Henry J. built them at 25 percent less cost than the average of other American shipyards, and in two-thirds the time, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Kaiser Permanente. Becky Kaiser, who was 10 when the family moved to Portland (and soon after to Vancouver) has fond memories of those days. Their house was built just above the shipyards, enabling Kaiser and her sisters to watch the activity. "We went down to the shipyard every chance we could get," she said. "It was so exciting. The machinery was so enormous. ... There was always work going on, 24 hours a day." Kaiser and her sisters were tapped as flower girls every time a ship was launched. Wearing Mary Janes Mary Janes A trademark used for patent leather shoes for girls, usually having a low heel and a single strap that fastens at the side. and fancy dresses, they would present the ship's sponsor - the woman who would christen chris·ten tr.v. chris·tened, chris·ten·ing, chris·tens 1. a. To baptize into a Christian church. b. To give a name to at baptism. 2. a. the ship - and her attendants with bouquets of long-stemmed red roses. Then they'd watch as the sponsor smashed a ribbon-wrapped bottle of champagne against the hull of the new ship and watch it slip into the Columbia. She and her sister would stay after the ship launched so they could watch workers, within minutes, begin laying the keel for a new ship. She remembers, too, other facets of life during wartime: eating horrid mock meatloaf, made from salmon; growing a huge victory garden; hearing rumors of war in her parents' conversations; visiting a Japanese internment camp. Her parents did not approve of the internment camps, and wanted their children to see and remember, she said. "You don't forget something like that," she said. LIFE DURING WARTIME One of five reunions honoring World War II-era home front workers and volunteers, dubbed America's Celebrate Freedom Salute, takes place today through Sunday the at Vancouver National Historic Reserve in Vancouver, Wash. Marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Department of Defense-sanctioned event allows parents and children to learn about life on the home front by visiting the Home Front Tent, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, children can participate in activities inspired by World War II, including writing their name in Navajo code talk; spotting planes; identifying vegetables grown in a victory garden; and mastering marching and other boot camp skills. An outdoor music concert starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by a fireworks fireworks: see pyrotechnics. fireworks Explosives or combustibles used for display. Of ancient Chinese origin, fireworks evidently developed out of military rockets and explosive missiles and accompanied the spread of military explosives westward to show. A museum exhibit about Henry Kaiser, called "Think Big," will make its only Northwest appearance during the event. WORKERS' REUNION For those who worked and volunteered on the home front, get-togethers are planned at the following times: Today: 1:30 p.m., all World War II Kaiser shipyard workers; 3:30 p.m., all World War II-era nurses; 5:30 p.m., workers and volunteers from the American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. and other voluntary service organizations Saturday: 2:30 p.m., all WWII-era Boeing aircraft workers Sunday: 10:30 a.m., women who served on the home front MORE INFORMATION Go to www.americas salute.org |
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