Historical Events That Stand Out

[Trailrider]

Some other odd things kids remember:  I remember my Mom turning in ration stamps while I sat on a counter in a grocery store. I remember my Dad getting off a DC-3 airliner when he came back from overseas at the end of WWII. He was in uniform. Later, when my Mom and I went to visit her folks in downstate Illinois, and we came back to Chi, and Dad met us at the train. This was after he went to get off active duty (he stayed in the reserves unti 1959). I was scared of the man who came to meet us...he was in civilian clothes, and I'd didn't remember seeing him except in his Army uniform, so I didn't recognize him at first! Of course, he was wearing a fedora hat, which most men wore back then.  I remember Union Station in Chicago had aircraft recognition models hanging from the ceiling until at least the end of the War.

Some years later, on I think Armed Forces Day, a B-36 flew over my house! I also watched the first supersonic Thompson Trophy race take off from O'hare Airport. The participants were all military pilots, flying F-102's!

On more pleasant notes, I remember listening to that device that didn't have pictures! It was called "radio", and you had to use your imagination to picture The Lone Ranger, and even Edgar Bergan and Charlie McCarthy. Gene "Artery" ("Kin ah have another stick o' gun, Mr. Artery?") on the WLS.  Ah...yes! The memories.

[Major 2]

   Kid memories

So many are flooding back now that you mention it ...not just the monumental,  the "  know exactly were you were or what you were doing moments it happened"  events ,  but the mundane  as well...

A lifetime of memories , friends , good times, mistakes and the pains all meld together to form the mosaic of you.
The wisdom of growing up , and growing older just can't be bought, it has to be experienced.  

[Forty Rod]

My earliest International Event memories was the election of Eisenhower. Broadcast on National TV. (1952 or 3?)
BTW, there were only three networkers at the time. Reception was usually rather poor, but, the TV coverage was free to those that had TV and rabbit ears.
My best,
Blair

We had one of the first TV sets in town and my parents invited my entire class to our house to watch Ike's inauguration: 33 kids 10-11 years old.

Mom's greatest recollection of that day was the fuzz balls rolled up by short people whose restless feet just barely reached the floor.

[Tsalagidave]

I really envy the historic memories of the more experienced boys here. I remember growing up during the end of the cold war. I thought it was funny when I was in Riga Latvia and went down inside a nuclear bunker designed for when they'd go to war with the US. The police shooting range is in there and I did some trigger time under the careful watch of the retired police chief. We talked about American guns and compared the TT30 to an M1911. In English or Russian, a good ol' boy is still a good ol boy. He seemed to be glad that communism was in the past.  Don't blame him. Hope they can enjoy a democratic republic some day just like we used to have.

-Dave

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Dave;  Here is a police "procedural" by Henning Mankell, a Swedish author.  In THE DOGS OF RIGA he puts his character, Kurt Wallander in Latvia near the end of the Cold War.  its a good read, and you might recognize things;

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=the+dogs+of+riga&sts=t&x=67&y=10

[Tsalagidave]

Thanks Charles, I've never heard of this book before. I'll be back in Riga this February. It's always really cold this time of year but there is something great about the place in winter.

-Dave

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Thanks Charles, I've never heard of this book before. I'll be back in Riga this February. It's always really cold this time of year but there is something great about the place in winter.

-Dave

The BBC has made some of Mankell's "Kurt Wallander Mysteries" into TV shows.  I've read most of the series from my public library.

[Crow Choker]

Reference Major's first post, I can remember all. Duck and Cover? Your talking about the Cold War procedures of getting under your desk at school in case of a A bomb attack from the Soviets, if so, do remember. The 52' Presidential Election, my Mom was for Stevenson and Dad was for Ike. Recall some discussions about that. Recall some of the guys leaving in the area for Korea-had no idea why or even where it was. Didn't see any post about the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in Feb. of '64. Those were the days. Recall seeing the guy smash the mile run on TV back in the 50's, can't remember his name. Sir Charles, your right. Seems that not as much and not enough is given to and about Pearl Harbor any more. We allowed ourselves to become apathetic between Pearl and 911, will more than likely do it again. My Dad was up in the North Atlantic on 12/07/41 on convoy duty. He said they were already in combat with German U-boats(droppin depth charges) under the orders of FDR when Pearl was attacked. Advised he carried the radio message to the Captain of the ship who put them into battle stations right away. Dad said they had been into battle station mode so often, it seemed normal. My first born was a girl born on Dec 7th, Dad said I should have named her Pearl!

[FriscoCounty]

I Remember Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, "One small leap for a man, One giant leap for mankind".
I Remember the Berlin wall coming down.
I Remember the Fillmore, Winterland, and Woodstock.  The Beatles and Elvis on Ed Sullivan.
I Remember the 49er's 3peat.

[Major 2]

Funny, you mention the Beatles and Ed Sullivan , one,  I think the second broadcast ( there were 3 ) was live from Miami Beach.


Anyway, Dad was the Key Stage Grip for the Auditorium, and worked the show... tickets were impossible to get...
I recall, I was in about 8th. grade I guess, everyone , kids & teachers, everyone clamored me to get them some tickets...
Which was impossible....

I had several offers to kick my ass after school   If I did not come through... well, I avoided the fights, and also learn not to brag " My Dad was working the show "  

No ! I did not get to see it live either ...I watch it on TV  

February   14   1964   rehearsal (short)      Morning   She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
February   14   1964   rehearsal      6:00pm   She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
February   15   1964   rehearsal      1:00pm   She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
February   16   1964   dress rehearsal      2:30pm   She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
February   16   1964   live performance & broadcast      8:00pm   She Loves You, This Boy, All My Loving, I Saw Her Standing There, From Me to You and I Want to Hold Your Hand.

[The Trinity Kid]

hmmmm...which songs were they playing Major?  I missed that part....

--TK

[Major 2]

Oh !  I get it......... Sarcasm 

[The Trinity Kid]

There is great need for a sarcasm font on Microsoft Word..

--TK

[Blair]

TK,

Do you know/understand the difference?
Kind of like understanding the title of this subject?
Blair

[Crow Choker]

Ref Beatles and Ed S--The first two were live from New York, the 3rd was taped in "Miamma Beach" (as Ed Sullivan pronounced it). Major: Interesting ref your Dad as part of the crew(guess somebody's Dad had to be involved). Something to have a relative being a part of music/TV history-good conversation item.---------- Anybody remember "Pinky Lee" from the 50's? Glued to the TV for all the early space shots, First landing on the moon. Ref space, recall laying outside in the lawn at night waiting for the Russian 'Sputnik' to go over, also one of the early US satellites called "Echo". Just two bright lights travelin overhead, but a big deal back then.

     Recall the Kennedy/Nixon debates of 1960--Cuban Missile Crisis:: Got sent home early one afternoon when things really heated up. Was in Jr High at a school facility approx. seven miles or so from home. School was shortened nation wide as I recall because of the heated relationship that had gone 'south' and it was feared the US and Russia were about to 'go at it'. Recall some of the younger kids were crying, thought we were going to get bombed.--- JFK assassination::was in 9th grade, someone told me JFK had been shot, as I went into class I exclaimed I had heard JFK had been shot. My teacher advised me to 'shhhhhh' and pointed to the tv, where they had CBS coverage on. The rest of the day we sat and watched 'it all'. Recall seeing Jack Ruby gun down Lee Harvey Oswald the following Sunday morning.-----Recall watchin LBJ advise to the nation he was not running for reelection in '68. I was president of the college 'Young Republicans' at the time, all my advisory 'Young Democrats' were devastated, except those who favored Robert Kennedy.---Lots of history made back then, lots of history!

[The Trinity Kid]

Clarification, Blair?

Sort of unrelated here, but my grandpa, cousin and uncle all played piano with Jerry Lewis, and great-grandpa was going to start a t.v. show with a particular gent named Lawrence Welk.  Things didn't work out.    Of course, this was before I was around, but it is the same time period...

--TK

[Blair]

Dec. 21, 1968 Apollo 8 Lifts off from Cape Kennedy.
Mission is a manned vehicle to Orbit of the Moon.
Christmas eve, Dec. 24, 1968, they have to do an engine burn on the dark side of the Moon to inter an orbit 60 miles above the surface of the Moon. (No communication during that time)
As Earth "Rise" comes up above the surface of the Moon, Communication resumes. The Astronauts on board, read from the Book of Genesis.
Pretty neat 45 year old "Christmas" present for the World.
Merry Christmas everyone!
My best,
Blair

[Crow Choker]

Blair, Thanks for bringing that event of Apollo 8 up. I was 20 yrs old at the time, watching the coverage on the ol' black and white. Had always been interested in space exploration since the early days, so I was glued to the TV coverage. Remember the landscape in Iowa being covered with snow and it was very cold, sub-zero outside. After listening to Frank Borman read from Genesis, which being Christmas Eve, it was a very moving and religious experience. After the coverage had ended, I went out side and stood looking at the moon by eye and with a pair of binoculars. The moon which was near or full at the time was hanging in the clear, cold Christmas sky. I looked for some time, marveling at what had just occurred. I had within the last year bought my first guitar and was trying my 'hand' at song writing. Starring up at the moon and reflecting, I penned a song in my head, afterwards writing down some of the words, putting some chords to it. All I can remember are the words "Men to the moon, what did you see!" Always remember the experience any time Apollo 8, Genesis, Christmas Eve, NASA moon trips, etc. are mentioned or come to mind. Merry Christmas to all and a Blessed New Year. Yours, Crow Choker

[St8LineLeatherSmith]

one historical event that stays with me is May 18 1980
I was living in bend oregon when ST Helens blew its top
couldnt see the mountain but saw the plume of volcanic ash and watched everything go dark in the broad daylight for several hours