Fellow Hamber's... Labor Day is today. A day we honor all of those, including most reading these words, the men & women of America who toil daily in their pursuit of the American Dream: A family and friends to love & care for, food, clothing & shelter for ourselves and our family, and producing a product, selling a product, providing a service, or, whatever means of "labor" that is used to contribute to the people and the country that we live in. I was struck by the majesty of this cover of Collier's Magazine from Labor Day, 1942, as America waged War. Production of automobiles & related products had ceased and the factories, instead, turned out Airplanes, Tanks, Ships, Jeeps, Guns, Bullets, Mortars, Hand Grenades, and every conceivable type of product they could to help our fighting men & women. WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE IN MIND, please take a close look at this painting by reknowned artist ARTHUR SZYK that was used for the Collier's cover, September 12, 1942. Although this is NOT Memorial Day, we still have men & women in harm's way today. So let's not forget them...nor those, including my Dad, Bill Edwards (1905-1983) working at Wagner Electric Corporation in St. Louis, who labored for the greater good on the Home Front on ALL of the Labor Day's during WWII. God Bless America...and the men & women who labor in all fields of endeavor to make it, and keep it, the greatest Nation in the World. JK www.legends.thewwbc.net
To All On The H.A.M.B. Website Today: Lest we forget the importance of today, and how it also impacted us in 1942 and for the duration of WWII, please take time to read the above. America, throughout its History: The Land Of The Free, and, The Home Of The Brave...built day-by-day by the Labor of millions. JK
Thanks Jonnie for posting! I think unfortunately consumers now a days dont care were the product comes from as long as it is the cheapest. I see it everyday at my business.
Praising the virtues of American labor. There are many examples of printed and public art in this country (and elsewhere) extoling the virtures of labor. Especially from the 1930's. Many examples funded by the WPA projects and still visible in public buildings today. Check GOOGLE and see this highly stylized and romantisized imagary in some of the great oversize murals of the period. Sculpture, painting and printed art too. Cars, airplanes, ships, factories celebrating the "American century". The Soviets and German propaganda machines also give us great examples from their point of view. Not so much in favor today partly because labor, especially organized labor (unions), is liked even less by the upper classes than it was then. Now like then, you may see this art style praising the virtues of Henry Ford and the River Rouge plant but not as likely to see one praising the virtues of the labor organizers taking over the plant! This is great stuff!
Jarzenhotrods & RuFFDaWG... Many thanks for your kind comments ! Here's a personal add: I have a shovel that was given to my family by a friend years ago that has "WPA" stamped into the handle ! It means so much to me, because I knew the man who had worked and used that shovel while he was employed under the WPA. Also, the work by labor, industry, and those who were here on Homefront during WWII has always intrigued me. This particular painting pretty much "speaks for itself" as to artistically depicting the strength & pulling together by all Americans for the War Effort. As many have termed them, those that served in the War or at Home during WWII were "The Greatest Generation". God Bless those that labored then so that we could enjoy our Freedom today. JK www.legends.thewwbc.net
This Labor Day information is just as true this year as when I first Posted it. God Bless those of "The Greatest Generation" that labored on the Homefront then...as well as those that do it today: Buy American ! JK www.legends.thewwbc.net
Some possible history - I recently read on the internets (so it's gotta be true) that in the first two years of WW2, more Americans were killed or injured in MAINLAND WAR PRODUCTION than the troops fighting overseas! That is a remarkable piece of information, IF TRUE. Labor? how quaint. American greatness now consists of stock trading and financial mechanisms. Leave messy old manufacturing to those third rate nations like China and Germany and Japan! (I'm being facetious) My former employer, Mazak Corporation, which makes a huge line of CNC machine tools, is enjoying a record sales year in 2011. If manufacturing is dead in the USA, you wouldn't know it from current machine tool sales statistics! -90% Jimmy
This is just as important today, as when I first Posted it last Labor Day. Please add any comments that you'd like...especially if there were any "Back On The Homefront Heroes" in your family. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
NOTE TO ALL MY FRIENDS HERE AT THE H.A.M.B... With the Labor Day Weekend getting underway thought I'd pass this along once more. This is just as important today, as when I first Posted...many of the "Greatest Generation", including my Dad, gave all they could in the factories, shops, businesses, and, stores, trying to do their part for the War effort. Please add any comments that you'd like...especially if there were any "Back On The Homefront Heroes" in your family. None should be forgotten. God Bless America...and the men and women in every Industry who work to make the "Made In America" statement one that we can truly be proud of to this very day. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
To all my friends here at the H.A.M.B... Hope your Labor Day Weekend has been good...and, I thought I'd remind you once again that just as the sentiments of this CM cover honored & celebrated "The Greatest Generation" in 1942, we still honor them today, as well as all who work right here, right now, to make sure our Country stays strong and proud. And, that the words "Made In America" still have an impact WorldWide. This Classic 1942 WWII Collier's Magazine cover set the tone then, and, we still feel the vibrations from it in 2015. God Bless America...and, each & everyone of you... Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
TO ALL MY FRIENDS HERE AT THE H.A.M.B... Hope your Labor Day Weekend has been good...and, I thought I'd remind you once again that just as the sentiments of this CM cover honored & celebrated "The Greatest Generation" in 1942, we still honor them today, as well as all who work right here, right now, to make sure our Country stays strong and proud. And, that the words "Made In America" still have an impact WorldWide. This Classic 1942 WWII Collier's Magazine cover set the tone then, and, we still feel the vibrations from it in 2017...as we salute & remember those of the "Greatest Generation", the men & women who served on the Home Front during WWII. I'm proud to say my Dad, Bill Edwards (1905-1983) was one of those working at Wagner Electric Corporation in St. Louis, who labored for the greater good on the Home Front on ALL of the Labor Day's during WWII. Their work in the factories, the assembly lines, the buildings, the offices of our country at that time were important in every way. They gave there all here, so that our brave fighting men & women over there could win ! God bless them all...each & everyone. PLUS: We also salute those that are working & doing the same thing, in the same way today, for those valiant men & women who are in conflicts in various parts of the world right now, Labor Day, September 4th, 2017...Godspeed to you all, and thank you for your services both here at home, and, abroad. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
So right you are Jonnie. American workers were building airplanes, tanks, jeeps and "Liberty" ships at a breakneck pace and the war would have taken a lot longer to win with out them. My father was fighting Romel in North Africa and my mother was building "Hell Cats" for Grumman Aviation on Long Island.
A very big thank you to all of our service men and women who have served their country with honor. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
woodiewagon46... Amen to that ! What great memories...when our country was truly united in a common cause, and stayed that way for the duration. Thanks for that story ! Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
chryslerfan55, Thanks for taking the time to read this...and your addition to the thread is spot-on. Note: If anyone else has any other thoughts on this, please add them. I know many of you may have had relatives, neighbors, co-workers, or, friends that served in WWII (I've had many in my own life), feel free to add any stories about them that you'd like. Best to all, Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
My Grandfather was an air raid warden in WWII. I wish we hadn't traded away his metal Civil Defense helmet when we were kids. When we were cleaning out my Dad's house before selling it, I grabbed Grandpa's Air Raid Warden license plate from back then. I'll try to hang on to that.
KRB52, The helmet would have been a great save...but when we were kids we all made trades like that. That rare license plate though...what a perfect "keeper" that is today ! Thanks, KRB52. CA.280, Those ration cards are just great ! Awhile back, I found some of the "points" that you put on those ration cards in a box of my Mom's that she had packed away, as well as my Dad's Shop Steward Badge. He had that position for 12 of his 36 years at Wagner Electric here in St. Louis. Thanks, for reminding me about those cards, CA.280. Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
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