Author meritaten

Red (Leman) Ingalls joined the U.S. Navy in August, 1944 – even though he was too young. At 17, his mother had to sign his enlistment papers. Sailors earned $17 a month, but with WWII at its height, pay was… Continue Reading →

Duane Beard was a sonar man in the U.S. Navy, posted to the island of Tinian in the Pacific. From that island, one August day, he mailed a letter to his sweetheart Joyce in St. Louis, MI. Of course it… Continue Reading →

The Gratiot County Herald in its August 31, 1944 issue printed directions for gathering and preserving milkweed pods. It noted that “when the Japanese captured the East Indies, our supply [of material normally used for life preservers] was cut off…. Continue Reading →

It is thanks to Romaine Flegel’s daughter Barb Flegel, that we have on loan the items displayed as part of our spring WWII exhibit, along with a bit of their background story.  However, Romaine found it difficult to talk of his… Continue Reading →

When America entered WWII after Pearl Harbor, the war reached into almost every part of life. In order for the war effort to be successful, people at home had to make changes. One of the biggest was rationing. Rationing limited… Continue Reading →

Earl Wickman graduated from Alma High School’s class of 1940.  By 1943, he was serving in the U.S. Army’s Pacific theater of WWII.  His active duty in New Guinea and the Philippines left him with thrilling tales and fascinating artifacts. … Continue Reading →

In an effort to show off some of the great memorabilia that will be displayed at the Gratiot County Historical Museum’s spring exhibit, we issued a challenge to identify the item in the accompanying picture.  This sturdy canvas sack belonged… Continue Reading →