Page:Brunswick 100 Years of Memories.pdf/196
CHAPTER 14
Wars and Veterans BRUNSWICK AND THE WARS
appreciation for the sacrifices of the armed forces of World War I. He wanted to help them and honor them. Among his effects is a flier about 8 by 10 inches with the plea "$500 NEEDED" in large bold type. "For the Brunswick Boys' Club MEMORIAL TO A.E.F." (American Expeditionary Force). The drive continued to November 17th, 1919. A five dollar gold piece was to be awarded to the one collecting the largest amount of money. The expenses were itemized. All were invited to help make this club a practical, helpful Memorial to the boys who fell in the World War and those who did their bit in the service. The Board of Advisers included John W. Peyton, president, George A. Hood, Oscar M. Fogle, Clayton Orrison, and C. L. Crabill, Luther Martin, Superintendent and Secretary.
A war memorial stands on II A" Street across from City Hall, commemorating the young men of the community who served their country during World War II. A quarter century earlier we fought in a European war. The American Legion remembers the participants in all these 20th century wars.
WORLD WAR I The U. S. did not become involved until late 1916, and by 1917 we had sent our "doughboys" to France. WW I was fought mainly from trenches; but airplanes became vital as fighting machines for the first time. However, battleships and submarines were also very vital to the war effort. Brunswick's first two servicemen who were killed in foreign service were Alvey D. Keenan (September 29, 1918) and Harold W.W. Steadman (October 14, 1918). Brunswick's American Legion Post 96 is named Steadman-Keenan to honor these young men. A World War I artillery piece was placed in Memorial Square on"A" Street approximately 1920 or 1921, but during the second year of World War II it was removed to be melted down for scrap in the war effort. Two machine guns had also been placed at Memorial Square at the time, but these also were removed and used for the war effort. The Armistice ending the First World War was signed November 11, 1918.
WORLD WAR II The Pearl Harbor bombing on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into the Second World War. This country was so unprepared for this shocking attack that it brought on drastic rationing of sugar, meat, gasoline, shoes, butter, and all canned goods almost immediately. People stood in line for a few packs of cigarettes each week. There were great shortages of rubber for tires and other products. There were no automol)iles manufactured from 1943 through 1945 because of metal shortages and the vital need of metal and rubber for the war effort. Trains were very important for transporting servicemen, and the train-traveling public would stand in the aisles while on the train and they would forego an overnight sleeper because our servicemen's transportation came first. We had volunteer civilian air-raid wardens, volunteer groups of women who put together "Bundles for Britain" and volunteer hospital aides.
BRUNSWICK BOYS' CLUB MEMORIAL TO A.E.F. The Rev. Luther Martin was a patriotic man. In his activities and writings as found in his own scrapbook that Rev. H. Austin Cooper contributed to the History Commission's files, he expressed
173