Wartime production in America.

[John Schmidt]

With the "you owe me" attitude of a similar aged generation today, the following will never happen again. I can only hope the need never arises.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
During the 3-1/2 years of World War 2 that started with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941and ended with the Surrender of Germany and Japan in 1945, "We the People of the U.S.A."  produced the following:
22 aircraft carriers,
8 battleships,
48 cruisers,
349 destroyers,
420 destroyer escorts,
203 submarines,
34 million tons of merchant ships,
100,000 fighter aircraft,
98,000 bombers,
24,000 transport aircraft,
58,000 training aircraft,
93,000 tanks,
257,000 artillery pieces,
105,000 mortars,
3,000,000 machine guns, and
2,500,000 military trucks.
We put 16.1 million men in uniform in the various armed services, invaded Africa, invaded Sicily and Italy, won the battle for the Atlantic, planned and executed D-Day, marched across the Pacific and Europe, developed the atomic bomb, and ultimately conquered Japan and Germany.

It's worth noting, that during the almost exact amount of time, the Obama Administration couldn't even build a web site that worked.

[flsix]

Disappointing times we live in John. Seems we've lost quite a bit.
 I still challenge someone to find an overall better place to live than the USA right now. That scenario may change soon though.
As the Brits say " keep a stiff upper lip "

[_Sheffjs_]

It is good to read those stats.  I would have loved to live in the 50s after the war as a youngin. I'll bet it was an awesome time.   

[FloridaValkRyder]

It is good to read those stats.  I would have loved to live in the 50s after the war as a youngin. I'll bet it was an awesome time.   

There are a few men around here who can tell you all about it Jerry.

Happy 4th of July y'all. God Bless America and just try to get my Battle Flag away from me!

[reclaimerroger]

The 50's I can remember pretty well.
The 60's and 70's not so well.  Not sure why.
HAPPY 4TH TO YOU ALL.  CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK DOWN THERE TO RIDE WITH YOU ALL AGAIN.

[John Schmidt]

Jerry, it was an awesome period in our history. I was a teenager when Korea broke out so couldn't go, looking back that was probably a blessing. Besides, I was much too busy letting all the deserving young ladies know what they were missing.    Somewhere I have a HS graduation picture of me standing between my parents holding the diploma. Dad, a former school superintendent, was holding a history and economics bood while wearing my robe. Mom, also a teacher, on the other side holding an english book and wearing my mortar board hat. I'm in the middle with football shoes around my neck, BBall shoes over one shoulder and track shoes over the other. My sister had a pair of girls panties she was going to put on my head like(as she put it) a crown but the folks didn't let her. High school was interesting. 
But I remember well the dark times experienced during the war period. The next 10-15 yrs. following the end of WWII was like a huge relief and the attitude of the country in general showed it, even though Korea was big and ongoing in the early 50's. I miss those times, a much easier pace of life.

And Roger, we KNOW why you don't remember much of the 60's & 70's. 

[TallRider]

Ahh!!!! Lets see? 56-60 high school. I remember on my 14th birthday my dad came home from work handed me a 12ga. Shot gun. Happy Birthday and walked away. My 15th he came home with a model t puckup Happy Birthday again. My would I love to have it today. My high school buddy and I roamed the woods with our guns shooting anything that moved or swam that was not human. We would have been in juvenil today and our parents in jail. My 16 the year I was jealous my buddy had a lever Acton 22 marlin rifle and me a pultry 12 GA. I went to the neighborhood ace hdwr and asked the guy for the 22 Winchester auto. He asked was it OK with your dad I said sure. Still have it today with probably 15,000 or more rounds run through it. After that I aquired 303 british enfeild, 303 carbine and several others before graduating high school. At 17 I bought a 51 lh harly tank shift. Stripped it down made me a chopper put a set of high rise monkey bars on it and megafone pipes. Took it out and wanted to see how it did laying down some rubber and run through the gears. Big mistake lucky for the fender mounted tail light and license plate on the bobtailed fender because when I hit 2nd with the tank shifter and one hand on the bars I slid off the seat. The license plate snagged me and I stayed on. Back to the shop and cycle dealer. Conversion foot shift deffinitly was needed. From my 15th yr to 20 I worked in a body shop in town made an average 150 week (probably 600 or more today). Gas was .19 cents got married 20. Paid cash for my first house 12,599.00 . Went to the Pontiac dealer on Ashland Ave in Chicago walked in with wife ordered new 62 Pontiac Ventura  2 Dr ht w/4speed trans paid cash. After high school my buddy informed me he was joining the service, air force, he aiways loved to build plastic models, should have known. His brother later told me he was flying b52s and ended up as a commander of a base in Texas or California. Never saw him again. Life was good.