This week's theme: VJ Day "Victory Over Japan" in WWII (August 15, 1945).

Unemployment was something every young guy could relate to in 1945.

If you remember the line in the movie "Casablanca" about what were you doing 
ten years ago, "I was looking for a job" was a pretty universal experience.

My Dad told me that during the great depression nobody could get work.
He said he even offered to work for free just to get experience but they 
wouldn't even do that.


My Dad was a radar man in the navy during the war, which was top secret.

At this time in 1945 his ship was in Philadelphia being refitted in 
preparation of the final push on Japan.

He was home on leave and just married my Mother on August 1, they had been 
engaged since the war began.

They were on their honeymoon in Duluth, MN when they heard about the A-bomb 
being dropped and figured the war was about to end so they rushed to Time 
Square in New York City, which was the place to be.

My Mother remembered being in a restaurant over looking Time Square and 
watching all the people celebrating below.

When my Dad was discharged he went out to Wold Chamberlain airport (now 
Minneapolis - St Paul International) and asked if hey needed a radar 
technician. They said "Radar? What's that?".

So he ended up as a technician at a company called Engineering Research 
Associates (ERA) which later merged with Univac (now Unisys). He worked 
there for 31 years, until he retired


V-J Day in Times Square
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_Japan_Day


Unfortunately, that famous picture can't be my folks.
My Dad was a Chief Petty Officer (different uniform).
And my Mother wasn't a nurse.