I Remember VJ Day

         It was hot. It was August. I had missed the express and this was the local and would be stopping several times between North Philadelphia and Trenton.

         That August of 1945 we were a war weary nation. President Truman had told us the war had a long way to go and Churchill said, "This is not the beginning of the end, this is not even the end of the beginning."

         But in the past few days there had been rumors and news accounts of a new weapon that they hoped would scare the enemy into surrender. I didn't put much stock in it. I knew we were dug in for the long haul and was resigned to it.

         The train stopped at Riverside and two sailors got on. Men in uniform were everywhere in those days. One of them paused by my seat and said "Hey Baby the war's over. Have you heard?"

         I had heard just about every line there was and I thought this was a new one. But at the next stop a man and woman got on and told me the same thing. The man said, "Everybody's going nuts in the cities.'

         I had lots of friends in Trenton and decided to get down there instead of going through to New Brunswick, which was less familiar territory. Things were getting a little bit crazy already. I was soon on my friends' front porch watching the impromptu parade in the street.

         Presently my friend's father called, "You kids shut up and listen. This is history."

         We crowded around the living room window listening through the screen as the announcement was made to the waiting Americans everywhere. "The war is over. Japan has surrendered."

         It was too big to take in all at once. First you wonder whether you are awake or dreaming. Then you begin to get it. The guns have stopped. The warplanes are sitting on the decks of the carriers with no deadly missions to fly today. Husbands, fathers, sons and brothers would soon be homeward bound.

         We didn't know what else to do so we started walking the block and a half to the church. It just seemed like that was where we should be. A lot of other people had the same idea and we had an unplanned service of praise and thanksgiving.

         That, children, is how I remember VJ day.