By way of introduction ... I was born in Bethpage, then known as Central Park and attended the Powell Avenue Elementary School. Central Park did not have a high school, so we were "bused" to Farmingdale where I attended the high school, which was located on Main Street, now the site of Waldbaum's. I met my wife, Therese, in high school, and we married after I returned from a stint in Germany in the Army of Occupation. We still live in the house on Conklin Street where Tess was born.

Aug. 9, 1944, 62 years ago, World War II entered a new phase. On June 6, about two months prior, the Allies, successful in the Battle with U-boats for the Atlantic, denied Germany its ambition to invade England by winning the Battle of Britain. The successful invasion of Italy began the crusade for Europe.

On the now famous "D-Day," 150,000 United States, British and Canadian troops landed at five beaches in France and began the long fight toward Germany.

By August, the conflict had become "The Battle for France" "slogging" across hedge rows pushing a determined enemy slowly toward the German border. It wouldn't be until the 25th of this month that Paris would be liberated. Organization of operational priorities seemed to be the order of the day with Eisenhower, Montgomery, Patton and other military commanders vying for priority in the long, dangerous advance across France.

Much the same was taking place in the Pacific Theater.

Having reversed the Japanese advance, the United States and its Allies were "slogging" against a fanatical enemy, across the Pacific Ocean, island by island. Concentrating their efforts on liberation of the Philippines, Military Commanders Nimitz and MacArthur were establishing operational priorities in preparation for the final conquest of Japan.

Logistic support in personnel, equipment and supplies for worldwide military operations was an enormous task that fell upon those remaining at home. With 11 percent of the population away at war, we realized a new appreciation for the ability of women, seniors and the youth of our nation to "pick up the slack" and produce necessary war materiel while, at the same time, maintaining essential services and security for the "home front."

To illustrate the extent of this effort, I would like to read a hypothetical letter from a young Farmingdale High School graduate, Class of '44, to his uncle serving with the US Army in the battle for France:

Dear Uncle Johnny:

Two months doesn't seem like much of a break after 12 years of school, but there's a war on and a very big job to do here on the home front. This past June many from Farmingdale and Bethpage in our graduating class have decided to enlist in the service and a number of others await a draft call.

Those at home have an enormous job to do as well. It's interesting to note that the teen-age workforce in this country has grown from one million to three million with many younger men and women filling full- and part-time jobs such as volunteer firemen (you can join at age 16), fire guards and air raid wardens. Both Republic and Grumman Aircraft employ young people part-time and during the summer months.

The importance of women in aircraft production is illustrated by the fact that their numbers represented 5 percent of the total in 1942 and 40 percent of the total this year. Not counting the women in military service, of the over two million, three hundred thousand women in war industries, one million, nine hundred thousand of them are doing regular factory work. In this area they are called affectionately, "The Janes that make the planes" or "Rosie the Riveter."

With all the effort being made on Long Island in aircraft production, by this time next year at the present rate, Republic will have produced over 15,000 P-47 Thunderbolts, with Grumman in Bethpage building a total of almost 8,000 Wildcats and more than 12,000 Hellcats. Everyone is working very hard to give you the support you need to win this war.

It isn't all aircraft production. This summer there will be an acute shortage of farm labor and the solution will be the recruitment of no less than 3,000 "Farmettes" to "go back to the farm" and assist in Suffolk County agricultural production.

Rationing continues to be very important to our daily life here at home since it was instituted last year. Almost everything is in short supply and is rationed to give everyone an opportunity to obtain a share of available products.

A list of rationed products includes: Gasoline, fuel oil, tires, sugar, meat, coffee, butter (margarine has become a substitute), clothing and shoes. Men's suits are no longer produced with vests, elbow patches or cuffed trousers. Women's two-piece bathing suits have replaced the single-piece style ... a fashion change enthusiastically supported by both sexes.

A national speed limit of 35 miles per hour is imposed to conserve gasoline and tires. Scrap metal drives are conducted regularly and include some drivers contributing the bumpers off their cars to the effort. Women donate their aluminum pots and pans to be reclaimed into aircraft parts and their silk clothing to be reconstituted into silk gunpowder bags for use in large artillery weapons. War Bond drives continue to raise the capital necessary to support the war effort.

Uncle Johnny, you are very much in our thoughts and prayers. You can rest assured that those at home are doing everything possible to ensure the success of your mission and to bring you home victorious. Good luck and Godspeed.