re: Does anyone else here actually remember 12/7/41 ??

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My father was also 3 years old that day. He was born in October of 1938. He says he doesn't remember it. But he does remember the mobilization. And all the men in uniform. And the radio constantly with war news.

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Me too - born 10/12/38 - [out in Alco, LA. (Alexandria Lumber Co.) still had a Post Office until in the 9-s.) Was really close to Peason Ridge where the Army did their maneuvers. (btw - Eisenhower, Patton, Marshal, et al came thru Leesville during that time - lots of military parades too.)

My dad hated when they held "black-out' maneuvers. Nobody in the area could display a light - especially on the roadways. I loved dad driving in the dark. However, there were lots of accidents when people ran off the roads.

During my high school days they began using flares to light up areas for air to ground training. Usually 3 flares at a time. First time I saw them ignite I thought it was the Second Coming - 3 huge 'stars' all of a sudden appearing in the sky. My buddy and I started going into the area looking for the parachutes they hung on. We got some parachute material that we couldnt figure out anything to do with that it became boring - But we did notice that some of the parachutes had un-ignited flares still attached. These were about 4 inches in diameter over 2 feet long.

We took some home to set them on fire. First time I ignited one out in front of our house was another memorial experience. They were so bright you could not look in their direction. Everything was stark black or white-out white. (I don't think you were supposed to be that close to them when they ignited) Neighbors came from miles around because they had seen the glow and thought our house was on fire. Dad said "don't do that again."

I didn't do that anymore but did discover they would burn underwater - so I'd wrap them up in dynamite cord and put them in a plastic sack and toss them in the lake. The smoke that came out was all sorts of colors - orange-green-gold-yellow. But it killed a lot of fish. Dad said 'don't do that again.'

Then we crushed it up and began trying to make rocket fuel - but it kept exploding. Once I had just ignited a spent rocket casing (also picked up at Peason Ridge) when dad drove up. It exploded and the rocket casing flared out like a helicopter and went about a hundred ft in the air. Then it whiffer-dolled down and landed on my dad's truck. Dad whipped my arse. Didn't do that shite any more.

Fun times back in the day. Went on to become a real rocket scientist. Worked on every manned space mission the country ever put into production - and a couple that didn't get fully funded.