Rationing during WW2
William C, Anderson, Jr. (WCAJR@AOL.COM)
Sat, 25 May 1996 04:26:20 -0400
I was 7 years old when the war ended. We lived in rural South Carolina. My
father was crippled from a childhood accident and could not serve in the
military. He was an insurance agent and a spotter for the civil air patrol.
I remember tires, sugar, and meat rationing most of all. We were lucky in
that we lived on a farm, had a pig or two to butcher each year, preserving
the meat with salt and smoke the old fashioned way. I remember many a person
coming to our home to hopefully buy a piece of meat since it was so hard to
come by.
Gasoline was closely rationed, as was sugar and dairy products. Since a
vehicle was necessary to my father's livelihood, he was allotted more gas
coupons than most, but less than others in more critical occupations. Since
sugar was rationed, we used saccharine as much as possible, and a piece of
candy was a rare treat for me as a child.
Looking back, I realize how my mother and grandmother stretched items to the
limit, such as mixing bread and onions with hamburger meat, then frying it.
It was done, of course to make the meat feed more people, but they made it
delicious and I still enjoy it prepared that way today; We ate a lot of farm
vegetables and cured meat. Although it is difficult to find properly cured
Country Ham today, I still enjoy it more than steak.
I'm sorry I can't be more specific as to exactly how rationing worked and the
coupons dispensed, but I was too young to participate in the acquiring. I
just remember the shortages and the trading and buying of coupons. What
would probably seem strange to the children of today, was that no one seemed
to really mind the hardships, since it was for the war effort and was
necessary as a citizen of the US. Patriotism then was alive and well.
Through newspaper, radio and newsreel, the people realized that it was all
for a good cause, and anything that helped the war effort was tolerated with
pride.
Hope this helps some.