Sgt. Wienke, 1939-45

Happy Veteran’s Day.

My grandfather was a platoon sergeant in the Army during World War II, and was a combat veteran. He served in the Pacific Theater, and used to regale me with tales of his travels in Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, Japan, and other small islands.

In Soviet Union, World’s Fair Exhibit YOU!

From the Official Guidebook of the 1939 New York World’s Fair:

“Visit the Soviet Pavilion and become acquainted with the 170 million people of the Soviet Union in their daily life, their work and their achievements in the first Socialist country in the world.”

The Soviet Union was one of sixty nations who participated in the Hall of Nations at the 1939 World’s Fair. Each participating country had their own pavilion, complete with exhibits, artifacts, performances, and food. Visiting the pavilion was to be an ersatz approximation of a visit to the country itself; it was to be both educational and entertaining. This is precisely where the EPCOT World Showcase concept comes from. In fact, the guidebook says the following, and these words could have came from the pen of Walt Disney himself:

G.I. Report from Iran: It’s Cold and Expensive and Strange

Published in The Best from Yank: The Army Weekly, (Armed Services Edition), 1945. Click the pages to enlarge.

SOMEWHERE IN IRAN—It there’s any truth to the old proverb, “Early to bed, early to rise,” Gls in Iran (Persia to you) are going to be mighty healthy, wealthy, and wise. Reason: there’s an 8 o’clock curfew that sends the sidewalks scurrying out of sight, closes the bistros and cabarets, and drives the doglaces to bed.

Where Waste Makes Haste

Waste Paper FTW!