New Years Eve

Thursday Afternoon
[ 10 Jan 2013 ]

Your description of the New Years Eve in Pittsburgh triggered memories for me. As a youth I don't recall that I knew anything about it. In high school and college I don't remember anything in particular. I didn't have a "steady" girlfriend so I was probably just "at home".

And in 1941 I was back in the Service - no memories then. But in July 1943 Sara and I started going together and by Christmas we had decided to marry and told her parents. I had to write to my parents and tell them - telephone communications at that time not all that good.

On 31 December at a New Years Even party the Battalion Commander decided to make a big deal out of it and at midnight (amid all the cheering and loud music) he announced our engagement. 1 Jan 1944.

New Years Eve - 1945 - in Germany.

New Years Eve in 1946 and '47 I was in the USA stationed in Glen Rock and Lock Haven - living in apartments with a few friends other than those with whom I worked.

In April 1948 we were transferred to West Chester. Lived in an apartment until September 1952 when we bought a new house in Suburban Village. It was small (a "first") house for most people. Cost $12,500.00. One quarter acre lot! But here we made lots and lots of friends. We had much in common, our children went to school together, player together, etc.

With friends we had backyard picnics in the summer and a New Years Eve party (in someone's finished basement) on 31 December. Lots of merriment, food, drink, music, etc. Our kids were home in bed but we went back occasionally to check on them.

This lasted until I was transferred to Indiana in 1960. GREAT YEARS!!

Here at Hershey's Mill many groups and Villages gather at the Club for dinner, dancing to live music, etc. But for obvious reasons we are not part of that scene.

No, we were never in Times Square on New Years Eve. We were in New York on Easter Sunday 1948. That was bad enuf but it wasn't the type of crowd that attracts the New Years bunch.