Connecting with Zion's Past. . .
Zion and WWII

   As I write, it is June 14th, Flag Day, and on June 6th, we marked sixty-five years since D-Day.  Coincidently, I rrecently received a letter from Mary Louise Baker with some interesting information about Zion and World War II.  It just seemed natural that this month I would break away from the series on our pastors and write about Zion's role during that war.  In Zion's early years, the minister conducted two services on Sundays; one in the morning and one in the evening.  So when were evening services at Zion discontinued?. . . and why?

   Our minutes show that the topic of discontinuing the evening services was first discussed at the May 8, 1939 Council meeting, but was tabled.  At the June meeting it was decided to join the "Union" services beginning July 16, 1939.  I don't know what the "Union" services were, but our evening services were resumed later that same year.

   According to Mrs. Baker, Zion switched to one Sunday service right after the December 7, 1941 attack of Pearl Harbor.  There were rumors that the Japanese planned to take Fort Knox and the gold stored there.  During the War, the city officials of Owensboro asked that citizens burn only one light at night; shades had to be closed in all buildings and homes.  All lights went off at 8 P.M., and this also applied to the streetlights.  If the police caught you out after curfew, you got a ticket and had to pay a fine.  Thus, for a while, none of the churches in Owensboro had night services.

   At first, our Council voted to have services on Sunday afternoons, but not enought members attende4d, so they were discontinued.  With the minister preaching only on Sunday mornings, the congregation enjoyed more family time, and so did our minister.  So the Council voted to continue the practice of having only one service on Sundays.  During this time, the church Council was also forced to meet in the afternoons instead of evenings.

Mrs. Baker remembers learning to knit and making sweaters for the soldiers during the war.  Our minutes reveal other ways in which life at Zion was changed by the war.  In January, 1942, "the Council decided to join all churches in keeping the church open all day on Wednesday for special prayer for peace."  This reminded me of how Zion was open for prayers in the days following the 9-11 terrorist attacks.  At the annual meeting in 1942, Zion voted to use Booster Club funds to buy a $500 Defense Bond.  Later in 1942, the Council voted to make the church kitchen available in case of a civil defense emergency.  And during the war, Zion had to ration sugar.  The Council charged Rev. tormohlen with making decisions about the proper distribution of sugar among the various church groups.

At the January 1943 Congregation Meeting, the salary of the pastor was increased by $11 per month to offset how much "victory tax"  he had to pay.  Then on Apr. 5, 1943, the Council voted to donate $25 per month to the War Emergency Relief fund.

   Near the end of the war, Zion voted to donate $25 for the purchase of 10 kits for "Russian Relief"; a reflection of how difficult life had become in Russia as a result of Hitler's invasion.  These kits were sponsored by the Women's Guild.

   And after the conclusion of the war, Zion sent $10 to help the Evangelical and Reform Church with expenses associated with their legal support of conscientious objectors.  That must have been very controversial!

   Among our records, I found a list called "Our Servicemen".  I thought you might find many of the names on the list interesting.  Below, I've tried to spell them as they appeared on the list.

   Lt. George Louis Neubauer                                                Corp. Charles Cron
   Roy D. Stickler, Seaman First Class                                   Sgt. Ed. L. Johnson
   R. E. Stickler                                                                       S. R. Sauer
   Pvt. Daniel W. Dean                                                            Pvt. C. F. Montgomery
   Pvt. Samuel Hatcher                                                           John Rembold
   Pfc. Alfred C. Lovan                                                           Corp. Earl Winter
   R. E. Worthington                                                                Robert Van Ostveen
   Pvt. Noarse E. Rouse                                                         P. B. Worthington
   Sgt. Tillman A. Baker                                                           Corp Ivor Lang
   Cpl. Edgar A. Turley, Jr.                                                     Pvt. Edwrd Bidwell
   Roy Worthington                                                               Cpl. Fred M. Reuter
   E. G. Meisenheimer                                                            Pvt. Lester M. Watkins
   Pvt. Douglas Ling                                                              Pfc. Ernest Gleim
   Chester Augenstein                                                         Pvt. Weldon Ling
   Corp. Joe G. Adelman                                                      Pvt. Roy B. Bratcher
   Corp Robert P. Surface                                                   Pvt. John S. Rafferty
   Pvt. Lewis Hamvas                                                           E. C. Gordon
                                       Lt. Franklin J. Neubauer

   Interested parties need to know that the list contained more information, including mailing addresses and birthdays.

   Thanks Mary Louise for sharing some memories with me!  If readers can add to our knowledge of life for Zion during the war, I hope you too will share.  Personally, I agree with Tom Brokaw; those who went first throught the Great Depression and then won the war of wars, indeed make up the "Greatest Generation".  I thank that generation for their many sacrifices and I marvel at what they accomplished!

Next month, I'll return to the series on Zion's ministers.