pictures from our past- WAR!
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Effect of World War I On Family Life World War I does not seem to have brought as much change in family life in San Antonio as the number II rerun a quarter of a century later. Some of the cousins of military age either volunteered or were drafted. Specifically Bob Schneider the son of Sophie Schneider, Lula Arnold's sister served. Also Charley Causey pictured with his San Antonio uncle, Ed Arnold attained the rank of sergeant. Apparently Charley was station at Fort Sam Houston as there are several pictures of him in uniform in the album. There were several other war time pictures in which other relatives or friends in military uniforms appeared including "The New Dodge" picture previously displayed in the Automobile chapter. Harold Henry Arnold who was 20 years old in September, 1916 was 4-F. What ever it was that caused his deferment did not effect his longevity as he lived into his 91st year. Also I do not remember hearing of any of the Zirkel cousins who served. Possibly the War had something to do with the absence of river camping and coastal fishing pictures during these years. |
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San Antonio During the War San Antonio was an army town with the major base in those years being Fort Sam Houston on its northeast side no more than a couple of miles from the business district. As early as 1910 trials and experiments in military use of aircraft had been conducted there (See the previous chapter for text and pictures). During the War several separate bases including Kelly and Brooks Fields, named after victims of early accidents, were built. During the war these installations became the source of employment for many San Anatolians including my mother Nadine Hull Arnold, who held a job as a stenographer at Fort Sam The first picture shows a military unit in a parade in down town San Antonio. Though it is undated it is near the end of of the album in close proximity to other dated pictures, I am, therefore, reasonably sure it was one of the war years. It may have been one of the Fiesta parades. During WW II and throughout the cold war period the participation of Army units in these parades were common. There is also the possibility that it was a special event possibly even a victory celebration following the November, 1918 armistice. Do click the links give in the right hand column as the enlargements indicate a complex pattern of movement for different units involved in this parade.. |
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(Continuation) The following four pictures show a wartime event at the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Depot which was on East side of South Flores Street just South of the South Alamo intersection.. Possibly it is the activation for Federal service of a National Guard unit. The procedure seems to have involved a hair cut as they all seem to be showing off newly bared heads. My first interpretation of the first picture was that the guy on the stool was being sheared as his buddies watched. If so he would seem to be near the last in line as all but two of those not wearing hats are already trimmed. The apparent barber is in a pose suggesting a hair cut is in progress. If that were the case the trimmer is not electric as there is no cord visible. Of course there were mechanical clippers manipulated by the wrist action of the barber. But there is another problem. The picture shows no evidence of hair on the ground. Most certainly if they had just completed trimming all those near bald heads, piles of hair on the floor would have been noticeable. So perhaps they had been previously trimmed elsewhere and were just horsing around. In the second picture to the left picture the guys are on the station platform showing off their hairless heads while waiting to entrain. There are two pictures of girls in nontraditional clothing. At first glance I took the outfit of the girl in the picture on the lower left to be slacks. But that is not the case, it is a long skirt quite non-traditional in its appearance. Perhaps the stripes were red and blue? And the feathered hat completes a non-traditional outfit that would never have appeared even a few years earlier. Here the purpose seems quite clear; it was to look cute and pretty while seeing the boys of to camp. The last picture is of a young woman also at the depot. Based on my WW II experience I presumed that she was handing out cigarettes. But I don't think that was the case here as from the enlargement the product seems more likely to have been a sandwich. |
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Continue: Afterword |
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