I was born in 38, so I remember the ration books. I also remember that everyone was expected and encouraged to participate in the war effort.

We kids used wagons and carts to collect newspapers, tires, etc. and dropped them off at designated collection points. Two of my brothers were in the Army.

I remember going to the Saturday afternoon matinee and seeing the clips of the soldiers and sailors at war. I remember that I felt proud that I was helping.

>http://www.prewarbuick.com/features/your_car_is_a_war_now
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>Other documents I have read about gasoline rationing indicate that 17 states began rationing on May 15th, 1942, and by December of that year all states were rationing gasoline. The national maximum “Victory Speed” was 35 miles an hour.
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>I have my ration books that allowed purchasing such things as shoes, which my mother kept. I recall hearing the words, "ration book" towards the end of the war, as I was born May 9th, 1942.
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>My dad was in the South Pacific and wrote a letter to my mom in 1943 asking, "Did Tommy get his shoes"? It is interesting to know what peoples lives were like throughout history.