Editor’s note: This is the third installment in the West Hills Gazette’s nine-part series that looks at life in Robinson Township during World War II. This series, written by Janet Gonter of the Robinson Township Historical Society, originally ran in the Suburban Gazette in 2017 but is timely now, as the 80th anniversary of the end of the war will be observed later this summer. Check back each Sunday for a new installment.
Part 1 of 10 | Part 2 of 10 | Part 3 of 10 | Part 4 of 10 | Part 5 of 10
Part 6 of 10 | Part 7 of 10 | Part 8 of 10 | Part 9 of 10 | Part 10 of 10
If you lived in Europe during World War II, an air raid siren was a dire warning; danger was imminent, and running to an air raid shelter was a scary event.
Here in Robinson Township, air raid drills were fortunately for practice only. Nevertheless, the sirens and practice drills could be frightening for children.
Moon Run native Gwen Brouker remembers, “When the fire whistle blew, we very promptly shut out all lights and us kids really did listen for the airplanes, and [we always feared] they could be the Germans or the Japanese.”
For local adults, air raid drills became almost routine, similar to fire drills in school. When the siren blew, instead of putting up blackout curtains as they did in Europe, most Americans made do with turning out all lights and waiting for the “all clear” siren.
Although routine, blackouts were taken very seriously, and while in effect, air raid wardens would drive slowly up and down the streets, checking for compliance and issuing warnings if they saw the slightest glimmer of light.
The son of a Moon Run miner remembers being chastised by his father for lighting a lighter during a blackout. In Robinson Township, air raid wardens were outfitted with full equipment.
Many local women trained as wardens but never faced an actual attack; their duties consisted mainly of small-scale drills.
Schools were intensely cautious. When the siren blew, children lined up and followed their teacher into the hallway and sat quietly against the walls, sometimes in a “cover” position.
There was a very serious attitude during these drills. Although no enemy bombs reached American soil, everyone – children included — had seen graphic films of the aftermath of bombs dropped overseas.
But even the children got through those frightening days unharmed. A Stoops Ferry resident put it this way: “Being as young as we were, kids adjusted. That’s just what you did.”
My father was an air raid warden in our little village of stoops ferry and he would don his air raid helmet and walk the streets to make sure everyone had their lights turned off.