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Memorial Day 1942 Vi-Morrow-Bader On Memorial Day  1942  we  had  an  all-girl  drum  and  bugle   corps started by a lady named Emily Wilson. In the beginning it was made up of boys   and  girls, but because  of World  War II  all  the fellows went in the service and the girls took over. Doris Wilson Jones was drum major and I was captain of the color guard. In those days there was always a lot of excitement. My dad was in charge     of  the  Memorial  Day  parade   and  he  always    exceeded expectations. He would get Army, Navy, and Marine companies from local bases, and an Army band. Ocean City High School Band always came, lots of Army trucks, fire engines from Somers Point, and the usual local organizations. The parade started at the old Dawes Avenue school and marched down Shore Road to City Hall, where  there was a monument in honor of those in WW ll. Different dignitaries would give  speeches.    We then   marched down to Somers Point beach to the  memorial to honor  those in  previous wars. The whole town would come out. You could feel how proud the people were to be a part of this celebration to honor our men in the service and those who had lost their lives. At the beach they would put a   wreath or small boat made of flowers in the bay and a Boy Scout would be on the pavilion to play taps, with another in the distance to play the echo. After the parade everyone would go to the firehouse for refreshments. I met a soldier that day (I was only 15). I dated him a few times before he went overseas to the Pacific Theater  and became a prisoner of war.   In 1992 he looked me up in Somers Point, saying he had never forgotten me nor my parents and wanted to see if  I was still living. He wanted to go to the cemetery to say a prayer for my mom and dad and to thank them for all the meals he ate at our house. My Dad and Mom always allowed us to have anyone we met come to the house. That way they knew where we were and were like a second set of parents to the servicemen that we met.  Many a meal was eaten with a couple of soldiers or sailors at the table.  Some of them came back to see my parents, bringing their wives and kids. I was so lucky to have been a teenager during that time in American history.   I think the whole  country felt so proud. Everyone cared about each other and we all had  something in   common, working, praying  and helping any way we could in this great effort toward world peace. I was married to Lyn Bader for 17 years, divorced after four kids and never remarried.                                                              ---Violet Bader--- 1999 Back