Curator stirs talk about WWII in Mower County

Some of them had seen the combat firsthand. Others lived through the rigors on the homefront, but they all listened intently as a young woman brought back memories of World War II for Mower County.

“Yes, I know I look a little young to be talking about World War II,” said Mower County Historical Society Director Jaimie Timm as she opened her presentation at the Mower County Senior Center on Tuesday.

It didn’t matter. Even those who vividly remember life during “Everyone’s War” learned some things they didn’t know about how the conflict affected Mower County.

Lillian Fetterly — who wrote her own account of World War II and gave it to the Historical Society — approached a couple after the presentation.

“I learned a lot of new things today that I didn’t know before,” she told them.

That couple, Don and Marilyn Wilson, have plenty of their own memories. Marilyn was young at the time, but her mother made bandages and her father served in the battle of the bulge, Don said. Don enlisted in 1944, served in the Pacific Theater and was awestruck when he first saw Mt. Fuji upon landing at Japan. The Wilsons weren’t from Austin, but Park Rapids, Minn. They moved to Austin in 1950. Still, the images and subject matter ran true to them.

From the events leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor, to Victory in Europe and Victory in Japan, Timm mentioned the little details that affected everyday lives. The Mower County War Relief effort began in mid-December 1941, when rationing, extra policing and even teaching residents how to use guns took place. Herald headlines and stories were witty and aimed at keeping spirits high. For example, even forecasts had to be “rationed” to one state, so if it were cloudy south of Lyle, there wouldn’t be a word about it.

Records showed how blackout drills weren’t taken very seriously in places like Austin. Timm mentioned the power plant forgot to shut out the street lights on the first drill, and other occasions.

“We failed,” Timm said sheepishly.

People were frequently outside of their homes before the all-clear signals, while they were supposed to be shut inside.

Fetterly, who lived on the West Coast during much of the war, noted that wasn’t the case in California.

Statistics showed Mower County’s support for the war. It routinely passed county quota for purchasing war bonds. At one point, Mower raised $102,000 in 15 days. Even area students surpassed goals for war stamps and bonds.

Throughout the U.S. involvement, about 10,000 Mower residents registered with the military in World War II, Timm said. One hundred thirty-five men didn’t return to their families.

One can cover a lot of World War II history in just an hour, but nowhere close to the whole story, not even Mower’s. However, the Historical Society will try to do it’s best at that with a new exhibit. A new World War II exhibit at the Historical Society, projected to open next summer, will house many relics, photos, stories and accounts of the war. Timm has even interviewed locals for the project, and asks more people to come forward and share their memories.

“I really hope to fill the exhibit with local stories to share,” Timm said.