The year I was born
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
Eugene, Oregon
May 13, 2017 10:40am CST
That year was 1940.
I suppose I caused a bit of drama for my parents and three teenage sisters coming into the world.
Much of the world was at war, though the US had not yet joined in the effort to defeat what were then called, “The Axis Powers.”
The British Royal Air Force battled German planes over England in the Battle of Britain. The nighttime Blitz bombing of London by German bombers began that year and was a nightly event that killed many people. (@jaboUK has written some great pieces about that).
On the lighter side, Bugs Bunny was introduced in the world of movie cartoons, and so were Tom and Jerry!
Just over 39 inches of rain fell in Sapulpa, Oklahoma on September 3rd. What??
I was quite surprised to learn that CBS began broadcasting television on my birthday (I was not featured). Who knew that TV was around then?
That was my year. What happened in yours?
18 people like this
15 responses
. I don't know the exact year that TV was first broadcast in England, but it wasn't usual to own a set until the 1950s.@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 May 17
That would have been a nice thing to do!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
Meaning that you were born after 1945? It seems there is always another war coming anyway.
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 May 17
Thanks, @JudyEv, we will look forward to that.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 May 17
@JudyEv No kidding! I was surprised to see that one.
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@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 May 17
@JamesHxstatic I meant to comment on the 39 inches of rain. Maybe they sat the rain gauge under the sprinkler system! 
That's a lot of water.
That's a lot of water.2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 May 17
I didn't either. It must have been very limited until the late '40s.
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
16 May 17
@JamesHxstatic
Maybe only the very rich had them. TV. Must have been very costly at that time.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
13 May 17
Not did I; few people had even heard the word.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
22 May 17
@JamesHxstatic yesthat was how it was for my dad durng the depression
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 May 17
I have heard that doctors were sometimes paid in "trade" with chickens and fresh fruit and veggies.
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@RasmaSandra (98029)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
13 May 17
My year was quite exciting what with rock and roll and all sorts of crazy things going on. Too much to even mention but you can read all about it here
1957 Prices including Wages, Houses and Gas, Toys, Fashions and Furniture, Events include Suez Canal Crisis, Asian Flu Pandemic, Viet Cong Guerrillas attack South Vietnam, First artificial satellite Sputnik 1 Launched, ...
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
That is a great accounting of your birth year. I was 17, living in southern California and getting burned a lot bodysurfing at the beach.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6406)
•
19 May 17
the biggest would probably have to be when we landed on the moon, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
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@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
17 May 17
I have no remembrance of what happened in 1943. I was born in December so most of the year was over anyway.
I do remember my (adoptive) mother scaring the wits outta me in 1945 when the war was over. She got a phone call, listened for a second or two and started yelling THE WAR IS OVER and jumping up and down. I was almost 2 years old, but I have a vivid memory of it. I immediately started crying; I thought she was hurt....
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
17 May 17
@JamesHxstatic Mother grabbed me up and danced with me, laughing as she danced. I guess I calmed down, not still crying over it, lol.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
@blitzfrick I remember that news on the radio and the huge headlines.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
17 May 17
That would alarm a small child for certain, even though it was great news.
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@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
13 May 17
I know there is a site (or at least used to be) where you can look up what was happening the day you were born. I looked at it years ago. I can't tell you what was happening on the day I was born. I can say WWII was over. I can remember milk being delivered house to house. I had a cousin who drove a nail through his finger and bent it so it couldn't be pulled out. I later discovered he had sawed the nail in half and taped it to his finger with Band-Aids to appear it was driven through his finger.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 May 17
What a joker he was! I recall that site too. That may be where the rain stat came from.
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@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
14 May 17
@JamesHxstatic I think he was going more for the "scary" part of it.
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@teamfreak16 (43602)
• Denver, Colorado
13 May 17
I've honestly never looked that up. I probably should.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
13 May 17
There is always som pretty interesting stuff, Scott.
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@teamfreak16 (43602)
• Denver, Colorado
13 May 17
@JamesHxstatic - I'm sure. I should do it. It would be interesting.
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@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
10 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic
I was born in 1950 and cannot tell you what happened then. I never checked to see what went on in my year of birth. Thank you for sharing what went on in your year.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 May 17
You should petition CBS to feature you now! lol, that is cool though. I am so happy that there has been no WWIII. I was born in 1982. I don't know too much about what was happening then other than J. Geils had the top radio hit at the time and Regan was president. I should look into what was happening at the time moreso.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 May 17
It is interesting to take a look at that info.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
16 May 17
I did not see it personally, but it was going on until I was five years old and I recall hearing news on the radio each night (no TV then). I was a teenager during the Korean War and recall that news vividly. I served in the army during the Vietnam War, though I was not sent there.
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