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American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Gas Prices, Rationing, And Long Lines


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We have been commiserating lately about the increase in gasoline prices, but who recalls the long lines at service stations and the alternate sale days of the early 1970’s, or the outright rationing of WWII?

 

In the early 70’s (73-74) there was a period when you were limited to how many gallons the station would sell you (10 was the typical number in my area) and the station may have been open only part of the week, most typically alternating days.

 

And does anyone remember from first hand experience the rationing of gasoline and rubber in WWII? I was a little young to remember myself, but I have some ration books I keep around for history’s sake.

 

Let’s Keep the Show on the Road

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I was driving from Des Plaines, Il, to my first job as a teacher in Round Lake, probably about 300 miles. I remember the lines, but most I was incensed at the doubling of gas prices to 70 cents. Ahhh! the Good Old Days. I do remember some lines, but never had too bad of a problem.

 

By the way, I was driving my first new car, a 1973 Ford Pinto...and, I lived to tell about it.

 

I wasn't born during WWII. By the way, tomorrow, June 6th, is the WWII anniversary of what event in 1944?

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

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I was driving from Des Plaines, Il, to my first job as a teacher in Round Lake, probably about 300 miles. I remember the lines, but most I was incensed at the doubling of gas prices to 70 cents. Ahhh! the Good Old Days. I do remember some lines, but never had too bad of a problem.

 

By the way, I was driving my first new car, a 1973 Ford Pinto...and, I lived to tell about it.

 

I wasn't born during WWII. By the way, tomorrow, June 6th, is the WWII anniversary of what event in 1944?

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

 

Invasion of Normandy, or in other words, D-Day. Thanks for the reminder!

 

Keep the Show on the Road was the motto of the 384th Heavy Bomb Group of B-17s flyimg out of Grafton Underwood, England .

Edited by Keep the Show on the Road!
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We have been commiserating lately about the increase in gasoline prices, but who recalls the long lines at service stations and the alternate sale days of the early 1970’s, or the outright rationing of WWII?

 

In the early 70’s (73-74) there was a period when you were limited to how many gallons the station would sell you (10 was the typical number in my area) and the station may have been open only part of the week, most typically alternating days.

 

And does anyone remember from first hand experience the rationing of gasoline and rubber in WWII? I was a little young to remember myself, but I have some ration books I keep around for history’s sake.

 

Let’s Keep the Show on the Road

 

Having been born in 1937 I was a tad young to remember WWII gas rationing. However, I do remember the windshield stickers which told the station how much you could buy. I remember my dad having big rototiller - one (or maybe 2) cylinder engine on the front with big roatating tines on the back bottom. Used to plow up ground for gardens. Because he used it for the gardens, and had a rather large one, he got a lot of extra gas, despite the fact the machine didn't use all that much. So much in fact he couldn't have used it all if he'd left the 'tiller running 7/24. So, occasionally, we had the treat of a Sunday drive "up-country", as we called it back then in southern Maine.

Another story of rationing, but not to do with gasoline (I had some ration books for a while a time back). My grandmother went wild one day in 1942. Just had to have a new pair of shoes. So she took her ration book, walked downtown (not far from where they lived) and bought 2 pairs of shoes!!!! Used all of her ration for 1942 and probably half of 1943!!!! But as she said, according to my mother, "A lady needs new shoes!!!" LOL

 

Safe traveling everybody.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

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Invasion of Normandy, or in other words, D-Day. Thanks for the reminder!

 

Keep the Show on the Road was the motto of the 384th Heavy Bomb Group of B-17s flyimg out of Grafton Underwood, England .

 

So, is this where you got your American Road name?

 

Speaking of WWII bombers, one of England's most-decorated RAF flyers died yesterday, Wallace McIntosh, age 87. He received the RAF's Distinguished Flying Medal once and Distinguished Flying Cross, RAFs highest award for valor, twice.

 

As a tail-gunner on a Lancaster, he is credited with seven kills of german fighters and one probable. His greatest moment of his 55 sorties, came on today's date in 1944, when he shot down three German planes by the beaches of D Day. This was a very crucial time.

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

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So, is this where you got your American Road name?

 

Speaking of WWII bombers, one of England's most-decorated RAF flyers died yesterday, Wallace McIntosh, age 87. He received the RAF's Distinguished Flying Medal once and Distinguished Flying Cross, RAFs highest award for valor, twice.

 

As a tail-gunner on a Lancaster, he is credited with seven kills of german fighters and one probable. His greatest moment of his 55 sorties, came on today's date in 1944, when he shot down three German planes by the beaches of D Day. This was a very crucial time.

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

 

This is off topic, but worth noting. The men and women who were involved in D Day on the ground, on the water, or in the sky deserve our respect and appreciation.

 

I have much of the memorabilia from Major Thomas Dale Hutchinson who was a wing commanded and later deputy commander of the 384th, including his pilot's logs, crew photos from his flights, and even some actual pre flight briefings for bomb raids over Nazi Germany. You can’t see and read such first hand materials without recognizing the day to day sacrifice those guys made routinely. And many didn’t come home.

 

That’s the rest of the story behind Keep the Show on the Road.

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We have been commiserating lately about the increase in gasoline prices, but who recalls the long lines at service stations and the alternate sale days of the early 1970’s, or the outright rationing of WWII?

 

In the early 70’s (73-74) there was a period when you were limited to how many gallons the station would sell you (10 was the typical number in my area) and the station may have been open only part of the week, most typically alternating days.

 

And does anyone remember from first hand experience the rationing of gasoline and rubber in WWII? I was a little young to remember myself, but I have some ration books I keep around for history’s sake.

 

Let’s Keep the Show on the Road

 

 

 

I was born just before the war began and we lived in Dwight, IL for the duration of WWII. Dad's '41 Olds had a ration sticker, "C" I believe, and the Olds didn't get a new set of tires until war's end. Certain groceries were also rationed; sugar, some meats, etc. Mom and I walked to the downtown area for a periodic bag of groceries. Fortunately, we were given lots of farm and garden foods by Dad's parishioners from the Congregational Church. Blackout curtains were hung over every window in the house. A memorable time, indeed.....Bliss

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