Sixty-five years ago, the small town of Cape Elizabeth was gearing up for its contribution to the war effort.

“Good evening Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the ships at sea, let’s go to press!” were the words spoken by radio news reporter Walter Winchell at the start of his Sunday evening broadcasts for many years throughout the 1940s.

His abrupt words and staccato delivery gained the rapt attention of family members as they clustered around the radio to hear the latest news concerning events occurring at home and abroad. The steady click-click of a telegraph key was heard in the background.

Winchell was a strong supporter of the nation’s military, and frequently verbally attacked America’s enemies, then usually followed that statement by optimistic predictions and wisecracks. He delivered the war news as he saw it and as the information was released by government censors days after the event.

Rationing began in May1942, with sugar the first to come under that designation. Gasoline was rationed in five categories depending on the need for transportation to a defense-related job or for personal use of the vehicle owner.

An “A,” “B” or “C” sticker was affixed to the windshield designating how many gallons could be purchased for that vehicle per month. An “A” sticker allowed only 12 gallons, while the “C” sticker indicated drivers were crucial to their defense job and no public transportation was available. This included farm vehicles as well. Each coupon had the state license plate number hand written on the front.

Other items rationed included butter, cheese, canned goods, meat, chocolate of any kind and shoes. Ration books were applied for and assigned to each family member. Each time a rationed item was purchased, a coupon was clipped from the book; coupons were kept by the vendor for his records. Most rationing ended in 1945 with the exception of sugar – that shortage continued for another two years.

To help relieve the shortage of some food stuffs, people were encouraged to plant their own “Victory Gardens” in any space available to them. Home-grown vegetables were cultivated in most every back yard for the duration of the war.

Everyone participated. From Maine to California, vacant lots, back yards and even parks were plowed and planted with enough vegetables to feed a family through the coming winter. In the cities, the gardens came in all sizes from window boxes with tomato plants to small patches by the kitchen door.

When Cape Elizabeth farmers went off to war, their women-folk tilled the gardens while other wives and mothers applied for and were granted work at defense jobs to release men for the military.

Women were allowed to enlist in the various branches of the military, most to remain state-side in support positions while the men they replaced were sent into harm’s way. Notable exceptions to this system were the women pilots, who ferried airplanes from factories to allied bases around the world.

To avoid detection by enemy aircraft overhead, blackout curtains were ordered installed in all windows to be in place at night so no stray lights could be seen. Street lights were dimmed, porch lights were not allowed to be lit after dark. Automobile headlights had the top half painted black so the beam would be aimed at the pavement directly in front of the vehicle.

Lighthouses guarding both coasts were extinguished to help avoid the coastline being spotted by enemy airplanes. Portland Head Light, extinguished June 5, 1942, was not relit until the summer of 1945, after hostilities had ceased in Europe. However, the shipyard in South Portland continued mass-producing Liberty ships on a 24-hour-a-day schedule.

Automobile production ceased early in 1942, as did the production of trucks and a wide assortment of household goods. Chrome bumpers were discontinued in 1941. Factories retooled their machines to produce items needed for the war effort.

Unusable household items were recycled. Collection centers were set up locally to provide space for these items as well as discarded cooking pots, pans and other items. Old tires were donated when no parts could be found to repair an automobile.

Among new household items in short supply were those made of metal: vacuum cleaners, washing machines, water heaters, small appliances such as toasters, waffle irons, regular pressing irons, sewing machines and lawn mowers.

One-tenth of the population of Cape Elizabeth served in the military during World War II, both men and women. Records indicate 358 members of the town put their lives on the line during those years. Each service member’s family could and did show their patriotism by placing a flag in a front window. It measured 9 inches wide by 12 inches long, with a white background, a narrow red-stripe border on all four sides and a large blue star in the center. Gold cord provided the means to hang the flag from the window latch.

Of all the Cape friends, neighbors and family members who served, 12 did not return. Their service flags were replaced by one of the same size with a gold star in the center.

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