In November 1942 Vallejoans celebrated their first Thanksgiving since the start of World War Two. Thousands of defense workers labored round-the-clock at Mare Island Naval Shipyard to support the war effort. The Vallejo Times-Herald of November 26, 1942 described the holiday:
Vallejo, U.S. Observe
War Thanksgiving
“Today Vallejo joins with Americans around the world in
celebrating their first wartime Thanksgiving in a quarter century, starting the
day with prayer service, and climaxing it with the traditional turkey dinner.
In many homes, soldiers and sailors have been invited around the family board
as guests.
“While services are held by the Ministerial Union and by
other churches, thousands of Mare Island workmen in machine and ordnance shops
will be ‘passing the ammunition’ literally, with work as usual. But somewhere
during their day, civilians and service men will stop for their roast turkey,
and to reflect a moment on the fact that now, both at home and in war news
abroad, America really has something to be thankful for.
“American forces on the far flung battle lines may have to
take their holiday dinner in emergency rations, but those in the Vallejo and
Solano County area will “shoot the works.” Here is an exact U.S. Army menu
released yesterday:
“Fruit salad, stuffed celery, sweet mixed pickles, olives,
roast turkey, sage dressing, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce,
buttered corn, creamed peas, creamed carrots, hot rolls, assorted bread,
apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, assorted candies, coffee, milk, hot
chocolate, cigars, cigarettes.
“Aboard ships, as far as could be learned, there will also
be turkey and trimmings, in a menu much like the Army’s.
“However, in the [Mare Island] Navy Yard’s three large and
two small cafeterias, there will be no turkey.
“It would take too long to serve,” was the reason given by
F.L. Bonn, general manager of the cafeterias. “We feed more than 23,000
persons, and we could never accommodate this number by our closing hour of 5:15
if we had turkey. However, we’re having the same substantial servings of roast
beef, pork and cutlets as they get every day.”
“Ninety inmates of the Solano County hospital at Fairfield
will also sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, cranberries, mince and
pumpkin pie, celery, cauliflower, and other trimmings.
“The “super” dinner and that period of time devoted to
church services will be the only evidence of a break in schedule for either the
soldiers, sailors or the workers on the American production front.
“Secretaries of the War and Navy Departments have ordered
personnel of their departments to observe the day by working as usual. War
Production Chief Donald M. nelson called upon those engaged in tasks vital to
the victory effort to remain at their jobs.
Serving Thanksgiving dinner at Mare Island during WWII |
“The American housewife, who for the first time in three
years could invite relatives from a neighboring state without wondering whether or not they had already celebrated the holiday, found that her 1942 dinner was
costing her more than at any time since 1919.
“The Office of Price Administration said the average cost
was offset by the higher average family earnings.”