Mom and Sailors
Some background. My dad, George E. Lang Sr., was prime draft age as the United States entered World War II. When he received his draft notice, his employer went to the authorities and told them (truthfully) that his company had contracts to make critical components for the U.S. Navy and without George Lang he wouldn’t be able to fulfill them. As a result, the Draft Board gave dad a deferment.
That deferment lasted through my brother George’s birth in June of 1942, my birth in October of 1943, all of 1944, and on through late spring of 1945. At that point, he received notice to report for induction into the military. Since he would be going overseas in the Army, my mom wanted a photo of herself and the two boys for him take along. Her father, my grandfather Frank Kahles, took her to a studio and had this photo made.
This time, both his company and fate intervened. Just after dad notified his employer of his draft notice, he received a call from a company officer who was in Washington, DC on business. That officer told him emphatically to ignore the notice and not to report. My parents were in a pickle. The company said don’t report, but he could get arrested. What to do??? Two days later, the war was over. Guess that guy knew something but couldn’t say it out loud.
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