One month and 15 days after Vin moved to Hawaii the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. They strafed the ground where she stood at Schofield Barracks staring up as the planes flew over.
Jack was in New York City for work when he heard news of the attack. He went to a pay phone and called Hawaii. Vin answered, and he heard her voice. “You’re safe,” he said. “Yes.” Then the operator cut in to ask if this was an official call and the phone went dead.
War and Love
Jack was called up to active duty with the 114th Infantry. Confusion about what to do with civilians at Schofield Barracks reigned for almost 4 months, but Good Friday, 3 April 1942, Lavinia and Mary Alice sailed together on the Aquitania from Honolulu to San Pedro, California. The Cunard liner zigzagged its way across the Pacific to avoid attack arriving April 11th . Too big to dock in San Pedro the ship anchored in the harbor and ferried passengers to shore from Catalina Island. Vin and her friend made their way north to Berkeley.
Two months later Jack and Lavinia were married.
Given a 2 week medical leave to take care of the “jeep seat” he had acquired since being in the Infantry, Jack asked and Vin agreed. “I got him in a weak moment,” she always joked, “and my first wifely duties included bandage changes.” Her wedding dress was a formal dress off the rack, her veil borrowed.
The next three years were dominated by love and war.
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