Wartime Teen Recruits

This is an incredible story about the teens that were trained in firearms, underground work, spying, and wireless communications - radio operations.

That last part is quite interesting to me. People forget just how important radio communications is in an unstable country. It allows communication with the world outside, can be mobile, and can be operated by someone who is not suitable for regular combat duties.

I had a grandmother and aunt who regularly reported for monitoring activities by the shores of Lake Erie. No, the Nazis/Japanese couldn't directly attack in force at that point, but they COULD sent supplies to local spies, monitor movement of Merchant Marine traffic, and gather information about activities in armed forces stationed along the North Coast (both Coast Guard, near Cleveland, and Navy, at the Great Lakes training camp near Chicago).

I only found out when we were watching a movie about WWII Japanese planes, and someone referred to a plane as a 'Zero'. My grandmother glanced at the plane, and said, "No, that's not a Zero, that's a -" and identified the plane (I don't remember which type it was).

I asked how she knew, and she explained that she, and her daughter were trained as plane spotters, and had their assigned evenings to report to the roof of the Lakewood pool, right on the lake, with binoculars for a shift of observation and reporting. They kept a log of planes within their sight (those heading to local airports), and noted the type, time of first sight, and direction.

So, when working out schedules for watch duties, don't neglect the use of the young, old, or physically handicapped. And, give them training on use of non-cell phone means of wireless communications - both amateur radio - UHF and VHF - and the GMRS systems.