Pluggers by Rick McKee for October 15, 2009

During World War II, their famous saying was: “TURN OUT THOSE LIGHTS!!”

This still applied long after WWII. Once in a rare while I’ll see an old sign for a fallout shelter.

Remember when AM radios had two symbols at 640 and 1240 (I think) for the two CONELRAD frequencies? The idea was that by switching all radio stations to only two frequencies in time of nuclear attack, Russian bombers wouldn’t be able to use radio stations to guide them to U.S. cities.

That was when about 40 American cities were guarded, first by non-nuclear Nike Ajax, then by nuclear-tipped Nike Hercules missiles. Millions of people lived next to nuclear warheads and never knew it.

I remember the civil defense drills when I was a kid in the late 50’s early 60’s when we were in grade school! Gawd, all of a sudden I feel old!

I remember when it also meant “Certificate of Deposit.” Guess I’m dating myself!

DUCK and cover!..

yes, in the fifties were told that when (not if) the A- bomb first hits (meaning a very bright burst of light) be sure to

duck & cover!……

then , supposedly, you can stand up , dust off that pesky radiation and enjoy life, knowing that the commies probably got the worse end of the stick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0K_LZDXp0I

And now we know all those “preparations” were just designed to keep us busy while we waited to be incinerated!

I still have the hat.

Wow! conelrad! I haven’t heard that term since I was a kid, then I grew up, in the 70’s and worked at an am radio station with a bomb shelter studio in the second basement.