Interview of Gladys Pitts

Interview Team:  Forrest Parker, Aaron Kang

Faculty Facilitator:  Mr. Michael Stephens

Date of Interview:  3/10/06

Gladys Pitts was born in Ozark, Alabama in 1921.  She attended high school in her hometown before moving to Columbus.  Mrs. Pitts was working as a cashier at the Rialto Theater when she heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor from a friend.  She remembers that public places closed down and that at the same time soldiers, who had been enjoying their leisure time, had to report to Fort Benning.  She felt, however, that everybody was ready to go to war.

As a citizen of the United States, she actively participated in the war effort by joining the U.S.O. club, which was located on 11th Street.  She collected scrap iron, and bought war bonds and stamps.  Her family also supported the war.  Her father was a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. National Guard and her future husband was a captain in the Air Force.  She also had several cousins who served in the army during World War II.

After President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that the United States had declared war on Japan, rationing was begun in Columbus to support the war. Mrs. Pitts remembers that gasoline, meat, tires, and coffee were all rationed.  Citizens collected almost everything they could which led to a shortage of many products.  Even chewing gum and coke were hard to find.  All Americans, however, were patriotic in that they wanted to take jobs to support the war effort.

In April, 1942, Gladys Pitts was transferred from the Rialto to the Bradley Theater.  She earned $12.00 per week.  While working at the Bradley one day she and a friend decided to go to Atlanta by bus.  Bus travel was inexpensive.  In fact, around town bus fare was only 10 cents.  Mrs. Pitts and her friend wanted to go to Atlanta to see a performance by Sammy Kay and his big band.  Her boss worried about their safety because of their age and tried to discourage them from going.  Nevertheless, they went to Atlanta but couldn’t see the band.  Besides watching performances of bands, Mrs. Pitts enjoyed bicycling, dancing, parties, and socializing with people.  At the dances she occasionally met soldiers who were all nice young men.  As a matter of fact, she met her future husband, who was in the military, at one of these events.

In January, 1943, she began working in the office at Colonial Baking Company where she earned $22.00 per week, a really good salary in that day.  She remembers that one of her jobs was determining how much to charge for each ingredient in the bread for the military. The army required that she bill Ft. Benning based on what went into making the bread.  This method of billing and payment ended after the war.

Mrs. Pitts also remembers April 12, 1945.  That is the day that President Roosevelt passed away in Warm Springs, Georgia.  She was sad and felt that the whole nation was sorrowful over Mr. Roosevelt’s death.  Most people were so shocked that they just didn’t know what do to.  In downtown Columbus every store closed to honor President Roosevelt.  Later on May 8, 1945, when the Germans surrendered to the alliance ( U.S., U.S.S.R., France, and Great Britain), she and her co-workers got a half day off from work.

In July, 1945, Mrs. Pitts moved to 1200 5th Avenue in Columbus and rented a room from Mrs. Ford, the owner of the home there.  Later Mrs. Ford told those living in her home about the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan.  Mrs. Pitts agreed with President Truman’s decision because she believed the atomic bomb would bring the war to an end more quickly.  Her friend, however, disagreed with the decision because she believed the atomic bomb would kill thousands of innocent people.  Nevertheless, Japan surrendered in August, 1945.  When the news was announced the whole city of Columbus became outrageously jubilant and started to celebrate.

Now living in Columbus again, Mrs. Gladys Pitts has many fond memories of her life in the city during the tumultuous years of World War II.