Geraldine M. Fisher Litvak

War: World War II, 1939-1946 Service Location: Camp Hood and San Antonio, Texas Status: Civilian Place of Birth: Evansville, IN

After World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, Indiana teenager Geri Fisher never questioned her grandmother as the woman severed ties with her relatives back in Germany, fearful that some were sympathetic to the Nazi cause. It was common for her grandmother to provide shelter and clothes on her farm to European Jewish refugees, whom Geri called "Aunt" and "Uncle." At 18, attending a business college in San Antonio, Texas, Geri started to understand the personal impact of the war on December 8, 1941, when she heard President Roosevelt's words, "We are at war." She participated in USO-sponsored "invitation-only Tea Dances" attended by military personnel from Randolph Field and other installations. Later, she obtained a high security clearance to be able to enter the base and entertain veterans returning from Europe suffering from battle fatigue.