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Memoirs of Lloyd Moss: 1930

At the end of October we pulled away from the dock, continued on through the Bosporus into the Black sea, sailed in a big loop there, then turned back through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, across the Mediterranean, through the Gates of Hercules and straight on back to Norfold, Virginia. During this trip I found that I wasn't going to adjust to being away from my wife for long periods of time, so I put in a request to the Navy department for tranfer to shore duty anywhere including the island of Guam. When the request came back negative I requested a Special Order Discharge as I had discovered that the Government was in one of its "reduce the military, save money" moods and you could get a discharge if you could prove that you had a job waiting for you in civilian life.

It was now the first of November and the very first weekend that I could get away I hopped an excursion train for Philadephia and Floss. Of course we had a great reunion and both decided that something had to be done so we could be together. We persuaded a painter-paperhanger neighbor of Mrs. Bray's to hire me to work for him with the understanding that he fire me the first day without paying me any salary. When I arrived back in Norfolk I lost no time putting through the necessary papers, and on November 20th I was honorably discharged for the last time. I had an excellent service record and was on the waiting list for Chief Petty Officer but nothing was worth being away from the one who made life a home wherever she was. Florence had found it necessary to get herself a job at the R.C.A. Victor Company in Camden while I was gone and it's a good thing that she did in those hard times. My last monthly paycheck in the Navy was $96.60 and it was to be another while before I was to get another pay. Our painter friend was true to his word since he certainly didn't need another man. I went out with his crew on the first Monday morning and after painting one door frame he came over to me and with a grin said, "That's a lousy job. You're fired." And that was it. Remember that was before the days of Social Security and Welfare payments.

So I started walking all over Philadelphia looking for work of any kind. All the factories without exception had signs out fron reading "No Help Wanted". I risked getting into trouble with strikers in the hosiery mills of North Philadelphia but that was no good. I put my name in every employment agency I could find knowing that my first week's salary would go to the agency if I did get a job. It was just at the time when everybody was beginning to realize just how serious the 1929 depression was going to be, so we were earnestly considering our prospects for the future. However, we were determined to have a Christmas tree this year, come what might, but ornaments for it just seemed to be out of reach so we hung our Christmas cards on it, threw on some tinsel ruin and it looked very joyful and bright to us at that time of our lives.

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