𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗢 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬, 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗢, 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗔 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗘 𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗥𝗨𝗕𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧!

                             

    

Valley responds to the need of “Rubber”

San Benito kids led RGV in collection of much needed rubber

By Rene Torres

As WW II raged on, patriotism on the home front amplified with every pasting day. In July of 1942 a Valley-wide scrap collection of rubber intensified surpassing expectations. The stream of donations for the first two days almost reached 300,000 pounds.

The first day, which was a Monday, an estimated 100,000 pounds poured in and the following day 180,000 pounds. It revealed remarkably enough by not only adults, but almost by an amazing amount of RGV kids that participated in the war effort.

Some of the items that were collected included: nipples from nursing bottles, a pink elephant, eight brand new airplane tires, door stoppers, sink stoppers, and several household articles, but the most popular item were car tires.

San Benito kids led the way…

They were the “Big Seven” who were in relentless pursuit of the elusive rubber tires. Still attending their day work as Brownsville Herald carriers, they found the time to scan the city and did it in record time. Gathering 250 tires in a two-day period.

Who were they?

It was the contribution on the “Homefront” that also helped us win the war. The following kids from San Benito did their part… along many others. left to right front row: Grady Prestridge, Elfego Esparza, Howard Baker, Robert Witten, Abel Aguilar, Bobby Byrd, Frank Garza.

The work was directed by Circulation Chief T. B. Alexander of San Benito. He got his boys to ask subscribers for tires and other old rubber. They collected them in a stack near his home…. The effort was made without complaints and with the spirit of patriotism.

The Valley-wide effort was so great that additional storage was needed. The accumulation of items continued in gain and volume with every passing day. They left a legacy of nationalism for today’s generation to follow.