Anyone know how WWII rationing worked?

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

 

https://archive.org/download/world-war-2-ration-books-and-stamps-d.-d.-teoli-jr.-a.-c./World War II Ration Books and Stamps D.D.Teoli Jr. A.C..jpg

 

Anyone know how WWII rationing worked? 

 

I know they had at least 3 ration books. Maybe one for each year? 

 

They said the ration book was not valid without an affixed stamp, but most of the samples I've seen were used without stamps. One sample book had a rubber stamp in the official stamp area. It is possible due to shortages that they stopped using stamps. I've seen WWII magazines where they cut back on one or two of the staples used to bind the books. As well as cutting back on the # of pages in magazines during the war era. So maybe it was the same deal with stamps and glue. The metal staple shortage can be seen within the editions of the rationing books themselves as book #2 used 2 staples and book #3 used 1 staple.

 

They had a variety of ration coupon types within the books. The coupons with grain were maybe used for bread. Out of 6 books I examined there was only one book that had a few of the grain coupons left. They were marked alphabetically and the number 1. I saw another coupon marked alphabetically and had an illustration of a cup. Only a few of those left as well. Maybe they were for oil or milk? I'm just guessing, all the old timers I know are dead, so no one to ask.

 

The early coupons in Book One were just numbered. Book One was a fold out affair and not stapled. In later books they were saddle stitched and had coupons with cannons, tanks, ships and planes along with the cup and grain coupons. There was no mention as to what the cannons, tanks, ships and planes coupons were used for. On the back of the ration book they give 4 instructions. Among them they tell you..."Detailed instructions concerning the use of the book and the stamps will be issued."

 

The official titles to the ration books are as follows:

 

United States of America War Ration Book One

War Ration Book Two

War Ration Book No.3

 

I know a gal with a couple of old aunts in their 90's. So hopefully she can ask them if they are still alive.

Edited August 28, 2021 by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

I had heard about 'saving stamps' from working with WW2 rationing ephemera and WW2 propaganda films. Recently I found out what they are. 

 

People would buy .10 or .25 war stamps and put them in a special folder. Once they got to $18.75 they could buy a $25 war bond to fund the war effort. 

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t4wAAOSwPt9gsk5z/s-l1600.jpg

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gNwAAOSw9jxgsk6P/s-l1600.jpg

 

Can you imagine funding a war at .10 at a time. Jesus, what a different world it was.

 

The gal I mentioned above was able to contact her aunts. One had broken her back, but it was not too bad and she was recovering. The aunts were too young at the time to remember much of the rationing era. I thought they were in their 90's, but they are only in their late late 80's and were only 10 years old during WW2. Anyway, I'm doing a good job piecing the rationing mystery together little by little.