WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – Wednesday marks 82 years since World War II sailors on the U.S.S. North Carolina received an unexpected gift from Macy’s Department Store and their families thousands of miles away.
It was Christmas Eve in 1943 and the U.S.S. North Carolina had been out at sea in the pacific with around 2,000 sailors for 30 days, with no end in sight of WWII.
“Christmas on the battleships were usually marked by say it be a festive meal, so they could have turkey and ham and all the trimmings there would be music pipped through the ship,” said Mary Ames Booker, curator at Battleship North Carolina. “And they could get mail.”…