We Malin Twins Did Our Part, Too!

The Knott Twins Were Not Alone

Bob and Dick Malin  b. 1937

Having read Ron & Roland Knott’s story, we have one too. Our mom had twin boys on Sept. 11, 1937. Like the Knott boys, the second one was not expected. Mom said she and Dad were very happy. I guess our older sister was too.

We remember the war years. It helped the war effort to produce your own food. We had a “victory garden” and got chickens that produced enough eggs for our family and some of our neighbors. We lived in Port Chester NY, not exactly farm country. After the war the neighbors wanted us to get rid of the chickens, so we had a lot of chicken dinners.

As a little kid, I had scary dreams of Japanese planes dropping bombs. I was afraid of my closet because I knew a spy could be in there!   At night the fire whistle would blow and we would have to turn the lights out. We both went on to careers in the art field. We used to draw planes and tanks, etc. on wrapping paper in the war years. Most everything was rationed.

Our two uncles were in the war. Uncle George, our favorite, was in the Normandy invasion.(and survived). Uncle Bob was stationed in Iceland. Our Dad had a deferment because of having four kids and working at defense facilities.

Our Grandmother, MiMi,  had a 41 Buick, with an allowance of four gallons of gas a week!   All three of her daughters and all the kids piled into the Buick to do the food shopping. She whipped around a corner one time and we yelled out, “MiMi!  Brian went out the door!”  She was a lousy driver.  Cousin Brian wasn’t hurt. At school the kids bought war stamps and when you filled the books you got a war bond.

On VJ day we talked Dad into shooting the double barrel off the back porch. He did, both barrels at once. What fun! People were shooting guns and honking horns. A very happy day!

Bob and Dick with father Ed and sister Ginny

On to the post years, life was good.  People were able to obtain things again; cars, metal goods, bubble gum, sneakers, etc. No more rationing, meatless Tuesdays,… on and on.  Let’s not forget.

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3 thoughts on “We Malin Twins Did Our Part, Too!”

  1. From the start, it’s clear Bob and Dick have always done their part for family, community and country – even as ten-year-olds. Seventy years later, nothing has changed. It has been my privelege to know and become friends with the Malin twins through our shared love of fishing and conservation. They remain, to this day, dedicated to the same ideals they learned as young men growing up in the war years. (And their taste in vehicles is impeccable!)

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