Christian Zimmerman, son of Maj Eugene Zimmerman, shares selected excerpts from his father’s Vietnam diary, providing insights and sketches from his service at the Da Nang Airbase.

When pondering love during wartime, specifically World War I and World War II, most people immediately think of love letters. But for the rare date night, what was preparing like in a time of rationed makeup, toiletries, and clothing?

As we prepare to tuck into a wonderful feast this Thanksgiving, let’s take a minute for a double-helping of gratitude for the quantity and variety of the food on our plates…it hasn’t always been available. Wartime food and supply rationing, particularly during WWI and WWII, meant that the home front was much more involved in and affected by foreign wars.