1942: Rockville Centre Hosts War Bond Party

During World War II, the United States government issued war bonds to help finance the war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt bought the first Series E U.S. Savings Bond on May 1, 1941. On August 26, 1942, a crowd of 15,000 congregated in Rockville Centre for a war bond party, the largest party ever held there. Nearly everyone in the village attended the event, marching, cheering, and buying $263,000 worth of war bonds. More than 7,000 people crowded into the Station Plaza, and thousands more turned out to watch a parade of 2,000 uniformed marchers. Special guests also supported the event, including Yankee legends Joe DiMaggio and "Lefty" Gomez. Radio celebrity Lucille Manners led the crowd in singing the national anthem. Revelers danced all evening to music provided by three orchestras. By war’s end, more than 85 million Americans had purchased war bonds. A Norman Rockwell war bonds poster is shown here.