Lura Sheets was born in 1920 on a 2,000-acre farm about 10 miles outside Ruleton, Kansas where they grew wheat, corn, millet, and barley. At 17 years old, while traveling with one of her older brothers and several other friends, Lura went to Los Angeles, CA in 1937 for a short visit, but she liked the big city vibe and stayed. Lura went to work as an upstairs maid for a family living in Hollywood, CA.
In 1939, Lura began working in retail sales at a dress shop and began taking a class in night school to learn how to type. She met her future husband, John South, during this class and they were married in early 1941 and stayed married until John South’s death in 1980.
From late 1941 until the summer of 1944, Lura worked as a US Navy inspector. (Naval Inspector as she likes to say laughingly). She inspected the 4” artillery shell casing manufactured by Norris Stamping & Manufacturing Company to ensure they were within standards before they could be sent to be completed.
A typical day for Lura and the 13 other inspectors as a “Bomb Girl” started at 8am and ended at 5pm five to six days a week. The inspectors would use micrometers to ensure the 4” shell casings were within specifications. If they were not within specifications they could cause a major catastrophic failure within the artillery. Shell casings not up to spec were rejected. Lura realized that the men at the front needed everything to be just right. Lura says it was her patriotic duty to keep the men supplied with the things needed to protect our freedoms.
Defending America during World War II was a family affair for Lura and her brothers Lowell and Lester Price. Lura’s older brother by six years, Lowell Price, joined the US Navy in 1932 and served four years. During this time, Lowell served aboard the US Navy Light Cruiser USS Detroit (CL-8). After the attack on Pearl Harbor Lowell Price rejoined the US Navy and attained the rating of Chief Commissary Cook with the rate of Petty Officer First Class (E-6). During World War II he participated in the initial invasion of Okinawa. Lowell was awarded numerous decorations, including the Bronze Star, for bravery in action during a Kamikaze attack.
Lura’s older brother by four years, Lester Price, joined the US Army shortly after the entry of the United States into World War II. Lester Price served in the Signal Corps and participated in the first day of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. Lester’s unit received the Presidential Unit Citation for their actions during the invasion. Lester’s job was to go ashore on the first day and attempt to set up various communication lines ASAP so the troops could communicate with each other.
Lura left her civilian job working for the US Navy at Norris Stamping & Manufacturing Company in the summer of 1944. Then Lura went to work for Western Gear in East Los Angeles, CA where she worked for several weeks deburring parts for the war effort. She was transferred to the parts department where she managed the distribution of parts to their existing workforce. Lura worked there until just after VE-Day (8 May 1945 in the United States and 7 May 1945 for 7 Commonwealth countries).
Lura currently resides in Escondido, CA.